Formatting an external hard drive for Mac/Windows Use

[gwihannom]

I don't really use automatic backup method, because I have a few computers in the network that I go back and forth.
I used a Windows based syncing program to sync all computers of Documents, Music, Photos, etc., but it went corrupt.
So I'm not gonna use that method anymore.

I don't like automatic backups because I need to access the only specific files from an external hard drive.

When I modify a file and put it into an external hard drive, "Date Modified" section does not change. Which worries me that the drive is corrupt. (The drive was originally used on a Windows machine.)

Before I go any further in backup my files, I want to format it based on a Mac since it's primary OS.

How should I go about this?
Is there a different format for Mac and Windows drives?
I want to start from scratch.
I still need to use it between two OSs.

 

[illegallydead]

OK, that was really confusing. The BOLD stuff below is the answers to the questions I can understand. As for your backups... well, I'll leave that up to someone else to decipher your intents.

I don't really use automatic backup method, because I have a few computers in the network that I go back and forth.
I used a Windows based syncing program to sync all computers of Documents, Music, Photos, etc., but it went corrupt.
So I'm not gonna use that method anymore.

I don't like automatic backups because I need to access the only specific files from an external hard drive.

When I modify a file and put it into an external hard drive, "Date Modified" section does not change. Which worries me that the drive is corrupt. (The drive was originally used on a Windows machine.) OSX might not be reading the metadata properly, but if you can still open and modify the file fine, the drive is not corrupt

Before I go any further in backup my files, I want to format it based on a Mac since it's primary OS.

How should I go about this?

Is there a different format for Mac and Windows drives? YES. Mac uses HFS+, which DOES NOT SHOW UP IN WINDOWS (without a special program, like MacDrive). Windows uses NTFS, which Macs can READ, but not write (without a program like Paragon NTFS for Mac) Both read and write FAT32, which has limitations like file size (4GB), but that will be your best bet, so long as you aren't backing up stuff like Disk ISO's

I want to start from scratch. Good. Go into Disk utility and find the drive, then go to Erase. Select FAT32 as the format, and away you go.

I still need to use it between two OSs. Again, use FAT32 and you will be fine.

It doesn't sound like you are truly "backing up" anything, but rather moving certain important files to a main disk. Is this a NAS? Or is it a USB or Firewire drive?

 

[gumbyx84]

If you are going to use NTFS, do not buy ntfs drivers. NTFS-3G is open-source and FREE. Been using it for about 2 years now on my old Linux laptop and my MBP and never had a problem.

 

[gwihannom]

Forget the backup part, I guess what I need is an external hard drive that I can use in both mac and pc. I need both mac and pc to be able to write on it. I've searched around but kinda confused as to how to format the drive.

 

[WPB2]

Forget the backup part, I guess what I need is an external hard drive that I can use in both mac and pc. I need both mac and pc to be able to write on it. I've searched around but kinda confused as to how to format the drive.

FAT32 is the formatting you need.

 

[nope7308]

Forget the backup part, I guess what I need is an external hard drive that I can use in both mac and pc. I need both mac and pc to be able to write on it. I've searched around but kinda confused as to how to format the drive.

External drives should not be formatted as FAT32 because there is a 4GB limit on file sizes. That is, if you format the drive as FAT-32, you cannot write any files larger than 4GB.

I'm in a similar situation - I use my external between both Macs and PCs. I'm relatively poor, so I was looking for a FREE solution. Here is what I would suggest...

Format the drive using NTFS (windows). Download NTFS 3G on the Mac (FREE) which will enable both read/write privileges. It's free, it's simple, and it works.

Caution: I don't use Time Machine, so I'm not sure if it's compatible with NTFS.

 

[gwihannom]

So how do you format it to FAT32?

From Disk Utility, I saw that I had options for Mac-OS Extended, Journaled, MS-DOS, and such.
Which is which?
What's FAT32?
What are others, and if I use them,
are they read/writeale in Windows?

Looks like my current external hard drive is formatted in FAT32.
It's 150 GB drive.
It's weird how 4GB is a maximum size for a FAT32, but I've been putting a single 14GB Virtual Machine file which is used for VMWare.

 

[ZMacintosh]

in disk utility you select the MS-DOS format (thats essentially Fat32)

the 4gb limit is appointed to a specific individual file; for example a 4GB PSD file, or a 4GB AVI movie file.
you can have a folder that reaches 40GB with various files ranging in size.

Your VMWare is probably saving in various sectors of the drive itself, so its not all allocated to one particular location on the drive and probably not alot of INDIVIDUAL files that exceed 4GB.

i have DVD rips on my 1TB Fat32 external drive (networked) and plays and saves just fine.


As for the other formats;
Mac-OS Extended & Journaled are for the OSX file system (also represented as HSF+); these are for PPC and Intel Macs and can be read by most Mac OS computers and with a utility in windows called MacDrive (somewhat unreliable...)
MS-DOS like i stated is FAT/FAT32 thats read/writable in Mac and Windows



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the only the issue so forth in fat32 is i believe a 2TB partition limit...but not sure if that will make a difference now or in the future when maybe more open file formats will be available for multiple OS access (read/write)
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[WishingDigiJosh]

i do a lot of audio and video work and can vouch for MacDrive. It works very well in windows and lets me move easily back and forth between different macs and PCs. And at least you have support from a physical company if something goes wrong. If you feel comfortable, then NTFS-3G for OS X will give you the cross compatibility you're lookin for.