New MAC user. I have a couple of easy questions.

BKSinAZ · 07-25-2008, 03:31 AM

Thinking of buying an external WD hard drive.

If I format it as NTFS, will the MAC be able to see it and write to it?
What about FAT32...will the MAC be able to see the hard drive and write to it?

You probably wonder why I do not format it to a MAC partition, but I need to backup data on both a MAC and a separate XP machine.

I guess I am asking how to format the new external drive to be seen by BOTH types of computers?

cohen · 07-25-2008, 03:32 AM

If you format it on a windows it won't save to it, at least that is what i have found with a friends mac, so format it on a mac and then you should be fine.

BKSinAZ · 07-25-2008, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cohen

If you format it on a windows it won't save to it, at least that is what i have found with a friends mac, so format it on a mac and then you should be fine.

but format it as WHAT? MSDOS?

cohen · 07-25-2008, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKSinAZ

but format it as WHAT? MSDOS?

Well, i can't help you there, because i don't personally own a mac, do a google search, something will come up.

brian · 07-25-2008, 04:36 AM

you can use fat32, however there is a limut of 4 GB PER file, so if you have a iso image that is 5 GB it will not work

patrickv · 07-25-2008, 10:08 AM

Mac's can read / write to external partition (external hard drives)
I've done it so many times.
if you still can't write to it i suggest you install NTFS 3G and MacFuse on your Apple computer
However the OP can also partition the drive let's say 50/50, one partition being NTFS and the other being MacOS journaled.
so in this respect you get a partition for XP and a partition for the Mac.
I do not advise you to format to Fat because like Brian said, Fat has limits to amount of data

cheers

/\E · 07-25-2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickv

Mac's can read / write to external partition (external hard drives)
I've done it so many times.
if you still can't write to it i suggest you install NTFS 3G and MacFuse on your Apple computer
However the OP can also partition the drive let's say 50/50, one partition being NTFS and the other being MacOS journaled.
so in this respect you get a partition for XP and a partition for the Mac.
I do not advise you to format to Fat because like Brian said, Fat has limits to amount of data

cheers

You don't need FUSE for the NTFS 3G anymore... Or at least, that's what the NTFS 3G site says...

I would format that external to NTFS and install the NTFS 3G driver. Right now, I have my 500GB External My Book formatted for FAT32. I have all kinds of .dmg's on there, of course, none that exceed 4GB.

If you were running Vista SP1 instead of XP, I would tell you to format with exFAT... But, I dunno if OSX would be compatible with it.

patrickv · 07-25-2008, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by /\E

You don't need FUSE for the NTFS 3G anymore

You say you don't need NTFS 3g then you say, install the ntfs driver...
what are you even talking about ?
isn't that what i said ?

read my post properly.
I said :

Quote:

if you still can't write to it

which means if he can't write to the external then he'd use the driver

anyways i also think the OP might be interested in THIS

/\E · 07-25-2008, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickv

You say you don't need NTFS 3g then you say, install the ntfs driver...
what are you even talking about ?
isn't that what i said ?

read my post properly.
I said :

which means if he can't write to the external then he'd use the driver

anyways i also think the OP might be interested in THIS

If you knew half of what you're talking about, my post wouldn't seem that abstract. The NTFS-3G used to depend upon MacFUSE to work, apparently NTFS-3G has been made so that it doesn't need MacFUSE. I was simply noting that... Once again, it didn't seem abstract...

NTFS-3G.org

Quote:

Please note that NTFS-3G doesn't require the FUSE user space package anymore.

---

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickv

if you still can't write to it i suggest you install NTFS 3G and MacFuse on your Apple computer

Hmm...looked like an "and" statement to me...

patrickv · 07-25-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by /\E

Hmm...looked like an "and" statement to me...

Yeah and ?
Correct me here, so NTFS 3g now works as a standalone ?
wow am so 1973 now.
i mean i only install the driver and that is it ?

cause i've seen various people complaining on other forums that without the fuse tools the driver most times won't work.
correct me here

07-25-2008, 03:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
BKSinAZ Bronze Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 82	New MAC user. I have a couple of easy questions. Thinking of buying an external WD hard drive. If I format it as NTFS, will the MAC be able to see it and write to it? What about FAT32...will the MAC be able to see the hard drive and write to it? You probably wonder why I do not format it to a MAC partition, but I need to backup data on both a MAC and a separate XP machine. I guess I am asking how to format the new external drive to be seen by BOTH types of computers?

07-25-2008, 03:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
cohen Diamond Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 14 Posts: 8,166	If you format it on a windows it won't save to it, at least that is what i have found with a friends mac, so format it on a mac and then you should be fine. __________________ My Website Forum Site JOIN NOW! Desktop / Laptop Motherboard: Asus M2N X SE / Unknown CPU: AMD 4000+ 2.1GHZ x 2 / Intel Pentium M 1.60GHZ Ram: 2GB Transcend / 512MB Hard Drive: 320GB / 60GB Video Card: Both Intergrated Monitor: 19" Benq / 15.4" OS: Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 / Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3

07-25-2008, 04:36 AM	#5 (permalink)
brian Diamond Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: California Age: 16 Posts: 3,875	you can use fat32, however there is a limut of 4 GB PER file, so if you have a iso image that is 5 GB it will not work __________________ formerly brianmay27 Main laptop: hp dv9005us \| turion 64 X2 1.6 ghz \| 3 GB ram \| Vista ultimate \| 240 GB HD First build: pentium e2160 3.2 GHz \| gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L \| 2.5 GB ram \| 160GB HD If you can see this, you have WAY TOO much time on your hand. Or you're a mod going through my sig. But if you do, copy and past this in your sig.

07-25-2008, 10:08 AM	#6 (permalink)
patrickv Diamond Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Soul Chamber Posts: 5,586	Mac's can read / write to external partition (external hard drives) I've done it so many times. if you still can't write to it i suggest you install NTFS 3G and MacFuse on your Apple computer However the OP can also partition the drive let's say 50/50, one partition being NTFS and the other being MacOS journaled. so in this respect you get a partition for XP and a partition for the Mac. I do not advise you to format to Fat because like Brian said, Fat has limits to amount of data cheers __________________ Laptop: Thinkpad X60: Core2Duo T7200 @ 2Ghz,1GB DDR2,110GB SATA -winXP ProSP2 Work Desktop: Core Duo E2180 @ 2Ghz,1.5GB DDR2,240GB HD - XP PRO SP2 Last edited by patrickv; 07-25-2008 at 10:13 AM.

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