What file system is read/write for both OS X and Windows? I need to set up an external drive and wondering with which it should be formated. I know FAT32 works but the limitations hinder its usability for me. Then NTSF, OS X can only read or at least that's what I remember reading. Then there's ext2/ext3, UFS, and so on, but I don't know anything about those systems.
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File System for Mac and Windows
- Thread starter ForeverUnknown
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You'd have to have 3rd party software to access ext2/3, ufs, etc. Windows only natively has access to FAT32 and NTFS. So I'd say FAT32 is your best choice, unless you find a 3rd party software to access the ext2/3, ufs, etc., but be sure to read on if you can read and write to it.
http://www.fs-driver.org/download.html
I wonder, can you read and write to ext2/3 on mac? That fs-driver.org is for Windows, it allows you to read and write to ext2/3, be sure to read through the faq and documentation on it.
http://www.fs-driver.org/download.html
I wonder, can you read and write to ext2/3 on mac? That fs-driver.org is for Windows, it allows you to read and write to ext2/3, be sure to read through the faq and documentation on it.
This has worked well for me with external USB drives up to 40GB in size and Thumb Drives up to 4GB in size.
I need multiple drive with a few being 250GB. I'm playing around with Partition Magic on Windows right now and it looks like FAT32 will only be able to get me 200GB out of 250.
Try formatting on the Mac first, as a 250GB FAT, then see if Windows can read it.
I would try it, but unfortunately, all my big drives are FW and I don't have FW on my PC. Sorry I can't be more help.
You could format the drive to the mac native format (HFS+), then read/write in Windows using Macdrive.
Not to dig up an old thread but... I'm in the same delema. I have a 1tb drive I'm trying to move a file to (70 or so gigs in size) that is fat32 but it won't copy. It copied fine on my drive that was macos extended jounaled case senistive. But my windows desktop can't read that. Is there a format that supports large transfers that both OS's can read/write to?