how to access my OSX files while using Windows?

[SPNarwhal]

this is possible, right? I'm not making this up?

I'll try to be as in depth as I can.

I have a uMBP 17" with OSX Leopard on it, I just installed Windows XP.
I partitioned the Harddrive to be 32gb for Windows XP, and set the file type to FAT32 (since it needs to be to run mac files, right?)
Anyway. All that is done, and I installed the Apple Drivers for Windows and such, but all of my documents are empty. Which makes sense, since it's a fresh install of Windows. But how do I access the files that are on my OSX while I'm on Windows? I mean, I know people have said they can access their music and photos, which is all that really matters to me mostly. I was assuming there'd be a way to just get into all of your OSX files while on Windows. Maybe act as a 2ndary harddrive or something.

Is there a way to see/access my OSX files while on Windows? Or would I have to send myself all the files somehow? and have a double of everything, one for OSX and one for Windows?

 

[ziggyonice]

The Boot Camp drivers included with Snow Leopard will allow you to access your Mac partition from Windows. You can open the files on it, but not save things to it.

If you need to open files AND save files on it, check out MacDrive. Otherwise, just upgrade to Snow Leopard.

 

[spinnerlys]

Windows uses FAT32 (called MS DOS by Mac OS X) and NTFS as a file system.
Mac OS X uses HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) as its file system.

HFS+ can't be read or written to in Windows without additional software. HFSExplorer (free) and MacDrive (much better, but it costs something) will help you read and write to HFS+ formatted volumes while in Windows.

Mac OS X can't write to NTFS formatted volumes (but can read it), so you need MacFuse and NTFS-3G to do that in Mac OS, if you want to.

 

[SPNarwhal]

so why does everyone say to format to FAT if you need to transfer files from your windows to mac, but the other if you don't?

and I don't have snow leopard, so am i stuck just downloading those programs?

 

[ziggyonice]

so why does everyone say to format to FAT if you need to transfer files from your windows to mac, but the other if you don't?

Because Macs can read and write files to FAT32. Macs can read but NOT write to NTFS (unless you hack it). Windows can't read HFS (a Mac format). So pretty much, if you want surefire compatibility, formatting as FAT32 ensures that Macs and PCs can read the disk.

Until the day comes that Microsoft permits Mac formatted disks to be read, customers will just have to deal with using their format.

and I don't have snow leopard, so am i stuck just downloading those programs?

Yes. Or just get Snow Leopard ($29).