Author Topic: External Hard Drives: PC&Mac ok? (Read 4740 times)

gingataff · « **on:** February 08, 2006, 07:59:23 PM »

I'm planning on getting an ext HD, about 250GB or so and wondered if anyone has any recommendations?
Also, I currently use a PC but really really want to go Mac for recording and stuff. If I store my data on the HD do I need to reformat the drive and therefore lose all the data or will the Mac be able to handle a PC formatted HD?
Cheers,
Andy.

tewboss · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2006, 08:32:33 PM »

I'm pretty sure it can only be one or the other, the same way that iPods have to be formatted for either Windows or Mac. There might be utilities for Macs that can read PC format hard drives.

Kilby · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2006, 08:59:25 PM »

The current macs can read fat formatted drives so you may lose any long file names that you use.

I'm not sure if the mac can read ntfs formatted discs though.

Although you could network the drives and use samba to mount the disc.

Rob...

Muttley · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:28:16 PM »

I think Macs can read FAT32 no problem, but the issue is that with Windows you can only create FAT32 partitions of a maximum size of 32GB, which would be a real pain on a large drive.

I know Linux has a read-only NTFS driver, so it's likely that OS X has similar (it's based on FreeBSD Unix), but that's not much cop either as you won't be able to write to it on Mac.

So if you are going to switch platforms, I'd plan on backing up all your data (which you should be doing anyway ;)) and re-formatting the drive when you make the switch.

Muttley

gingataff · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2006, 07:37:45 PM »

Hmmm...
What I'm actually hoping to do is copy about 300 CDs uncompressed .wav or maybe apple lossless. I'm going to be working abroad for a year or two and carrying a HD is quite a bit easier and cheaper than the CDs themselves.
RE the iPod, a windows formatted ipod can be read by a mac but not vice versa. But maybe the HD is a different beast.
Will I have to forget this and resign myself to not having my music for a while?

Andy.

HJM · « **Reply #5 on:** February 14, 2006, 01:45:51 PM »

Quote from: Muttley

I think Macs can read FAT32 no problem, but the issue is that with Windows you can only create FAT32 partitions of a maximum size of 32GB, which would be a real pain on a large drive.

I know Linux has a read-only NTFS driver, so it's likely that OS X has similar (it's based on FreeBSD Unix), but that's not much cop either as you won't be able to write to it on Mac.

So if you are going to switch platforms, I'd plan on backing up all your data (which you should be doing anyway ;)) and re-formatting the drive when you make the switch.

Muttley

I've got two Lacie drives here that are fat32 and have a single 80gb partition....

Muttley · « **Reply #6 on:** February 14, 2006, 01:54:57 PM »

Quote from: HJM

Quote from: Muttley
I think Macs can read FAT32 no problem, but the issue is that with Windows you can only create FAT32 partitions of a maximum size of 32GB, which would be a real pain on a large drive.

I know Linux has a read-only NTFS driver, so it's likely that OS X has similar (it's based on FreeBSD Unix), but that's not much cop either as you won't be able to write to it on Mac.

So if you are going to switch platforms, I'd plan on backing up all your data (which you should be doing anyway ;)) and re-formatting the drive when you make the switch.

Muttley

I've got two Lacie drives here that are fat32 and have a single 80gb partition....

That's odd. It specifically stated on Microsoft's support site that the maximum partition size for fat32 is 32GB. :?

Muttley

tewboss · « **Reply #7 on:** February 14, 2006, 06:52:22 PM »

the 32GB limit is a Microsoft boundary (presuming its a cluster size). If the drivers are written by Lacie then there isn't a 32GB limit.

gingataff · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2006, 11:39:04 PM »

I finally found my solution and like HJM I've got me a nice LaCie drive. Yippee. I decided to get Macdrive software and I've formatted the drive as +HFS (?) but my PC happily reads everything, and when I go all Mac it'll all be fine.
BTW I've found out that the 32GB limit for FAT32 only applies to certain versions of Windows, 2000 (which I use) is one of them.

Bird · « **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2006, 01:34:08 AM »

The mercury drives from this place are supposed to be good

schmendict · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2006, 05:53:41 PM »

I actually just bought a Freecom 80 gig external hard drive. When i say bought, i mean we got it instead of a cheaper Maxtor one that was out of stock.
All hail the system!

Bird · « **Reply #11 on:** February 25, 2006, 06:13:27 PM »

Maybe the link would help for the place I was talking about :oops:
http://eshop.macsales.com/

Author Topic: External Hard Drives: PC&Mac ok? (Read 4740 times)

schmendict