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How to copy ISO files to external hard drive?

M

manilamac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 7, 2010
2
0
Hello, I've created an ISO file which I need to back up and keep safe. I have a couple on my macbook pro but due to the large file size, it's taking up alot of space on my hard drive.

I tried to drag and drop this onto my external hard drive but when I attempted to move them, it came back with an error message saying it wasn't possible to do due to an error.

Can anyone help me figure this out?

I can drag and drop every other type of file but for some reason this wont want to work?

note: the file itself ranges from 4.9GB - 8GB and I have about 200GB space on my portable hard drive.
 
How to read ntfs volumes?

Hi there! Thanks so much for the quick reply.

Is there any way macs can read NTFS formatted drives? I'm thinking maybe I can partition my drive
And have one with NTFS of this will allow me to
Transfer the 4+GB files without having to split them.

Do you know if this is possible
 
manilamac said:
Hi there! Thanks so much for the quick reply.

Is there any way macs can read NTFS formatted drives?
Click to expand...

Yes, as the first link I offered explained it. Mac OS X can READ NTFS formatted volumes.
You need something like NTFS-3G or Paragon NTFS 8.0 to be able to write to NTFS formatted volumes in Mac OS X.

I'm thinking maybe I can partition my drive
And have one with NTFS of this will allow me to
Transfer the 4+GB files without having to split them.

Do you know if this is possible
Click to expand...

Partitioning, without losing data, might require a third party software to do so, as Disk Utility is not able to partition without losing data.
 
I have a similar problem except I cant transfer my iso file to either bootcamp nor an external hard drive and even when I compressed it I couldnt transfer the zip file either. There is a circle with a diagonal line across but I can transfer it around my mac from desktop to other folders etc.
 
Oh and I just realized I have that circle with line in the middle when i try transfering anything!!!! help.
 
Stirolak123 said:
I have a similar problem except I cant transfer my iso file to either bootcamp nor an external hard drive and even when I compressed it I couldnt transfer the zip file either. There is a circle with a diagonal line across but I can transfer it around my mac from desktop to other folders etc.
Click to expand...

Stirolak123 said:
Oh and I just realized I have that circle with line in the middle when i try transfering anything!!!! help.
Click to expand...

What format (file system) is the external HDD using and how big are the files?
Check via Finder and the Get Info window.
MacOSX_HD-Get_Info_window-S.png

GGJstudios said:
FAT32
  • Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
  • No individual file larger than 4GB.
NTFS
HFS
  • Read/Write HFS from native Mac OS X
  • To Read/Write HFS from Windows, Install MacDrive
  • To Read HFS (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
Click to expand...

Any more information you can share? Mac OS X version, exact Mac model, ...?




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To quote several posts, use the
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Click to expand...
 
Its a windows nt file system ntfs, but like I said file size isnt the issue cause I cant transfer anything to it, nor bootcamp and I heard bootcamp is transfarable form mac osx. And I have over 50 gb available so size isnt the issue. Plus I can just compress the file into a zip if its a problem but its an iso over 4gb. ALso when I double click on the iso from the mac desktop it gives me a warning saying "no mountable file systems" and its over 4 gb btw of an iso. I also couldnt convert it using disk utility. and I cant do anything in first aid in disk utility with my hard drive cause all the options are not highlightable and transparent or blanked out and I cant click on much.
 
Stirolak123 said:
Its a windows nt file system ntfs, but like I said file size isnt the issue cause I cant transfer anything to it, nor bootcamp and I heard bootcamp is transfarable form mac osx. And I have over 50 gb available so size isnt the issue. Plus I can just compress the file into a zip if its a problem but its an iso over 4gb. Also, when I double click on the iso from the mac desktop it gives me a disk image mounter warning saying "no mountable file systems" and its over 4 gb btw of an iso. I also couldnt convert it using disk utility.
Click to expand...

Maybe this can help then:


GGJstudios said:
FAT32
  • Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
  • No individual file larger than 4GB.
NTFS


  • Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
  • Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
  • To Read/Write NTFS from Leopard/Snow Leopard: Install MacFUSEand NTFS-3G. You can install both with NTFS-3Gfor Mac OS X.
  • To Read/Write NTFS from Snow Leopard: Guide: Enable native NTFS Read/Write in Snow Leopard
  • (Be aware that some are of the opinion that enabling native NTFS in SL is unstable/unreliable, and favor the MacFuse/NTFS-3G method for Snow Leopard)

HFS
  • Read/Write HFS from native Mac OS X
  • To Read/Write HFS from Windows, Install MacDrive
  • To Read HFS (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
Click to expand...

Btw, no need to convert anything.

As for the rest of your post, it is a bit garbled, thus I do not properly understand it.
But the above should help, though don't expect fast speeds via NTFS-3G. I think I got around 15MB/s, thus a GB takes a bi longer than a minute to transfer.
 
Like I said, the big thing right now is getting my hard drive to be able to accept files transfered form my mac not just windows pcs. I cant transfer anything onto it. The circle with line across it always appears.
 
Stirolak123 said:
Like I said, the big thing right now is getting my hard drive to be able to accept files transfered form my mac not just windows pcs. I cant transfer anything onto it. The circle with line across it always appears.
Click to expand...

Have you tried that NTFS-3G thing I subtly alluded to?

If I understood correctly, you can't transfer files from Mac OS X to an NTFS formatted HDD while it is connected to your Mac and you are running Mac OS X.
If that is the case, NTFS-3G can help you, that's why I posted that quote from GGJstudios twice now and even bolded the important part, and also made it red.
 
Im trying to install those files now but it seems very complicated to use and some linux file downloaded I think. Whyw ould mac osx not allow the use of an external hard drive?
 
Stirolak123 said:
Im trying to install those files now but it seems very complicated to use and some linux file downloaded I think. Whyw ould mac osx not allow the use of an external hard drive?
Click to expand...

1. The installation routine is quite easy. Just make sure, you download this file:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/cat...10.10.2/ntfs-3g-2010.10.2-macosx.dmg/download from http://macntfs-3g.blogspot.com/2010/10/ntfs-3g-for-mac-os-x-2010102.html

Then:
ntfsbw.jpg


2. NTFS is a Windows file system, Microsoft has its hands on it. Or why can Windows not even read HFS+ formatted volumes?
 
Ok so after I do that will I be able to drag and drop or will I have to open up that program executive first?
 
Stirolak123 said:
Ok so after I do that will I be able to drag and drop or will I have to open up that program executive first?
Click to expand...

When you restarted, you will be able to READ and WRITE to NTFS formatted volumes via Finder and any other application, as NTFS-3G (+ MacFuse) are drivers and not an application you have to run to use it.
 
iso ntfs

Just to keep this thread surviving till Chrimbo. My back up copy of Snow Leopard is held as an ISO on NTFS Hard Drive. Can I plug my external NTFS Hard Drive via usb to MAC Machine. Then copy the ISO from the NTFS Hard Drive to MAC Machine for burning to a DVD DL Disc ?
 
lusso said:
Just to keep this thread surviving till Chrimbo. My back up copy of Snow Leopard is held as an ISO on NTFS Hard Drive. Can I plug my external NTFS Hard Drive via usb to MAC Machine. Then copy the ISO from the NTFS Hard Drive to MAC Machine for burning to a DVD DL Disc ?
Click to expand...

Yes, as Mac OS X can read NTFS formatted volumes, as noted earlier in the FAQ.
 
Have you tried formatting the drive to exFAT. That will get over the 4GB file size limit.
 
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