Logistic of Shuffling: PC-XP & Window7 and Mac OSX external hard drive compatibility.
SOS. I spent many, many hours and became more confused and lost.
QUESTIONS:
1. To what extend the probability of data corruption on the FAT32 disk is higher then on any other disk (substantial knowledge), in which case I am reluctant to use it.
2. Is this risk pertaining only to a disk that is being transferred back and forth between different operating systems or it is inherent to the FAT32 regardless of where / how it is being used?
3. What is the most recommended software to read Mac disc (HFS+) by a PC XP & Window7
4. Is it possible to satisfactorily format the disk to HFS+ on the PC?
5. See at the end
…………..
I am planning on buying an external hard drive to backup my precious data, either a WD Home Edition, that comes formatted as FAT32, or Lacie d2 Quadra that need to be formatted. I own a PC-XP. I am planning to buy, in a few months, a new PC-Window7 or an iMac.
Currently, I do not have access to a Mac.
In addition, regardless of which computer I’ll buy, at that time I’ll need to work on a Mac, to which I do not currently have access and can’t use to format the disc as HFS+, and on which I will not be able to install any software. I need to be able to transfer data between my old and maybe new PC and the “other” Mac.
The simplest solution is to use the FAT32 to backup my current PC. Later, to transfer the data to the new PC or Mac, format the disk on the other Mac to HFS+ and read/write to it by the PC(s) via software.
However, the FAT32, besides the 4GB file size limitation (that doesn’t bother me), and the 32GB partition size limitation (that does), (anything else?), the worst thing about it are the warnings about it’s INSTABILITY / UNRELIABILITY and high danger of DATA CORRUPTION (CLAIM: if data get corrupted the whole disk is unusable & needs to be formatted and all of it’s data lost!?)
If I don't use FAT32, at the moment I could only format the disk as NTFS. When I buy the new computer I'll transfer the data from the disk to the new one, format the disk on a Mac (mine, if the new is a Mac or ton he other one) and copy the data back to the disk for BackUp. Now, it is possible to R/W to it by the other Mac and by my computers: by the Mac (if this is the new one) and/or by my old and new if PC via the software mentioned above (*).
But, there is a problem
5) The QUESTION is: if the new computer is a Mac, how to save the data from the NTFS disk while formating it to HFS+, besides by buying for this one time only need, special software (for the Mac to read the NTFS formatted disk – Paragon, what else?). Is there another solution?
(Note: I dismissed the idea of using a network disk, too complicated and too much headache).
Thanks a Million
SOS. I spent many, many hours and became more confused and lost.
QUESTIONS:
1. To what extend the probability of data corruption on the FAT32 disk is higher then on any other disk (substantial knowledge), in which case I am reluctant to use it.
2. Is this risk pertaining only to a disk that is being transferred back and forth between different operating systems or it is inherent to the FAT32 regardless of where / how it is being used?
3. What is the most recommended software to read Mac disc (HFS+) by a PC XP & Window7
4. Is it possible to satisfactorily format the disk to HFS+ on the PC?
5. See at the end
…………..
I am planning on buying an external hard drive to backup my precious data, either a WD Home Edition, that comes formatted as FAT32, or Lacie d2 Quadra that need to be formatted. I own a PC-XP. I am planning to buy, in a few months, a new PC-Window7 or an iMac.
Currently, I do not have access to a Mac.
In addition, regardless of which computer I’ll buy, at that time I’ll need to work on a Mac, to which I do not currently have access and can’t use to format the disc as HFS+, and on which I will not be able to install any software. I need to be able to transfer data between my old and maybe new PC and the “other” Mac.
The simplest solution is to use the FAT32 to backup my current PC. Later, to transfer the data to the new PC or Mac, format the disk on the other Mac to HFS+ and read/write to it by the PC(s) via software.
However, the FAT32, besides the 4GB file size limitation (that doesn’t bother me), and the 32GB partition size limitation (that does), (anything else?), the worst thing about it are the warnings about it’s INSTABILITY / UNRELIABILITY and high danger of DATA CORRUPTION (CLAIM: if data get corrupted the whole disk is unusable & needs to be formatted and all of it’s data lost!?)
If I don't use FAT32, at the moment I could only format the disk as NTFS. When I buy the new computer I'll transfer the data from the disk to the new one, format the disk on a Mac (mine, if the new is a Mac or ton he other one) and copy the data back to the disk for BackUp. Now, it is possible to R/W to it by the other Mac and by my computers: by the Mac (if this is the new one) and/or by my old and new if PC via the software mentioned above (*).
But, there is a problem
5) The QUESTION is: if the new computer is a Mac, how to save the data from the NTFS disk while formating it to HFS+, besides by buying for this one time only need, special software (for the Mac to read the NTFS formatted disk – Paragon, what else?). Is there another solution?
(Note: I dismissed the idea of using a network disk, too complicated and too much headache).
Thanks a Million
