WD My Book Studio Question

[suedehead]

i have put some data from my MBP on a recently bought MSB, i need to access that data on a windows vista computer. however, vista only recognizes de WD smartware part of the HD and not the HD itself. i get a message that the hd should be formatted for windows.
is there a work-around-solution to this or do i really have to take all data off put it back om my MBP, reformat the drive etc?
also if i do this will the WD smartware still be installed? or can i reinstall that i need the password incription.


i was always under the impression that externals that work for mac would also work on windows, but not (always) the other way round.

thank you.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

It is the file system, as Windows can't read HFS+ formatted volumes natively.

See below for two solutions:

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

 

[suedehead]

i appreciate the input, i assumed the hd would be formatted in either FAT32 or NTFS. i didn't even know about HFS+.

thank you for your time.