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Is there a way around to transfer files to NTFS external HDD from Mac OS X?

lilskaterpunk

lilskaterpunk

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 12, 2008
177
0
I am currently running Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.2 and I xfered all my PC files and information onto my external HDD. Now I am on my Mac and I tried to copy a file to the external HDD, its not working? I check Get Info and its NTFS format. Do I need to format the HDD to Fat32? or is there a way around this? I just spent like 8 hours xfering all my music, pictures, etc. to the HDD and now I have to xfer them off and format the HDD then put all files back on?
I hope there is a way to get around this or if anyone recommends another way to do this?
Also, if I format to Fat32. Is 4GB the largest files I can xfer to the HDD? If so, I have larger files then that! Whats another option?

Thanks
 
Ok sweet.

Well I installed MacFUSE and I noticed it is located in System Preferences and in the Other category. (Sorry this is my first time using a Mac OS X)
I haven't done anything else after installing MacFUSE, so I assume its done and ready to use...
Now with NTFS-3G file, its a .tar file extension and I notice clicking on it installed a file folder. Inside this folder is lots of files, etc. I assume I need to run command code to install now? Sorry again, so new to this. I will learn fast though! lol

Thanks for ur help.
 
Try Paragon Software

Under their Mac software offering they have a very good and seamless NTFS software and its being offered on a discount I think, I got it for USD 20. ;)

They have thrown in a vice versa free also, i.e. how to read HFS+ (Mac file formated disks) files while you are in Windows !!! :eek:


Works like a charm.:)
 
lilskaterpunk said:
Ok sweet.

Well I installed MacFUSE and I noticed it is located in System Preferences and in the Other category. (Sorry this is my first time using a Mac OS X)
I haven't done anything else after installing MacFUSE, so I assume its done and ready to use...
Now with NTFS-3G file, its a .tar file extension and I notice clicking on it installed a file folder. Inside this folder is lots of files, etc. I assume I need to run command code to install now? Sorry again, so new to this. I will learn fast though! lol

Thanks for ur help.
Click to expand...

You should download the Mac version.

PreetinderBajwa said:
Under their Mac software offering they have a very good and seamless NTFS software and its being offered on a discount I think, I got it for USD 20. ;)

They have thrown in a vice versa free also, i.e. how to read HFS+ (Mac file formated disks) files while you are in Windows !!! :eek:


Works like a charm.:)
Click to expand...

I'm sure it's very good, but why pay money when there is a free open-source app that does the same thing just as well?
 
Agree and Disagree

Hi,

I totally agree that you could use the free version.

At $19 it is almost free !! and comes with enough testing and rigour to make it work more robustly than freeware/public collaboration software.

You must have already seen that there is a paid version also being ofeferd for purchase bythe freeware providers, I think I have the link at home.

Plus, most importantly, I am not very technical, and struggle to solve problems of freeware / opensource by reading forum and discussions.

So I went the paid route, got the read HFS+ in Win 7 and read NTFS in OSX 10.6 capability for $19.

But had the software been $50+, I would have thought about trying the free version !!

At a certain price point decisions are different based on utility, but upto that price point I personally believe that I would buy and help support the small businesses.
 
BlueRevolution said:
You should download the Mac version.
Click to expand...
@BlueRevolution
Aright.
So I ditched out on the newer version of NTFS-3G which was a .tar file and I tried ur link and download NTFS-3G the older version which is .dmg file.
I installed and I again I noticed NTFS-3G was installed and located in System Preferences and in the Other category.
I then hooked up my external HDD which is formated to NTFS and I did what I tried in the first place. I dragged the file from my Mac OS X that I wanted to store onto my external HDD and it worked! No problems or anything :)
Thank you very much!
Is there any settings I should change with MacFUSE or NTFS-3G? or be aware of anything with MacFUSE or NTFS-3G? or simply just leave it as is and enjoy being able to copy files from Mac OS X to NTFS HDD lol

@PreetinderBajwa
I aprreciate the comment but right now as this is my first time using a Mac, im gonna try NTFS-3G :)

Sorry for the noob question but like I said, im new to this Mac OS X stuff.
Everytime I install an .dmg file or install anything in general on Mac OS X. Does it always show up in System Preferences in the Other category? So far the 3 things I installed on my Mac has been showing up there lol

Thanks :apple:
 
flopticalcube said:
Only things that affect operation system-wide should appear in Sys Prefs. All three things you installed are system-wide services so they are in the appropriate place. A dmg file is like a Windows zip file. Its only a compressed container.
Click to expand...
Makes sense, thanks!

lilskaterpunk said:
@BlueRevolution
Aright.
So I ditched out on the newer version of NTFS-3G which was a .tar file and I tried ur link and download NTFS-3G the older version which is .dmg file.
I installed and I again I noticed NTFS-3G was installed and located in System Preferences and in the Other category.
I then hooked up my external HDD which is formated to NTFS and I did what I tried in the first place. I dragged the file from my Mac OS X that I wanted to store onto my external HDD and it worked! No problems or anything :)
Thank you very much!
Is there any settings I should change with MacFUSE or NTFS-3G? or be aware of anything with MacFUSE or NTFS-3G? or simply just leave it as is and enjoy being able to copy files from Mac OS X to NTFS HDD lol
Click to expand...
About my previous comment... Should I change anything or be cautious of anything after installing NTFS-3G and MacFUSE? Or once installed both programs, im good to go!?
 
lilskaterpunk said:
Is there any settings I should change with MacFUSE or NTFS-3G? or be aware of anything with MacFUSE or NTFS-3G? or simply just leave it as is and enjoy being able to copy files from Mac OS X to NTFS HDD lol
Click to expand...

Both are zero-configuration apps, so no, there's nothing you should need to do. Just be aware that by my understanding NTFS has an "in use" flag that will prevent it from mounting while in use by another system or (more practically) when disconnected without properly ejecting it from Mac or Windows. Windows ironically ignores this flag in its own filesystem and will happily re-mount, but NTFS-3G will refuse to do so. If you get an NTFS-3G error when connecting, just connect the drive to a Windows computer or restart your computer to Boot Camp and eject the drive properly. Doing so will reset this flag and allow you to mount the drive on Mac OS X without issue.
 
BlueRevolution said:
Both are zero-configuration apps, so no, there's nothing you should need to do. Just be aware that by my understanding NTFS has an "in use" flag that will prevent it from mounting while in use by another system or (more practically) when disconnected without properly ejecting it from Mac or Windows. Windows ironically ignores this flag in its own filesystem and will happily re-mount, but NTFS-3G will refuse to do so. If you get an NTFS-3G error when connecting, just connect the drive to a Windows computer or restart your computer to Boot Camp and eject the drive properly. Doing so will reset this flag and allow you to mount the drive on Mac OS X without issue.
Click to expand...

From NTFS-3G I have started receiving the warning that the drive was not unmounted correctly, but it gives me the option to Force mount by clicking a button instead of Terminal.

I don't know what this will do to the drive or the data, but I'm not too bothered if I'm honest
 
Chris.L said:
From NTFS-3G I have started receiving the warning that the drive was not unmounted correctly, but it gives me the option to Force mount by clicking a button instead of Terminal.

I don't know what this will do to the drive or the data, but I'm not too bothered if I'm honest
Click to expand...

If you connect it to a Windows computer like I mentioned above, the error should go away.
 
BlueRevolution said:
If you connect it to a Windows computer like I mentioned above, the error should go away.
Click to expand...

The point I was making, is that the version of NTFS-3G I am using offers to force mount the drive without using Terminal, which therefore it means I don't have to plug it in to Windows to then just safely eject it.

I was also curious about the repercussions of doing this, although I ended up making the question a statement (idiot!(me not you))
 
Sounds good guys!

Ill leave it as is since its working fine :)

Thanks for the tip about any errors occur, etc.

Cheers
 
NTFS in an external HD

Hello there:
Yes, using the NTFS software from Paragon. You can read/write to NTFS volumes. But it is someway expensive....:cool:
 
You could just download this very small utility http://ntfsmounter.com/

It 'enables' the built in but unsupported ability to read & write to NTFS from OSX (you should always be able to read off of the NTFS disk to your Mac, anyway!).

Just be aware that:
The external NTFS MUST be 'cleanly' ejected from the Windows PC using the USB/hardware eject thingy (already forgotten the term for it...)- if not, you can always look at its properties under Windows and run the disk checking on it to 'fix' any issues.

When you plug it into the Mac - first 'eject' (unmount) it, then click on the NTFS app to then ENABLE it and it will re-mount in a fit state to read/write.

Coops
 
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