External drive sharing mac and pc

How can I format Seagate Hard Drive to allow photos to be viewed and copied from Mac and PC

If you only need the Mac to read from the drive, you can use either FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS.
If you need the Mac to be able to write to it, use FAT32 or exFAT.
If you're going to put an actual iPhoto library on the drive and not unorganized photos, you must use Mac OS Extended. This drive format isn't readable by Windows unless it has software such as MacDrive installed or the drive is being made available as a network share from a Mac or AirPort base station.
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Similar Messages

  • How to format an external drive for mac AND pc use

    i want to format my external drive so i can use it on my mac and on pc's as well. i've gathered that the MS-DOS format is the way to go. my question is this: would this create any problems for my mac then?
    can i partion one part for ms-dos and part for macos extended?
    cheers
    -j-

    MS-DOS format (or FAT32) will be fine for both Mac and PC. However there is a 4GB file size limit with FAT32.
    You could use a dual partition, however the HFS+ partition would not be readable by the PC unless you installed the third party MacDrive.
    Look at this page for more information on a dual partition drive for Mac and Windows.
    http://macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20030613121738812
    iFelix

  • How to format external drive for mac AND pc use

    hi
    i want to format my external drive so i can use it on my mac and on pc's as well. i've gathered that the MS-DOS format is the way to go. my question is this: would this create any problems for my mac then?
    can i partion one part for ms-dos and part for macos extended?
    cheers
    -j-

    There are a couple of disadvantages with formatting a
    disk as FAT32. Firstly, there is a limit on the file
    size for FAT32. I think it like 2 GB so if you
    capturing video the results will probably not fit
    into this file limit. Secondly FAT32 will not be
    bootable. I alway clone my system to a backup disk as
    bootable. That way if anything goes wrong with my
    system, I can just boot from my backup disk and fix
    it.
    The problem with doing this though is that the drive will not be usable with Windows (which was in the original posting) unless you use the third party MacDrive software on the PC.
    iFelix

  • Format external drive for Mac and PC?

    Can I format an external Drive to have 1 partition for OS X and another for my wife to use with her PC?
    thanks!
    ray

    Yes, just use Disk Utility under OS X to create two volumes on it, one Mac OS Ext, the other FAT. Use a Master Boot Record partition scheme (also known as “fdisk”).

  • Moving files to external drive - need Mac and PC compatibility in future

    Hello -
    I'm moving a client's video files to an external drive so they have the original files. I'm moving both the DV files (always usable with program that accepts DV files) and the Mac project files in a separate folder (in case they ever work on them in a mac - includes all the referenced files). I know they won't be able to open the latter on a PC but I'd still like to include.
    BUT, can they get any external drive? If I plug it into my computer and move files, are they going to run into problems if they use then on a PC? Thinking about getting this one for them (they are paying but want a good price for them):
    http://www.buy.com/prod/western-digital-500gb-my-book-essential-usb-2-0-external -hard-drive/q/loc/101/206409667.html
    Thanks for your help -
    Alexa

    Don't have a solution for you, but I did encounter a very similar bug.
    I was moving files from one iMac's external drive to another's internal drive, using a drag'n'drop move command on a directory. The move generated an error message, maybe the same as what you saw (I'm not sure), then aborted the move. Only one small file had been moved, and the source directory was gone! Not in the trash. Mac OS X 10.4.8 on both systems, an iMac DV and an iMac 24. The external drive was formatted as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)."
    This sure seems to be a basic programming mistake. So, for me, it's back to doing 3 steps: copy, verify, delete. It's lousy not to be able to rely on proper execution of a basic command, but I've never won an argument with a computer.

  • New external drive for mac and windows

    Hello,
    I am looking to buy a 500gb maxtor external drive. Partition it 250gb for winxp and 250gb for my imac. I am really looking to make these drives as backup drives. I currently have an old 250gb (not all used) formatted as os x entended. I use it for all my itunes, photos, movies... photoshop, you get the picture... I just want to drag and drop to that drive. The same for my windows.
    Does this sound correct? Has anyone done it this way?
    Another way, would be to have it formatted for windows and drop and drag into two different folders : win and imac. But then I will be losing the naming conventions from the os x? isn't that why and want to use os x extended?
    Thanks for all ideas,
    Charlie

    Piece of cake!
    For those who want to know:
    usb connection to imac first. I started disk utility. Split the partition to two parts and formated only one partition as OS X extended. After done, copied my directories as a bkup.
    usb connection to windows. I started computer management and saw that the usb disk had two partitions: the first was healthy but unknown. That was ok, I wanted the second partition to be NTFS and formated. Then copied my directories to that drive as well.
    Connected back the imac and saw both partitions, imacbkup and winbkup. I forgot, just like what I do with the imac and winxp, I can see the c: drive via the mac.
    Very cool and easy. Maxtor drives are very reliable and easy to use.
    Thanks,
    Charlie Cooperman
    If anyone wants more detail info, you can email me at [email protected]

  • External drive for MAC and PC?

    My client wants to be able to view all the .mov files I've shot for them and due to file sizes, I need to deliver them all on a hard drive.
    Is there any easy fix on my end or their end to facilitate this?
    Thanks!

    I was assuming that with Quicktime they'd be able to view full size .mov files
    QuickTime .mov is a container, the video inside could have been made with any one of a number of codecs. If they do not have that particular codec, they won't be able to play the video. Not even all Macs have the same codecs, many are installed by FCP and unavailable elsewhere.
    Also - do you know someone that has had success with MacDrive 8 on a PC?
    It goes exactly what it says on the tin. Another alternative is for you to install the MacFuse/NTFS 3G package, which will enable your Mac to write files to a Windows NTFS formatted drive.

  • I store my itunes library on an external drive shared between 2 computers and itunes on computer A isn't seeing or showing the songs I added using itunes on computer B.

    I store my itunes library on an external drive shared between 2 computers and itunes on computer A isn't seeing or showing the songs I added using itunes on computer B. How to fix this?

    I don't know if this is me adding files to iTunes when the external wasn't connected
    it is.
    is it OK to just keep deleting that library on the Air?
    i wouldn't - at least not until i
    mount the external
    point iTunes media folder location back to the external via preferences > advanced
    consolidate my library via file > library > organize library
    The ntfs hasn't seem to be causing any problems, but I've always wanted to know.
    in order for your Mac to write to NTFS drives, it needs some help by installing e.g. the NTFS 3G driver. apparently that or something similar is installed on your Mac already. preferably, it would be formatted for Mac but then windows machines would need to have e.g. MacDrive installed to recognize the drive.

  • I am moving from PC to Mac.  My PC has two internal drives and I have a 3Tb external.  What is best way to move the data from the internal drives to Mac and the best way to make the external drive read write without losing data

    I am moving from PC to Mac.  My PC has two internal drives and I have a 3Tb external.  What is best way to move the data from the internal drives to Mac and the best way to make the external drive read write without losing data

    Paragon even has non-destriuctive conversion utility if you do want to change drive.
    Hard to imagine using 3TB that isn't NTFS. Mac uses GPT for default partition type as well as HFS+
    www.paragon-software.com
    Some general Apple Help www.apple.com/support/
    Also,
    Mac OS X Help
    http://www.apple.com/support/macbasics/
    Isolating Issues in Mac OS
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1388
    https://www.apple.com/support/osx/
    https://www.apple.com/support/quickassist/
    http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/help/
    http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/tour/
    Get Help with your Product
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304725
    Apple Mac App Store
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_app_store/using_mac_apple_store
    How to Buy Mac OS X Mountain Lion/Lion
    http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/
    TimeMachine 101
    https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427
    http://www.apple.com/support/timemachine
    Mac OS X Community
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os

  • External Hard Drive using MAC and PC

    I recently formatted my 250gb hard drive to MS-DOS (FAT32) so I can use the drive with Mac and PC. When I came to plug in my external hard drive in the other day with another mac PC it said I could only read only under get info.
    Why is this?
    I couldnt save only open documents
    Many thanks

    kevin_ wrote:
    Henry,
    You should format the external drive as exFAT rather than FAT32.   exFAT handles larger files than FAT32 would and is both Mac and Windows friendly.
    And when he does, he should do it connected to the PC. There have been reports that while the Mac can format a drive in exFAT, it doesn't do as compatible a job as a PC will.

  • I think I have blown out my USB ports.  Plugged eternal drive to USB port;  drive also had an AC plug which I plugged in.  Screen went white;  unplugged external drive (both USB and AC plug).  Restarted MAC Pro.  Everything came back except USB ports

    I think I have blown out my USB ports.  Plugged in an external drive to USB, but drive also had an AC connection which I connected.  Whole screen went white; unplugged external drive (both AC and USB) and shut down MacPro.  Restarted and everything came back except access to USB ports.  Have tried to reset PRAM and SMC.  No success.  Have I blown out the electronic circuitry to my USB ports?

    Thanks for the response, but ironically enough, I feel really stupid after posting that because a couple minutes after posting that my DELL mouse started working again, but I honestly don't know how long that'll last. After it started working again, I tried switch which port it's plugged into again, and the other one (the one closest to me) still isn't working. If it stops working again (which it probably will), I'll definitely take it to the Apple Store. But, for some reason almost every time I take a device to the Apple Store, it fixes the problem itself when I get there, and then stops working after I leave (like just now.)
    That's happened a couple times, like when my computer was heating up alot, and when my phone's sound kept shutting off by itelf.
    Anyways, I want to keep this discussion up just because I know it'll stop working soon. But, yeah, I was planning on taking it to the Apple Store anyways, but I think the earliest I can is probably Saturday or Sunday, so I'll do that then.
    Thanks for the response!
    Scott

  • Can't format external drive for Mac

    I got an external Seagate Freeagent 750GB drive to use with my new Mini. It came formatted as a windows FAT volume. Since I don't have a FW400 to FW 800 cable yet, I have it connected via USB. When I try to reformat as a Mac drive (with any of the 4 case-sensitive / journaled options), I get an error, but I can then reformat as FAT. Does anyone know how I can format this drive as mac and what the problem is?

    It may have something to do with the partition scheme. There are at least three different schemes. One is used for windows formats (so you can use FAT32 or NTFS format), one is used for Intel Mac (probably GUID, not sure), and one is used for PowerPC Mac (probably the Apple Partition Map, again not sure). I don't know whether it is smart enough to choose the appropriate scheme for you when you have selected a format for your partition. Try to select the right scheme for Intel Mac first, and then decide on the format on each (if you have more than one partition on that disk) partitions.
    I think you have to make sure the format is compatible with the scheme, especially when you have multiple partitions on one disk. You can't format one partition to FAT32 and another to HFS+, although it will try to do something, but it will end up with error.

  • Formatted External drive for Mac OS extended

    Hi,
    I actually change from windows to Mac (no comparison...!!) but trying to transfer my photos (Pictures in finder) to an external hard disk i can`t drag and drop and i do not know why....i read in one forume that i have to formatted the external drive for Mac OS extended. First question: how could i do that? if my hard disk was originally formatted for windows, do i lose the info when i formatted?
    Thanks!!

    You will lose the files on the HD when you reformat it.  So copy what you want off the drive to a folder on your Mac temporarily. 
    select the HD on the Desktop and launch Disk Utility.
    select the HD in the left hand page of DU.
    click on the Partiton button
    select 1 Partition
    select OS X Extended (journaled) in the drop down Format menu.
    click on the Apply button
    drag the folder of files onto the EHD to copy back and then delete from your Mac's drive after verifying that they all copied back successfully.
    OT

  • Is it safe to format ANY external drive to Mac OS Extended?

    Some Seagate tech told me a while back that Seagate drives should ONLY be formatted with their proprietary formatting and that my data is vulnerable if I use something else.  (I may have misunderstood this, but I'm 98% certain that's what he said.)  I do remember him saying not to use the Mac's Disk Utility to format the drive.
    I want to reformat this drive so that it's 100% compatible with my new Mavericks iMac.
    Is there any concern about formatting ANY external drive to Mac OS Extended (Journaled).  Or are there some hard drives that should not be formatted to Mac using Disk Utility?
    I'm under the impression that all external drives are basically the same and I can format them however I want.  No drive is "made" to be formatted with a certain OS or a certain format. 
    Is that correct?

    Formatting a drive simply will remove any data currently stored on it. There is no such thing as "proprietary formatting." Drives come out of the factory with no formatting.
    Whatever the person told you it was patently wrong not to mention mis-informed.
    To use a hard drive properly with any computer it needs to be formatted with the tool that is required for the operating system with which it will be used. For the Mac you use Disk Utility (the tool) and you format the drive using Mac OS Extended, Journaled (the format.)
    Your impression is correct.

  • Easy question I'm sure. imac hard full (500gb) mostly from iphoto. no capacity left. what are my options? I've thought of an external drive of 1tb and then a 2nd external drive of 3tb to back up both???? please help.

    easy question I'm sure. imac hard full (500gb) mostly from iphoto. no capacity left. what are my options? I've thought of an external drive of 1tb and then a 2nd external drive of 3tb to back up both???? please help.

    Those are the options - more space is more space.
    Moving the iPhoto Library is simple:
    Make sure the drive is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
    1. Quit iPhoto
    2. Copy the iPhoto Library from your Pictures Folder to the External Disk.
    3. Hold down the option (or alt) key while launching iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' and navigate to the new location. From that point on this will be the default location of your library.
    4. Test the library and when you're sure all is well, trash the one on your internal HD to free up space.
    Regards
    TD

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