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Help with External Hard Drive

T

theimp

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 12, 2006
89
0
Ithaca, NY
Hello,

I am trying to use my old external hard drive that I used for my old Win XP computer (It is a 160GB seagate one). This is the first time I ever am trying it on a mac. When I plug it in both my iMac and my Macbook (both newish intel models), it says that it can't read the disk. In disk utility all of the verify and other options are greyed out. I googled this issue, and found others with the same problem but no solution. I would like to get the files off, and am not too concerned with using the drive itself. Is there anyway to get access to the files without a PC or windows? I wouldn't have access to a windows computer for a few weeks. Thanks for any help :)
 
I don't know hot to tell if it is NTFS or FAT. It is hooked up via USB cable I don't have a firewire cord for this drive. What do you mean the controller in the drive? The brand of this is Seagate and it is probably around 4 years old.
 
Each external hard drive has a controller that allows communication between the drive and the computer. For example, I only buy enclosures that have Oxford controllers because they are 100% Mac compatible. While Seagate drives have always been Mac compatible, I do not know about their controllers. I also buy my enclosures and drives separate and assemble them myself.

If you launch Disk Utility while the drive is connected by USB, then click on the volume (which is directly below the drive's name and indented), you should see the word Format: near the bottom of the Disk Utility window. If it's NTFS or FAT32, then it should be readable drive. If it's not readable, then you will have to disassemble the enclosure, remove the drive and connect it to your Mac using another enclosure that is Mac compatible. Do you know if this drive is a SATA or PATA, and if it's 2.5" notebook or 3.5" desktop drive? It is also possible that the drive has failed.
 
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