How to transfer large files from Windows to OS X without SMB?

A while ago I made a copy of my Aperture library on my Windows machine in case my Time Machine drive failed. My Time Machine drive failed last night and now I would like to restore this backup.

When I made the backup, I used a direct ethernet connection. A Cat 6 crossover cable between my Mac and my Windows. I transferred the files using SMB. However, that was slow and failed often.

Is there a better way of transferring this massive folder from my Windows to my Mac?

Honestly, if something fast like USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt are available to you, get yourself a small 64GB SSD and a USB 3.0 enclosure, or this (expensive, but a very good long-term investment if you have Thunderbolt. It's actually just a Thunderbolt to SATA adapter, with a fancy name. There are other options, this is just the only one I'm familiar with. ), and you should be able to make those transfers in no time. With such a small SSD, the price should be sub-$100 even for the fast ones.