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External Windows Harddrive READ from MAC

D

Dano22

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 23, 2010
10
0
Hi,

I have a Windows Vista external hard drive--I took it out of my old Vista laptop as I now have a MacBook Pro.

I want to be able to access some of the files on that HD. I put the HD in a external hard drive case and plugged it into my MBP, and I could see the Windows folder and other various folders that were on the old C: drive. But under users where the Dano22 User folder used to be, there was nothing. When I took it out I could easily see it in Windows.

What is the issue here? Do I need to do something in Windows so that I can access it via my MBP? The Dano22 User on my old Vista laptop had a password on it, does this have something to do with it?

Help would be much appreciated.:confused:

Dano22
 
tj2001 and wrldwzrd89,

Thanks for getting back to me. I am not sure if the folder is hidden or flagged, its the first time I tried to access it from my new MBP. I was not using Truecrypt, not even really sure what that is.

The external drive WAS my main HD for my old windows laptop and it operated fine. I took it out, put it in an external case with USB, plugged it into my MBP and I can see plenty of folders (Programs Applications, Windows, other files, etc), but under Users, where I kept all my docs, pics, music etc, was Dano22 folder--that cannot be seen. I did always log into my Windows comp when starting up (with a PW), so I am wondering if its a permission issue and what I would need to do about that.

Ideas?

Dano22
 
tj2001 said:
... next try using Mac FUSE, it's a preference pane so that Mac can read windows formatted drives.
http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/

Hope this helps :)
Click to expand...

No need for MacFuse, if the OP only wants to READ from the HDD.
GGJstudios said:
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.
  • 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
Click to expand...


OP, do you have access to any Windows Vista or 7 computer or do you have a Windows VM installed on your Mac?
 
simsaladimbamba

Thanks for the quick reply--you are right, I just want to READ from that external drive, grab a few files here and there that did not come over in my conversion to MAC and then reformat it at some point as an empty external HD.

My old Windows laptop is in the shop--I was pretending to be smart trying to open the keyboard up, yadda, yadda, yadda, i screwed something up. But that is going to come back to me at some point, so I will have that laptop in a few weeks, but I DO HAVE my girlfriends Windows 7 laptop at my disposal...

Dano22
 
simsaladimbamba said:
No need for MacFuse, if the OP only wants to READ from the HDD.



OP, do you have access to any Windows Vista or 7 computer or do you have a Windows VM installed on your Mac?
Click to expand...

Yea I should of been clear that MacFUSE is to write to certain Windows formats from Mac, but thought it may help with the reading issue.


Great suggestion simsaladimbamba, if you have VMWare Fusion or Parallels you could run a virtual Windows and mount the drive to the virtual machine.
 
simsaladimbamba said:
OP, do you have access to any Windows Vista or 7 computer or do you have a Windows VM installed on your Mac?
Click to expand...

tj2001 and simsaladimbamba,

I will hoepfully be getting my Vista PC back soon. My GF has her Windows 7 PC here at my house that I could use and I am re-new back to a mac, so I have heard of parrallels, but not sure what to do.

simsaladimbamba,

Yup, I do...suggestions?

Thanks again!
Dano22
 
Hey all, I would like to update this and ask for some help.

Here is the synopsis:
  • My main PC was a Windows Vista Machine. I now use a MBP running OS X Lion.
  • The HD from my Vista Machine is now out of it and in a case and acting like a external HD.
  • I NOW have my OLD Vista PC up and running on a NEW HD running Vista again.
So two comps, one Vista, one OS X Lion. One external HD from old Vista configuration when the Vista machine was my only/main machine.

Before, I tried to plug the OLD HD from my Vista machine into MBP and I could see all the files OTHER than the Dano22 folder--this, of course, is where I stored all the stuff I want to access. NOW, after getting my old Vista machine back, putting a new HD in it and installing Vista, I also plugged the OLD HD into that machine and cannot see Dano22 folder either...however, if I type into the address bar C:\Users\Dano22, bingo, I can see the files.

What is exactly going on, and what do I need to do to access the Dano22 folder from my MBP?:confused:
 
Dano22 said:
Hey all, I would like to update this and ask for some help.

Here is the synopsis:
  • My main PC was a Windows Vista Machine. I now use a MBP running OS X Lion.
  • The HD from my Vista Machine is now out of it and in a case and acting like a external HD.
  • I NOW have my OLD Vista PC up and running on a NEW HD running Vista again.
So two comps, one Vista, one OS X Lion. One external HD from old Vista configuration when the Vista machine was my only/main machine.

Before, I tried to plug the OLD HD from my Vista machine into MBP and I could see all the files OTHER than the Dano22 folder--this, of course, is where I stored all the stuff I want to access. NOW, after getting my old Vista machine back, putting a new HD in it and installing Vista, I also plugged the OLD HD into that machine and cannot see Dano22 folder either...however, if I type into the address bar C:\Users\Dano22, bingo, I can see the files.

What is exactly going on, and what do I need to do to access the Dano22 folder from my MBP?:confused:
Click to expand...
Odds are the hidden flag is set on that folder, for some odd reason. You can unset it either from Vista, or from your Mac - whichever you feel more comfortable at.

For Vista, you can turn on display of hidden files and folders, select it, right-click and choose Properties, and uncheck the Hidden box.
For Mac OS X it's a little more complicated, since there's no GUI provided with Mac OS X to toggle hidden file display on or off. You CAN use the Terminal to do it, but if you're not comfortable at a command prompt I strongly suggest the Vista approach.
 
wrldwzrd89 said:
Odds are the hidden flag is set on that folder, for some odd reason. You can unset it either from Vista, or from your Mac - whichever you feel more comfortable at.

For Vista, you can turn on display of hidden files and folders, select it, right-click and choose Properties, and uncheck the Hidden box.
Click to expand...

wrldwzrd89,

I will try this tonight and update the thread. I beleive (can't exactly recall for sure) but I know on the Vista Machine that now has the NEW HD in it, I made Windows Explorer show Hidden Files in Vista and still could not see it.

Will update soon.

Dano22
 
Last edited:
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