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Possible with FAT32?

E

ETID

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 6, 2008
148
0
Hi my friend wants a HDD that will work with both windows and mac, am I right thinking to format it in FAT32?

Its a 500gb WD elements drive.

I'm aware that files larger than 8gb cannot be used in this format but can you still transfer say 30gb of smaller files?

Thanks
 
Yes, FAT32 can be read and written by both, but the file size limit is 4GB, not 8.
 
if i am not wrong you cant use more than 32 GB for a fat32 partition on a mac. ( you can allot more space but you cant use that for real)

but if you use NTFS you can assign wht ever the size and can use all the space (tho it also got few accessibility limitations )


picture6hjm.png


picture7d.png
 
dreamgood said:
if i am not wrong you cant use more than 32 GB for a fat32 partition on a mac. ( you can allot more space but you cant use that for real)

but if you use NTFS you can assign wht ever the size and can use all the space (tho it also got few accessibility limitations )


picture6hjm.png


picture7d.png
Click to expand...

I purchased a Western Digital My Passport and it came with the whole drive formatted in FAT32. And I've seen on Western Digital's web site that you can download a utility that will allow you to format their drives in the factory-set original FAT32 for the whole drive. Might check that out.
 
4Gb

r.j.s said:
Yes, FAT32 can be read and written by both, but the file size limit is 4GB, not 8.
Click to expand...

+1 4Gb limit. I have 2 movie files both just over 4Gb and I can't put them on my external HDD formatted as FAT32. Sadly it's the only format I can use with Windows and OS X :(
 
jgbhardy said:
+1 4Gb limit. I have 2 movie files both just over 4Gb and I can't put them on my external HDD formatted as FAT32. Sadly it's the only format I can use with Windows and OS X :(
Click to expand...

Use NTFS ... just install NTFS-3G on your Mac.
 
jgbhardy said:
+1 4Gb limit. I have 2 movie files both just over 4Gb and I can't put them on my external HDD formatted as FAT32. Sadly it's the only format I can use with Windows and OS X :(
Click to expand...

Use NTFS-3G, and you can do it.

EDIT: Beat me to it...
 
The only problem with installing that though is that if someone else with a mac needs to use the drive they will have to install it also. Say in a business environment where the drive will be used its not as practical to have to do this, especially as more an more people are going mac. IS the 32gb usable space limit on a FAT32 fully true?

thanks for the replies. very interesting what others think.
 
There's a 32 GB formatting limit for FAT32 in Windows. Maybe on Mac it doesn't exist.

But you shouldn't use FAT32 for such large drives. It's not journaled.
 
ETID said:
The only problem with installing that though is that if someone else with a mac needs to use the drive they will have to install it also. Say in a business environment where the drive will be used its not as practical to have to do this, especially as more an more people are going mac.
Click to expand...

You're right. There are advantages and disadvantages to everything. If this is the case (business shared drive), I'd probably look at a standalone NAS drive over a regular external.
 
Sorry for my ignorance but what is journaled?

It is not a large business by no means and it is only for one person to use with both xp and osx, however from time to time other mac or xp machines may be used.
 
ETID said:
Sorry for my ignorance but what is journaled?

It is not a large business by no means and it is only for one person to use with both xp and osx, however from time to time other mac or xp machines may be used.
Click to expand...

If one person is going to be the primary user, just go with NTFS-3G.
 
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