Help copying huge file from PC to Mac using external drive

Hi all,

Here is my predicament:

I need to copy a very large series of files (412 GB total) from a windows computer at an institution onto an external hard drive that I can then read on my Mac. The files are simply lots and lots (LOTS) of PDFs in a series of nested folders. No windows programs or anything like that.

Today, I tried bringing my 1 TB usb hard drive to the institution. I have been using this hard drive to make Super Duper backups only. There is plenty of empty space on the hard drive (enough to accommodate the 412 GB I need to copy).

When I inserted the drive into the windows computer, the PC never recognized the drive. So I couldn't copy the files onto it.

Here are the options I'm considering. I don't know if either works.

1. Erase my external usb drive and re-partition it into two 500 GB drives. One I will continue to use for my Super Duper backups (my internal hard drive is only 500 GB) and the other I could use to store that 412 GB archive of PDFs that I need. However, is it possible to re-format and partition in such a way that ONE partition will be usable by Super Duper and the OTHER will be recognized by a windows PC when inserted? If so, how can I do this?

2. Buy a new external USB drive large enough to fit the 412 GB file I need. I'm in Ecuador right now, so such hard drives are not as cheap as they are in the US, so I'd like to avoid this route if possible. If I do this, how can I ensure that I will be able to access and read the PDFs once I take them home to my mac? If I plug the new external drive into a PC to copy the files, will it then be usable on my mac?

I know that there are different formatting standards for Windows and Mac. But I thought that since the files are just PDFs, I should be able to grab them off of the hard drive regardless of its formatting.

Obviously, getting the files e-mailed to me isn't an option, nor would be burning them onto a series of DVDs because it would take forever and I don't technically have access to the PCs at the institution-- I need the people who work there to help me do this file transfer.

Anyway, any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Many, many thanks to both of you. I will try re-making my drive into two partitions and see how that works. It probably will! If not, then I'll go with the option of buying a new dedicated drive for the task.