Using external NTFS HDD's with OSX

[abta1]

I'm currently using two external NTFS formatted HDDs with my MBP through a two slot USB dock and some OSX apps to read /write to NTFS.

Recently one partition on one of the drives became inaccessible and now some folders on another drive have also become inaccessible.

Could this be an issue with using the drives in the dock or is it more likely to be an issue with accessing them via OSX while they are still NTFS?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

As OS X can natively read the NTFS HDDs, OS X shouldn't be the problem.
Do the drives show up in Disk Utility?
What application do you use to write to NTFS formatted volumes?

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.
• 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

 

[r0k]

I'm currently using two external NTFS formatted HDDs with my MBP through a two slot USB dock and some OSX apps to read /write to NTFS.

Recently one partition on one of the drives became inaccessible and now some folders on another drive have also become inaccessible.

Could this be an issue with using the drives in the dock or is it more likely to be an issue with accessing them via OSX while they are still NTFS?

I picked up a 2 TB usb drive and plugged it in to my Time Capsule for backups. It wasn't recognized. I connected it to a Mac and sure enough it was formatted NTFS. I formatted it HFS and plugged it back in and I was good to go. Normally, when I pick up a usb disk, before I put any files on it, I format it HFS. It prevents OS X from cluttering up the disk with dot files full of meta data NTFS does not support. But if I had to share data with a windows box, I'd be inclined to use FAT32 because OS X reads and writes it reliably and so does windows. The down side is FAT32 is not journaled so data loss is always a risk. It sounds like you are already dealing with data loss and at this point, I'd be inclined to look at some data recovery utilities to get the data back and then use either HFS or FAT32 going from now on. Even if a disk comes in a box that says it is "OS X ready", you should look at it in disk utility and decide if you like the filesystem before putting any of your data on the thing. I hope you get your stuff back but if you, like me, are in an all Mac environment, there is no reason whatsoever to waste your time dealing with NTFS.

 

[abta1]

I picked up a 2 TB usb drive and plugged it in to my Time Capsule for backups. It wasn't recognized. I connected it to a Mac and sure enough it was formatted NTFS. I formatted it HFS and plugged it back in and I was good to go. Normally, when I pick up a usb disk, before I put any files on it, I format it HFS. It prevents OS X from cluttering up the disk with dot files full of meta data NTFS does not support. But if I had to share data with a windows box, I'd be inclined to use FAT32 because OS X reads and writes it reliably and so does windows. The down side is FAT32 is not journaled so data loss is always a risk. It sounds like you are already dealing with data loss and at this point, I'd be inclined to look at some data recovery utilities to get the data back and then use either HFS or FAT32 going from now on. Even if a disk comes in a box that says it is "OS X ready", you should look at it in disk utility and decide if you like the filesystem before putting any of your data on the thing. I hope you get your stuff back but if you, like me, are in an all Mac environment, there is no reason whatsoever to waste your time dealing with NTFS.

Yes you are right, some data has already been lost. I have tried some disk utility programs such as Drive Genius and TechTool but they don't recognise the drives plugged in via USB.

I have recently purchased a 2TB drive that I want to use for time machine and general storage. I intend to have a partition formatted as HFS for time machine and another partition for other stuff. Can HFS drives be read in windows?

Edit: I am using Paragon NTFS.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Can HFS drives be read in windows?

See post #2.

 

[abta1]

Seems like formatting as HFS is the best option.

Regarding the lost data, is there a good program, preferably free capable of recovering that data?