question about using external harddrives...

[Matto1020]

So I plan on installing Bootcamp and a copy of WinXP Pro on my new MBP.

If I have an external harddrive I use with some mac files...will I be able to use this drive under WinXP?

Say for example I import a movie in iMovie but want to author it onto a DVD using a program that only runs under windows...can I just put the movie on the harddrive and then switch over to WinXP and get the movie?

 

[Aranince]

As long as the external hard drive is formatted to a Filesystem that both OS' can read.

 

[yg17]

As long as the external hard drive is formatted to a Filesystem that both OS' can read.

And right now, the only option would be FAT32, unless you want to use (potentially harmful) 3rd party drivers

 

[slughead]

And right now, the only option would be FAT32, unless you want to use (potentially harmful) 3rd party drivers

There is an NTFS driver for OS X that works really well. It's based on a Google technology called MacFUSE.

It's not harmful.

I'd say it's much more harmful to use fat32, since data corrupts so easily.

Fat32 also can't read drives bigger than 100GB, nor can it hold files larger than 2GB. NTFS is superior in both regards, as well as having good protection for data.

I'd recommend NTFS for cross-platform storage. NTFS also runs on linux using this driver.

here is the OS X NTFS driver: http://www.ntfs-3g.org/

Read the directions.

 

[Matto1020]

Well I already have the drive hooked up to my MBP.

I formatted it with the OSX so I think it must be Fat...any way to check this? And if it is...will Windows be able to read it and take files from it?

 

[VoodooDaddy]

Fat32 also can't read drives bigger than 100GB, nor can it hold files larger than 2GB. NTFS is superior in both regards, as well as having good protection for data.

This info in not correct. I dont know what if any limit fat32 has for drive size but I have a 250gb drive with only 1 fat32 partition.

And the filesize limit is 4gb, not 2gb.

 

[crazzyeddie]

Well I already have the drive hooked up to my MBP.

I formatted it with the OSX so I think it must be Fat...any way to check this? And if it is...will Windows be able to read it and take files from it?

If you formatted it with Mac OS X then it will be an HFS+ (Extended) partition. Windows cannot read or write to this without a third party app (MacDrive).

 

[marvin*1*2]

If you formatted it with Mac OS X then it will be an HFS+ (Extended) partition. Windows cannot read or write to this without a third party app (MacDrive).

hm, what about linux, can linux read/write a HFS+ formatted drive?