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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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joden Offline OP
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What happens to my existing BIAB usb drive version (2022) if I change over to macOS? Can I still use it with a MAC executable for the program?

Do I need a whole new drive?

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Originally Posted By: joden
What happens to my existing BIAB usb drive version (2022) if I change over to macOS? Can I still use it with a MAC executable for the program?

Do I need a whole new drive?


I haven't done this, but I understand that file formats on the Mac are different (as well as the programs themselves). I can fairly confidently say that the Windows version won't run on a Mac computer. Others may know more.

(Additionally, the subject asks if you can 'change' your USB drive, but the content asks if you can 'use' your USB drive...)


BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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You can still use your Windows version of Band-in-a-Box on a Windows computer. After you purchase the Mac version of Band-in-a-Box from the "crossgrade" section of the price chart, then you would install this to your Mac computer. You cannot run a windows band-in-a-Box on Mac and vice versa. But your can open and use the same SGU/MGU song files on both, as long as both have the same RealTracks installed.


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If you use the decompress function on the wma files it will convert them to wav the Mac app will play, but you need to have hard drive space unless you already have the Audiophile version.
If not you will need to convert the wma to m4a and also all the wma demo files for RealTracks, Drums, Style demos etc... unless you set your default media player to one that will play the wma demos.
And if you convert wma to m4a you will need to make sure it converts mono to mono and stereo to stereo.

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Also, keep in mind that the Mac version is still 2021 so if you cross-grade now you will lose some of the features found in your Windows 2022 version.


BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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not to mention losing RealBand

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joden Offline OP
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ok, thanks folks...I am keeping the Intel NUC box, so maybe I'll just use it on that and export wav files.

The other info here appear to be either too much effort or money hahaha!

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An approach I don’t think was mentioned yet is to buy the Mac but also run a Windows emulator on it, like Parallels. Then your existing drive will work fine. Just keep track of the number of activations, and don’t forget to deactivate the copy on your PC before you scrap it.


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1) Keep your existing Windows install. You've already got it and PG has said you're entitled to keep using it even after a crossgrade to MacOS.

2) Do a full Mac install to a new location. Unless you're on dialup, it makes more sense to just download fresh, PG-supplied Mac RealTracks than to try to convert a Windows library yourself.

Last edited by Mark Hayes; 02/28/22 04:58 PM.
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joden Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: Mark Hayes
1) Keep your existing Windows install. You've already got it and PG has said you're entitled to keep using it even after a crossgrade to MacOS.

2) Do a full Mac install to a new location. Unless you're on dialup, it makes more sense to just download fresh, PG-supplied Mac RealTracks than to try to convert a Windows library yourself.


Yeah that's a good idea thanks

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joden Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
An approach I don’t think was mentioned yet is to buy the Mac but also run a Windows emulator on it, like Parallels. Then your existing drive will work fine. Just keep track of the number of activations, and don’t forget to deactivate the copy on your PC before you scrap it.


Thanks Matt - good thought and I may even try it, but at this stage I want to try and keep it all Mac.

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As a helpful hint, if you have any custom styles or anything like that, you can copy the contents of your Style folder over to your new Style folder and skip any of the files you already have when prompted. These would work across Mac or Windows, so long as you have the RealTracks to run them with your crossgrade package that you get.


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