I now use Windows 2000 on an old IBM Thinkpad T23, and I'm considering buying a new iBook G4. How can I transfer all my data files from the windows laptop to the iBook without buying new software or gadgets? I presently use the ethernet crossover cable or the USB external hard-drive for transferring data to other windows computers. My present data files are in: 1. Microsoft Office Excel 2. MS word - mostly in doc. and rft. format. 3. emails in Outlook Express 4. audio files in wma., mp3, and wav. format 5. pictures in jpg. and tiff. format What software packaged with iBook can do the format conversion job? If I were to open up the iBook within the first 12 months of warranty to upgrade the RAM or the hard-drive, would that void the warranty? Would appreciate your suggestions. Thanks.

a crossover cable or a USB hard drive will work just fine. Make sure your IP addresses are good-you should know what i mean. I think you're okay on warranty to open it and put in more RAM. Everything should tranfer over just fine. The only thing I'm not sure about is Outlook Express. Someone else should be able to help you on that. To Connect to the PC from the iBook, hit command(apple key)+K and type smb://thinkpadipaddressgoeshere then hit connect... you'll be presented with a login window. type your creditials for the PC (make sure the things you want from the PC are shared on the PC!) and then hit connect or okay or whatever. it should connect you.

Thanks for your reply! My most important concern is whether I can transfer all my emails to iBook to be opened by the iBook counterpart of Outlook Express. At present I save my Outlook Express emails in dbx format, and from another computer click this file in the USB exterior HDD and it opens up in the OE of the receiving computer. To make sure I understand you, if I save my Word or Excel files into the exterior drive, then when I accesss these files on the USB exterior HDD from iBook, will these files open up automatically into Appleworks? I understand that Apple has recalled an earlier iBook model because of logic board problems. What is the model and type that is recalled? Many thanks.

Word/Excel: Close. If you have Microsoft Office on your iBook, they will automatically open in that. If you don't have that, then yes, they will automatically open in AppleWorks. AppleWorks isn't the best program and you may not be happy with it if you do a lot of heavy editing in Word and Excel. Also, most of the formating is preserved in Appleworks, but not all, and the AppleWorks Excel counterpart has a few conversion issues (AppleWorks translates the format from Office to its own, so that's why there are some issues- same as transfering from Office to MS Works...) So in short, Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac <http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/office2004/office2004.aspx?pid=office2004> is the better choice. iWork <http://www.apple.com/iwork/> looks promising, too, but it doesn't yet have an Excel counterpart. Email: (Microsoft stopped making Outlook Express and Outlook for Mac after Office 2001. They are still available, but do not run natively in OS X.) Your computer will come with Mail. I'm not sure on all of what Mail imports, but I bet that <http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/mail/> will help. If you purchase Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, then you will get Entourage. Entourage is Outlook Express/Outlook rolled into one. Both Mail and Entourage connect to Exchange servers. If Mail doesn't import your emails, then Entourage might. You might be able to move them to Mail after that, if you prefer. I personally perfer Mail over Entourage- I find Entourage too bulky. Recalls: On Apple's homepage <http://apple.com> check at the bottom of the page. There is a link there that will help you. Logic Board Link: <http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/> Okay, let me know if I can help any more, and good luck! P.S. You'll find that anything you did on your PC your Mac does better and its easier on you. Just ask and someone (or I) will help. My typing may make it look hard, sorry, it really isnt.

Thank you so much for replying with such depth and clarity. At least I know what I would be jumping into. Actually, I used Appleworks when it first came out around 1983 on my Apple IIc. The 5 inch floppy would spin every few minutes as it frequently accessed the Works program. Back then it was like happily riding the pony cart before the car was invented. Competitors like Atari, Commodore, Sinclair, Tandy were just toys. Then came Osborne, and IBM made its debut with the chiclet keyboard. Microsoft Works was only a Johnny Come Lately, following Appleworks and a slew of other office programs like Visicalc, dBaseII, LetterPerfect who laid down the basics and, up till today, MS has only polished on these basic concepts, but adding nothing fundamental to the original architecture. In a sense, Apple and its customers help each grow in the world of technology. Their Apple II was an open box with about 8 empty slots, and everytime they invented something, we would slide in a new chip card. But now, to replace a HDD in the iBook is dauntingly complicated, like brain surgey. (Sigh), I just have to keep up with the march of time....

Sorry, I just realized that I forgot to address your picture and music question. For both, just drag them onto the USB HD and then off of it to your iBook. Those formats are universal. Music: iTunes is a great application and it is bundled as part of the iLife suite- I don't know if you've had any experience with it, but it's an awesome jukebox. There are other applications available, which you will want to download for internet playback (i.e. Windows Media Player [only a player- no organizational features], RealPlayer, etc.). Pictures: Preview comes with OS X. It displays just about everything from PDFs to the old MacPaint files. It however, does not edit. I usually use Photoshop because I have it through my school. Hope it all works out!