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How can I get an external HD to load on both Windows + Mac?

yOyOYoo

yOyOYoo

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 13, 2005
715
114
CA
So I just figured out how to set up my external Seagate 250G HD to work flawlessly with my Mac.

I tried to plug it into a friend's Window's based computer, but the computer would not allow me to access the drive. it says that the device is working properly, but I can't seem to access the drive.

DO I need to reformat it again?

What do I do with the current data on the drive, do I need to back it up somewhere else?!

thanks!
 
MacOS X can read, but not write, NTFS.

Windows can't read HFS+ without 3rd party utility, like "Mac Drive".

Both can read and write FAT32. Good luck formatting that 250GB drive as FAT32 though.

Formatting destroys all data on the drive, so you do need to back it up somewhere if you want to keep it.
 
apfhex said:
MacOS X can read, but not write, NTFS.

Windows can't read HFS+ without 3rd party utility, like "Mac Drive".

Both can read and write FAT32. Good luck formatting that 250GB drive as FAT32 though.

Formatting destroys all data on the drive, so you do need to back it up somewhere if you want to keep it.
Click to expand...

SO you're saying if a Windows computer gets "Mac Drive" then it can recognize this portable hard drive??

Also, where can I find this program and is it free?
 
apfhex said:
MacOS X can read, but not write, NTFS.

Windows can't read HFS+ without 3rd party utility, like "Mac Drive".

Both can read and write FAT32. Good luck formatting that 250GB drive as FAT32 though.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I get why he would need good luck? I know FAT32 isn't as efficient at using disk space, but my iomega 250 gig external came formatted that way out of the box, and is immediately recognizable to both my Macs and my trusty old Thinkpad (Win2k.)
 
pdxflint said:
I'm not sure I get why he would need good luck? I know FAT32 isn't as efficient at using disk space, but my iomega 250 gig external came formatted that way out of the box, and is immediately recognizable to both my Macs and my trusty old Thinkpad (Win2k.)
Click to expand...

Yeah no issue here either. I have a 320Gb Lacie USB drive FAT32 that I swap between Mac & PC with no problems at all.
 
yOyOYoo said:
Is this easy to do? How can I format this Seagate drive?
Click to expand...

Yes, it is easy to do. Open Disk Utility in OS X (Applications>Utilities folder) - Select the disk (not the/a volume on it), go to the 'erase' tab and choose 'MS-DOS File System'.

This will of course erase any data on the drive, so make sure you back-up to another disk if you have files on it now (should go without saying, but can't hurt to...!) and always make sure to double check you're erasing the right disk!
 
Thats very strange, because I have EXACTLY the same drive and it came formated fat32... I did have to install a few drivers for it on XP... Are you sure thats not your problem?
 
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