External Hard Disk..

[mvksagar45]

Hello All.. I recently bought my MBP ( first timer ) and today i got a 1 TB external Hard disk .. It is fine when i connected to my MBP..but after that i connected to my Desktop (PC) to transfer some data into it..but my PC is not recognizing it ....is it the case ? Cant i use a mac os x formatted external hard disk on my a PC ? please help...i want to use the HD on both of them...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

You need to format your HDD via Disk Utility with the right format to use it in Mac OS X and Windows (if that is the OS you use with your PC).
See below list from that GGJstudios guy what file system or format applies:

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
• Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
• To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X: Install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free)
• Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx 33USD).
• Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner backups of Mac internal hard drive.
• To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
• To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• exFAT partitions created with OS X 10.6.5 are inaccessible from Windows 7
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB

Format Your Hard Drive Using Disk Utility
Partition Your Hard Drive With Disk Utility

Using Disk Utility - Formatting, Partitioning, Verifying, and Repairing Disks

Look at the info simsaladimbamba posted. There are ways Windows can read/write to HFS+. Also, NTFS is a better choice than FAT32, since it doesn't have the file size limitations.

Fools seldom differ. Again.

 

[c7aea]

No windows wont recognize a mac formatted HDD.

I think you can format to FAT32 however you can only transfer files up to a maximum of 4gb

 

[GGJstudios]

No windows wont recognize a mac formatted HDD.
I think you can format to FAT32 however you can only transfer files up to a maximum of 4gb

Look at the info simsaladimbamba posted. There are ways Windows can read/write to HFS+. Also, NTFS is a better choice than FAT32, since it doesn't have the file size limitations.

 

[mvksagar45]

Thanks Guys..

To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X: Install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free)

is that a good option ? Because, it is hard for me not to copy more than 4 GB files.. as i have many movies ( 720p and 1080p ) which are like 8 GB each...

 

[hsenor]

Fat32

To natively read and write to your drive on both a Mac and a Windows computer you need to format your drive as FAT32, but FAT32 does not support file sizes over 4gb. However, there is software, such as MacDrive, that allows you to read and write to your hard drive on your Windows machine, but you need to install it on every computer you plan on using your drive with.

 

[GGJstudios]

Thanks Guys..

To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X: Install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free)

is that a good option ? Because, it is hard for me not to copy more than 4 GB files.. as i have many movies ( 720p and 1080p ) which are like 8 GB each...

Yes, that's a good way to go.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Thanks Guys..

To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X: Install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free)

is that a good option ? Because, it is hard for me not to copy more than 4 GB files.. as i have many movies ( 720p and 1080p ) which are like 8 GB each...

It's a good option and should work very well. I used it several times and the only complaint I have is its slowness (20MB/s) when I used it and I had 200GB to transfer.

 

[mvksagar45]

It's a good option and should work very well. I used it several times and the only complaint I have is its slowness (20MB/s) when I used it and I had 200GB to transfer.

Good..But i have the new Mac ( the latest ones, 13 inch base model) and i guess these are 64 bit , so is it still good ?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Good..But i have the new Mac ( the latest ones, 13 inch base model) and i guess these are 64 bit , so is it still good ?

The "bit-ness" has nothing to to do with that. I also have a 64-bit Mac with a 64-bit Mac OS X version and can still run 32-bit applications and drivers.
All C2D and later Macs have been 64-bit.

 

[legreve]

Since we're dealing with an external drive that most likly would be used as shared storage or transport drive, wouldn't it just be easiest to format in exFat?

I just did that to my two externals and they seem to be running fine. I have yet to connect them to my pc, but I see no reason why it shouldn't work (depending on which windows, but according to Wiki I seem to remember it being usable by the majority of windows platforms)
And exFat is not restricted to the puny 4gb file sizes...

Why bother with all those add on programs that would allow hfs/ntfs?

 

[mvksagar45]

I installed, ntfs -3g and the mac fuse. But still i couldnt get it working. When i plugin my HD is saying :

could not mount my HD because

Library/Filesystems/fusefs.fs/Support/fusefs.kext failed to load - (libkern/kext) link error; check the system/kernel logs for errors or try kextutil(8).
the MacFUSE file system is not available (71)

But i have both Mac Fuse and Ntfs -3g Installed.

And also, then i installed the paragon software for NTFS (Trial version ) and it is great. But the originall version is about 20$( i can afford it, but i am just checking, if any one has got it working for free.)

SO any sugesstions ? Should i gor for paragon full version ? Or anything to get it done free ?

Thanks in advance..

 

[entatlrg]

I installed, ntfs -3g and the mac fuse. But still i couldnt get it working. When i plugin my HD is saying :

could not mount my HD because

Library/Filesystems/fusefs.fs/Support/fusefs.kext failed to load - (libkern/kext) link error; check the system/kernel logs for errors or try kextutil(8).
the MacFUSE file system is not available (71)

But i have both Mac Fuse and Ntfs -3g Installed.

And also, then i installed the paragon software for NTFS (Trial version ) and it is great. But the originall version is about 20$( i can afford it, but i am just checking, if any one has got it working for free.)

SO any sugesstions ? Should i gor for paragon full version ? Or anything to get it done free ?

Thanks in advance..

I'm getting the same error message, no idea why.

Since we're dealing with an external drive that most likly would be used as shared storage or transport drive, wouldn't it just be easiest to format in exFat?

I just did that to my two externals and they seem to be running fine. I have yet to connect them to my pc, but I see no reason why it shouldn't work (depending on which windows, but according to Wiki I seem to remember it being usable by the majority of windows platforms)
And exFat is not restricted to the puny 4gb file sizes...

Why bother with all those add on programs that would allow hfs/ntfs?

I have the same question. Anyone?

 

[Filipek]

I'm getting the same error message, no idea why.




I have the same question. Anyone?

Same here....

 

[legreve]

Crist... just format exfat instead of all that bs with extra programs and so on....