Files FROM MAC ext. hard drive TO PC ext. hard drive

[showoff]

Hi - I only have MAC computers and have a video editing business. I am trying to figure out the best way to deliver clients their original, uncompressed digital files on external hard drives. MAC clients are easy, it is the PC clients that propose a problem.

Their files exist on my MAC formatted external hard drives. I have a PC formatted drive as well, but cannot write to it from my MAC (I can only read). How do i get the files onto a PC formated external hard drive?

I have heard of formatting drives to FAT32, making the drive able to write and read both mac and pc. But doesn't this partition the drive, therefore limiting the PC clients full use of their new drive?

There must be an easier solution that I am just not think of? Any other thoughts? Thanks for your advice!

 

[GGJstudios]

Hi - I only have MAC computers

Or Mac computers. MAC is something else.

How do i get the files onto a PC formated external hard drive?

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

 

[ActionableMango]

If your video files are under 4GB, I would recommend FAT32. It is supported by both computers and it is reliable.

If your video files are larger than 4GB, I would recommend NTFS and installing NTFS-3G on your Mac. It will be readable on Windows and OS X. NTFS-3G is reverse-engineered, so it may be less than perfectly reliable. Because of this, I would do all your work locally and only copy files to the NTFS drive when you are done. This minimizes the read/write cycles and chances for error.

I have used NTFS-3G myself and I will say it's pretty darn good.

 

[rtheb]

I use NTFS for Mac OS X and it has worked without a problem.

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