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MS-DOS or exFAT?
- Thread starter Epiphron
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I would say boot up in boot camp, connect the drive, and format it with Fat32. There are some free ustilities for mac that will let it write to NTFS as well, but I've found it to be a bit buggy at times. It's NTFS-3G if you want to google it and read about it though.
Brian
Brian
MS-DOS isn't a disk format; it's an operating system. Your best bet is NTFS.
FAT32 (File Allocation Table)
- Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
- Maximum file size: 4GB.
- Maximum volume size: 2TB
- Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
- Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
- To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X: Install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free)
- Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx 33USD).
- Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard, but is not advisable, due to instability.
- Maximum file size: 16 TB
- Maximum volume size: 256TB
- Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
- Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner backups of Mac internal hard drive.
- To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
- To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
- Maximum file size: 8EiB
- Maximum volume size: 8EiB
- Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
- exFAT partitions created with OS X 10.6.5 are inaccessible from Windows 7
- Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
- exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
- Maximum file size: 16 EiB
- Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
You don't have to boot up in Boot Camp to format FAT32. Mac OS X can do that. Tuxera has been known to be buggy, but not NTFS-3G for Mac OS X. It's quite stable and reliable.
Ill second the vote for NTFS. Id never heard of exFAT (FAT64, but not exFAT), so thanks to GGJstudios for that post.
NTFS-3G is buggy as hell, mine craps out all the time. Sure it's fine for small occasional transfers, but i'd never want to rely on it.
Personally, I'd go exFAT unless you've already paid for paragon's NTFS drivers.
So create the drive in Windows. Gah.
Personally, I'd go exFAT unless you've already paid for paragon's NTFS drivers.
So create the drive in Windows. Gah.
If you're having problems, it's most likely because something else is causing it. The free NTFS-3G is very reliable. Only the paid Tuxera is known to have problems.
exFAT has many limitations, as the links will show. It's not the best choice for compatibility between Mac OS X and Windows, since only certain versions of both will handle it.
I'm having the same dilema!
I bought a WD External HDD with 2TB to use it together with a LCD TV from Samsung as a Media Center.
Since I'm the only one in the house that uses Mac, it needs to be in a format that both systems can handle.
Also, I don't know if the Samsung LCD can handle exFat or HFS+.
Is the only option NTFS?
It is very slow to transfer files and the main use for the HDD will be to have very big video files in 720p or 1080p.
I bought a WD External HDD with 2TB to use it together with a LCD TV from Samsung as a Media Center.
Since I'm the only one in the house that uses Mac, it needs to be in a format that both systems can handle.
Also, I don't know if the Samsung LCD can handle exFat or HFS+.
Is the only option NTFS?
It is very slow to transfer files and the main use for the HDD will be to have very big video files in 720p or 1080p.
I listed all the options in my first post. Either NTFS or HFS+ will work. In both cases, something needs to be installed on either the Mac or Windows PC to make it work. FAT32 has a file size limitation.
Well HFS+ is out of the question since the Samsung LCD does not support that format.
Can I format an External HDD to NTFS on my Mac?
Yes. Install NTFS-3G on the Mac and then you can format any drive as NTFS. (See my first post in this thread)
OK. Got it and it is formatting.
It will take years for what I'm seeing!
EDIT: Estimated time: 21 hours!
Seriously?
It probably won't take that long. It's an estimate and as such, it will continually change as the estimate gets more accurate. How big is the drive?
Something happened!
I was transfering to the HDD some tv episodes and all of a sudden I got a message on screen that the HDD was ejected incorrectly.
I connected it again and now I cannot access the folder I was putting the episodes in.
It give me an error -43.
Did I lost everything I just put inside?
I was transfering to the HDD some tv episodes and all of a sudden I got a message on screen that the HDD was ejected incorrectly.
I connected it again and now I cannot access the folder I was putting the episodes in.
It give me an error -43.
Did I lost everything I just put inside?
That's why I don't trust 3rd party solutions (read NTFS on a Mac) to handle my data.
You didn't say you needed support for files greater than 4GB so unless you need that (and can't work around it), you should format your 2TB HDD to FAT32 on a PC. Then you can use it with Macs and your Samsung, too.
P.S. If you couldn't guess, another vote for skipping NTFS and jumping straight to exFAT for those only using OS X 10.6.5 and Windows 7/Vista/XP!
Hopefully, you were copying files to the HDD and not moving. If so, you haven't lost anything. It's a good practice to first copy to external drives, to make sure files transfer successfully, before deleting any source data. I assume you had the HDD connected only to the Mac when this happened?
FAT32 and exFAT are not options. You didn't read their posts closely enough:You didn't say you needed support for files greater than 4GB so unless you need that (and can't work around it), you should format your 2TB HDD to FAT32 on a PC. Then you can use it with Macs and your Samsung, too.
P.S. If you couldn't guess, another vote for skipping NTFS and jumping straight to exFAT for those only using OS X 10.6.5 and Windows 7/Vista/XP!
Actually, FAT32 could be an option. He did not specify how big the files were. Lots of people split or compress large video files.
Also, I did not suggest exFAT as a solution for his particular problem. I was just making a general statement (note the P.S.) since so many were quick to dismiss it for NTFS. Perhaps you didn't read these posts closely enough.
I will admit exFAT does have its faults, though. IMHO, everyone should decide for themselves rather than blindly relying on advice from strangers.
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This is pretty clear:
Knowing that this is the purpose, it doesn't make sense to use a file system with that known file size limitation.
They already expressed that exFat is not compatible with the Samsung.
Facts are facts, whether received from a stranger or someone you know.
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Facts are not necessarily helpful facts if they don't apply to the situation. Logic is obviously not your strong suit so get off your high horse.
I'm not gonna waste any more of my time explaining my words to you.
Here are the facts that apply to this situation:
FAT32 - not a good choice, because it has a 4GB file size limitation
exFAT - not a good choice, since it's not compatible with the Samsung device
HFS+ - not a good choice, since it's not compatible with the Samsung device
That leaves NTFS as the only logical choice that meets both the compatibility and file size criteria.
It's really not that difficult to understand, if you slow down and read the posts carefully.
hi i am sorry if i hijack this post, however i am in the same situation (Samsung tv, Windows Vista, and MAC OS X 10.6.7) the only difference, i have another factor, i was planning to use this HDD for Time Machine, apparently TM can only detect HFS+ (unless i am missing some pieces from this puzzle) i have installed Tuxera NTFS but had no luck with TM detecting the drive.
FAT32 is also not a good option for me as i would like to copy files over 4gb.
Should i possibly partition my 2T drive (1T Tuxera NTFS/1T HFS+)?
Thank you all, i spent 2 days already figuring this out, and researching.
FAT32 is also not a good option for me as i would like to copy files over 4gb.
Should i possibly partition my 2T drive (1T Tuxera NTFS/1T HFS+)?
Thank you all, i spent 2 days already figuring this out, and researching.
Yes, that's exactly what you need to do.
FAT32 (File Allocation Table)
- Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
- Maximum file size: 4GB.
- Maximum volume size: 2TB
- Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
- Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
- To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X: Install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free)
- Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx 33USD).
- Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard, but is not advisable, due to instability.
- AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
- Maximum file size: 16 TB
- Maximum volume size: 256TB
- Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
- Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner backups of Mac internal hard drive.
- To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
- To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
- Maximum file size: 8EiB
- Maximum volume size: 8EiB
- Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
- exFAT partitions created with OS X 10.6.5 are inaccessible from Windows 7
- Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
- exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
- AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
- Maximum file size: 16 EiB
- Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
The best way that I've found is to split the drive into 3 partitions.
950GB as HFS+
100GB as FAT32
950GB as NTFS
You can read and write from both OS X and Windows on the FAT32 partition, and use that as a transfer drive to go between the two different OSes.
950GB as HFS+
100GB as FAT32
950GB as NTFS
You can read and write from both OS X and Windows on the FAT32 partition, and use that as a transfer drive to go between the two different OSes.
There is no need for a FAT32 partition, as NTFS can easily be shared between Mac OS X and Windows.