Using PC external HDD to store music library

[tplaysguitar]

Hello.

I am running a PC right now, thinking of switching - my grandma got a mac and its like night and day comparing pc and mac. Anyway, my 1TB external hard drive runs NTFS, which Mac OS X cannot write to. And the external hard drive holds my itunes library. So how would I format it or read and write to it from a MacBook Pro? I heard of using MacFuse and NTFS-3G, but can that run in the background (ie, as a driver) so that iTunes can access my drive as its music source? Any suggestions are much appreciated.

-Tristan

 

[Username02]

I would suggest first backing up the hard drive.
Next you should be able to just plug the NTFS hard drive into the mac, go to Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities) and format as OS X Extended.

Then you can restore your files back to the drive.

Have fun with the new Mac!

 

[deadwulfe]

I think Username02 missed some of your details about considering a Mac and not owning a Mac. So, formatting the drive as Mac OS Extended (journaled) will do you no good with still using the external drive on a PC.

Yes, those apps are designed to act as a driver, being in the background. I don't use either of those, myself. Instead I run Paragon's NTFS for Mac and it hasn't given me any problems.

 

[Username02]

I think Username02 missed some of your details about considering a Mac and not owning a Mac.

Indeed!
Make it so tplaysguitar!

 

[GGJstudios]

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 $36).
• Some have had good results with Paragon (approx $20)
• Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, 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

I heard of using MacFuse and NTFS-3G, but can that run in the background (ie, as a driver) so that iTunes can access my drive as its music source?

Yes, exactly.