external hard drive is formatted specifically for Mac, so it doesn't show up on my PC

ok, I have a WD MyPassport Studio external HD. I copied my music files to it so I can transfer them and open them up on my iTunes on my PC. (please stop groaning). my external hard drive is formatted specifically for Mac, so it doesn't show up on my PC. How can I make this happen? I just want to transfer the music. Please help me!!

*groan*

nice. can you help? please?

it would help if you told us the specific format the drive is. from there you might get some help.

Well since he said formatted for his Mac, it would be a safe assumption that it is formatted in HFS.

The answer to your problem lies within a program called MacDrive. I use it on my Windows machines to read stuff on my 1.5tb external, which is formatted HFS since it rarely isn't connected to my Mac.

yea i meant to ask for the pc format.

i think you found the solution though.

kkelly122 said:

yea i meant to ask for the pc format.

i think you found the solution though.

Click to expand...

Shouldn't matter, should it? FAT32 and NTFS can't see HFS, iirc. Could be wrong though...been known for that on occasion.

Fat32 and NTFS are not readers themselves, they are just another method of formatting, like HFS is. Windows on the other hand, is what does not see HFS natively. It is interesting that OSX will see NTFS natively but will not write to it.

The solution to that is Paragon NTFS.

Either way, it's a hassle.

If you want to keep the drive formatted in a Mac format, you will need MacDrive like was already suggested. It will allow Windows to read the Mac HFS formatted drive.

Either that or you can format the external in FAT32 and then both systems can both read and write to it. Only warning is with FAT32, a single file can only be 4GB or less in size. Anything larger will not write. With just music files that should never be an issue.