NTFS vs FAT32???

[watsonjm]

I am thinking of getting a mac mini but im having a few problems with external hard drives.

Atm i have 2 externals, 1 NTFS and 1 FAT32. as i understand it macs can only write on FAT32, is that right?

My biggest problem are my HD movies which are 7gb. Is there a way to get them from my mac mini desktop to an external if i cant use an NTFS drive and FAT32 wont hold single files bigger than about 6gb?

Ne ideas?

Thanks

 

[Tallest Skil]

Will it only be used with a Mac?

If so, just use HFS+ Journaled.

If not, use NTFS and install NTFS-3G and MacFUSE.

 

[watsonjm]

wow you jst said a whole lot of stuff i didnt understand

It will probs be used with mac and pc. does it make a difference if im using windows in boot camp?

whats HFS+ journaled and NTFS-3G and MacFUSE?

 

[Tallest Skil]

wow you jst said a whole lot of stuff i didnt understand

It will probs be used with mac and pc. does it make a difference if im using windows in boot camp?

whats HFS+ journaled and NTFS-3G and MacFUSE?

If you want the hard drive to work from both OS X and Windows, format it as NTFS and then go download and install NTFS-3G and MacFUSE (utilities, of sorts) in OS X.

HFS+ Journaled is OS X's filesystem.

 

[old-wiz]

HFS+ journaled is the usual OSx file system.

NTFS-3G and MacFUSE is an add-on that allows OSx to read and write NTFS files. Try searching google.

 

[windels]

edit: off topic, nevermind

 

[sup]

Why not format it to HFS+ and use MacDrive for file access via Windows? Wouldn't this be preferable to the NTFS alternative, given the advantages of HFS+?

 

[talmy]

If the OP can share files over a network, then the problem becomes moot. Just format the externals HFS+ and access from the Windows box by enabling file sharing on the Mac.

 

[GGJstudios]

Why not format it to HFS+ and use MacDrive for file access via Windows? Wouldn't this be preferable to the NTFS alternative, given the advantages of HFS+?

Nice resurrection of 2 year old thread.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
• Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• 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

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended)

• 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

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• 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