How to connect EHD to PC and MAC?

Mike Lowe · 07-22-2009, 07:50 AM

I may have asked this already but I'm too frustrated and in a hurry to do a search. I have an external HD which is set up properly to connect to both PC and MAC. However, I cannot add any files to it from the Mac. I can copy them out etc. but cannot add any files from the Mac.

I backed up my PC stuff onto the Mac and am just trying to get it BACK to the EHD so that I can get it BACK to my PC.

I thought Mac's were easy!?!?! Someone toss me a bone here!

Mike Lowe · 07-23-2009, 05:58 AM

bump...still can't find an answer after searching online. Does anyone have an idea how to get this to work?

samifan24 · 07-23-2009, 06:58 AM

What file format did you use when formatting the HD? Fat32? That might be your problem.

Mike Lowe · 07-23-2009, 07:00 AM

Yeah, I thought that was what I wanted? I backed up the files from the HD and can format however I wish, but which format would allow me to readd the files on the Mac and copy them to the PC?

samifan24 · 07-23-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Lowe

Yeah, I thought that was what I wanted? I backed up the files from the HD and can format however I wish, but which format would allow me to readd the files on the Mac and copy them to the PC?

I'm not sure but to be safe it sounds like you have to partition the HD into both Mac OSX extended and Fat32 formats. Here are some instructions on how to do that.

flere-imsaho · 07-23-2009, 09:19 AM

Sounds like the drive is formatted as NTFS, which means the Mac can read from it, not write to it (NTFS is primarily a Microsoft/Windows disk format).

For both the Mac and the PC to read & write to the disk, the disk should be formatted as Fat32 (warning: formatting will wipe all data on the disk). The one caveat is that Fat32 has a limit where no single file can be over 4GB in size.

If the info you want to put back on the PC is currently on the Mac just fine, then here's what I'd do:

1. Use either the Mac or the PC to format the external hard drive as FAT32.

2. Copy the files from the Mac to the external hard drive and then copy the files from the external hard drive to the PC.

There's a way to get the MacOS to be able to write to an NTFS drive (using third-party software, I think), but I wouldn't bother if the data is currently safe on the Mac.

Router Help · 07-23-2009, 12:22 PM

Sounds like it is an NTFS partition. This should allow you to write to it: NTFS-3G: Stable Read/Write NTFS Driver Used to be risky, but is stable now.

07-23-2009, 05:58 AM	#2
Mike Lowe College Prospect Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA	bump...still can't find an answer after searching online. Does anyone have an idea how to get this to work? __________________ Be fulfilled. Be grateful. Be good to one another. @MikeLowe47 @SimSportsGamin9 Website \| YouTube \| Discord

07-23-2009, 06:58 AM	#3
samifan24 Pro Starter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: NC	What file format did you use when formatting the HD? Fat32? That might be your problem. __________________ "You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball...and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time." -Jim Bouton

07-23-2009, 07:00 AM	#4
Mike Lowe College Prospect Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA	Yeah, I thought that was what I wanted? I backed up the files from the HD and can format however I wish, but which format would allow me to readd the files on the Mac and copy them to the PC? __________________ Be fulfilled. Be grateful. Be good to one another. @MikeLowe47 @SimSportsGamin9 Website \| YouTube \| Discord

07-23-2009, 09:19 AM	#6
flere-imsaho Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicagoland	Sounds like the drive is formatted as NTFS, which means the Mac can read from it, not write to it (NTFS is primarily a Microsoft/Windows disk format). For both the Mac and the PC to read & write to the disk, the disk should be formatted as Fat32 (warning: formatting will wipe all data on the disk). The one caveat is that Fat32 has a limit where no single file can be over 4GB in size. If the info you want to put back on the PC is currently on the Mac just fine, then here's what I'd do: 1. Use either the Mac or the PC to format the external hard drive as FAT32. 2. Copy the files from the Mac to the external hard drive and then copy the files from the external hard drive to the PC. There's a way to get the MacOS to be able to write to an NTFS drive (using third-party software, I think), but I wouldn't bother if the data is currently safe on the Mac.

07-23-2009, 12:22 PM	#7
Router Help Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ferndale, MI now in Chicago, IL	Sounds like it is an NTFS partition. This should allow you to write to it: NTFS-3G: Stable Read/Write NTFS Driver Used to be risky, but is stable now.

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