From PC to Mac with an external HD

Scuba711 · Scuba711 #1 (**permalink**)

02-27-2007, 02:58 PM

Earlier this month I purchased a Firewire, 2bay, external HD system to store my image files. (I'm a photographer). A few weeks ago I decided to move to MAC and purchased a Mac Pro system. The two drives in my external bay are formatted NTFS, with one (A) containing data. What I'd like to do is reformat the drives with HFS+ / with about 50gigs partitioned and formated as Fat32. This way I can move some files over to that partition and use my PC if I need to, (only because I have 1 or 2 programs on the PC that don't come in MAC format. Can you guys tell me if my plan below holds water and help me get there?

1.While the external drives are still attached to the PC, reformat drive (B) to Fat32, then move all data from drive A to drive B. Then I can reformat drive (A) to Fat32.

2.Attach the external drives to the Mac Pro, and reformat drive (A) to HFS+ with 50gigs partitioned and formatted to Fat32. Move the data from drive B to drive (A), then reformat drive B like drive A

I hope some of you can help me and I didn't confuse anyone. If there's anything I'm missing please feel free to tell this MAC newbie. I'm not sure if I can use the MAC to see the NTFS drives and reformat them, this would cut out most if not all of step 1.

HELP!!!!

torvold · torvold #2 (**permalink**)

02-27-2007, 10:22 PM

I just go a mac and I have an external harddrive. Um I just use all FAT32 because Mac can read and write FAT32 just like windows.

KoDorSean · KoDorSean #3 (**permalink**)

02-27-2007, 11:31 PM

this link has some good options...

http://www.apple.com/macosx/switch/

mac57 · mac57 #4 (**permalink**)

02-27-2007, 11:37 PM

Would it change your thinking if you knew that PCs can read and write HFS+ via a third party driver called MacDrive? It costs about $50, but might be just what you are looking for. See http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive6.

This would let both your Mac and your PC use the same drives in a common format, and one that is miles better than FAT32.

Scuba711 · Scuba711 #5 (**permalink**)

02-28-2007, 01:17 AM

Thanks for the quick feedback everyone. I ended up going with Mac57's suggestion. I hooked up the hotswap system to my mac pro, formatted the empty drive for HFS+, rolled my files into it, then formatted the second drive. I'm going to pick up the software you told me about.
Thanks again everyone

Scuba711 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 27, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4 Mac Specs: Mac Pro;2.66 Quad Xeon-2gb ram-250&500gb hd, 15" MB Pro; 2.33GHz 2 Duo-2gb ram	02-27-2007, 02:58 PM Earlier this month I purchased a Firewire, 2bay, external HD system to store my image files. (I'm a photographer). A few weeks ago I decided to move to MAC and purchased a Mac Pro system. The two drives in my external bay are formatted NTFS, with one (A) containing data. What I'd like to do is reformat the drives with HFS+ / with about 50gigs partitioned and formated as Fat32. This way I can move some files over to that partition and use my PC if I need to, (only because I have 1 or 2 programs on the PC that don't come in MAC format. Can you guys tell me if my plan below holds water and help me get there? 1.While the external drives are still attached to the PC, reformat drive (B) to Fat32, then move all data from drive A to drive B. Then I can reformat drive (A) to Fat32. 2.Attach the external drives to the Mac Pro, and reformat drive (A) to HFS+ with 50gigs partitioned and formatted to Fat32. Move the data from drive B to drive (A), then reformat drive B like drive A I hope some of you can help me and I didn't confuse anyone. If there's anything I'm missing please feel free to tell this MAC newbie. I'm not sure if I can use the MAC to see the NTFS drives and reformat them, this would cut out most if not all of step 1. HELP!!!! Last edited by Scuba711; 02-27-2007 at 03:15 PM. Reason: subscribe
	QUOTE Thanks

mac57 #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 29, 2006 Location: St. Somewhere Posts: 4,547 Mac Specs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, 120 GB SSD, 500 GB HDD	02-27-2007, 11:37 PM Would it change your thinking if you knew that PCs can read and write HFS+ via a third party driver called MacDrive? It costs about $50, but might be just what you are looking for. See http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive6. This would let both your Mac and your PC use the same drives in a common format, and one that is miles better than FAT32. My Macs: PowerMac G5 Quad, 2.5 GHz, 4 Core, Mac Pro, 3.2 GHz 8 Core, Power Macintosh 7500/100 My iStuff: 32 GB iPhone 4, 30 GB iPod Video, 16 GB iPod Touch My OS': Mac OS X Tiger, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Mac OS X Leopard, Mac OS 8.6, openSUSE 10.3, Win XP I was on the Mac-Forums honor roll for September 2007
	QUOTE Thanks

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Connecting XP to a external harddrive from a Mac	Spawn	Other Hardware and Peripherals	8	12-30-2006 08:19 AM
Need to Reformat My External Mac HDD ->Windows..	oragano	Switcher Hangout	3	03-22-2006 03:52 PM
Mac won't detect external LaCie drive - please help	sirjer1	Other Hardware and Peripherals	5	09-06-2005 10:25 AM
FAT32 External Hard Drive to work on Mac? Help	sellywelly	Other Hardware and Peripherals	1	08-15-2004 02:11 AM

From PC to Mac with an external HD

Internet Services

Web Development

Digital Marketing

Consumer Tech

torvold #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 27, 2007 Posts: 31 Mac Specs: Imac 2.16ghz, 2gb, 256MB	02-27-2007, 10:22 PM I just go a mac and I have an external harddrive. Um I just use all FAT32 because Mac can read and write FAT32 just like windows.
	QUOTE Thanks

Scuba711 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 27, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4 Mac Specs: Mac Pro;2.66 Quad Xeon-2gb ram-250&500gb hd, 15" MB Pro; 2.33GHz 2 Duo-2gb ram	02-28-2007, 01:17 AM Thanks for the quick feedback everyone. I ended up going with Mac57's suggestion. I hooked up the hotswap system to my mac pro, formatted the empty drive for HFS+, rolled my files into it, then formatted the second drive. I'm going to pick up the software you told me about. Thanks again everyone
	QUOTE Thanks

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)