New here. Having trouble with peripheral devices on my notebook

Hello everyone. My name is Lisa, and I am a photographer. I have a PC with Photoshop CS2. Recently I bought a matte screen 15" MBP. I purchased it so I could work on the go, and currently need to be able to edit jpg files between both machines. I have a Maxtor EHD. When I plug it into the MBP and try to save an edit on the EHD, the 'save' option isn't highlighted. That's the first issue.
Secondly, my iPod is not recognized. It charges, but iTunes and the MBP do not recognized it. I have spent hours trying to figure this out, searching on the Apple site and various forums but so far no solution.
Next, I have a Motorola Q. I am trying to connect to the Q's internet connection and the MBP gives me a 'can't connect modem error' message...spent more time figuring that out..still no joy.
I was honestly happy with my PC but decided when I was going to get a laptop I should make the switch...and 2500 bucks later, I feel like I made the biggest financial blunder.
I hit a roadblock at every turn...and did I mention I had to get the Mac version of Photoshop because they wouldn't allow me another license so I could use it on both machines? UGH...this thing is like a money pit.
All that said, I am confident in time I will be happy with my decision..but right now I am experiencing one frustration after another.
If you got this far and can make time to offer any suggestions (the main issue is being able to use that EHD on both machines) I would be super happy.
Thanks!
Lisa in Northern VA

if the maxtor is formatted as a NTFS drive, you wont be able to write to it in OSX. you need to partition it again, at least some of it as FAT32. that will be more than sufficient for JPGs.

as for the Q, no idea. my trea does the same thing, and frankly, im tired of messing with it. On a side note, i just sold my MBP and bought a dell.

macs are nice for sure, best design out there, and oSX is just the best. but when it comes to getting things the way i want them, in the shortest amount of time, the mac just takes some getting used to.

okay, it does appear the Maxtor is 'NTFS' and I am completely clueless how to make it a FAT32...more endless hours of searching and reading, I suppose lol! If I do figure out how to partition, will I still be able to use the Maxtor on the PC?
I really wish this transformation wasn't so painful...I mean I really thought it was going to be a much easier switch, but it's been uber time consuming =(
Thank you again for making time to help!
Lisa

Oh...I also spent a lot of time looking to see if an EHD exists that I can use on each machine, back and forth...if anyone knows of one, I will spend the money to buy it, since I know I will need another EHD at some point...just wish I knew when I got the Maxtor that I wouldn't be able to use it on both...did I mention how much trouble I am having trying to do what I want LOL!

Any drive formatted as FAT32 can be read by both Mac and Windows systems with no problems. So yes, you would still be able to use it on the PC. Buying a new hard drive wouldn't help, since you will still have to format it as FAT32.

To format your drive as FAT32 from your Mac, do the following:

1. BACK UP EVERYTHING ON THE DRIVE. This is very important because it will be completely erased after formatting.
2. Connect the drive to your mac.
3. Open your hard drive icon, click on Applications, then open the Utilities folder.
4. Open Disk Utility
5. There will be a list of all your disks in the pane on the left of the screen. Choose your external hard drive.
6. Click erase from the options to the right.
7. From the drop down menu, choose MS-DOS File System.
8. Make sure you backed everything up, because it's about to be erased!
9. Click Erase.
10. Restore your original data.

Your drive is now readable and writeable from any Mac or Windows computer!

As for Photoshop, do you have an intel mac? If so you can install Windows on it very easily to use your Windows software, and still keep OS X. Look up Boot Camp on Apple's web site for more information.

For your phone, you should probably ask someone on the maccellphone group on Yahoo!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/maccellphone/

rift0065 gave you excellent info on the External Hard Drive issue. Is the iPod Windows Formatted?

Thank you!!!! I have to run to a wedding and won't have time to try the formatting things yet (and I know I will have some questions as I go!) but I wanted to pop in to say thanks, and to say that YES..the iPod is Windows...the thing is, after I did my last updated to SP2 for XP, it won't show up...so...iPod won't work on either machine...but it plays everything I have on it...but I still have almost the whole 30gigs left to fill up...can't transfer any iTunes recently d/l to it on either machine.
Okay have to run..but thank you again....I am feeling better knowing there might be some workable solutions!!!
*blows everyone a thank you kiss*

Hi Lisa. Welcome to the wonderful world of using Macs! I know there may be some bumps early on, but everything you're having trouble with can get worked out and it will be smooth sailing soon.

I don't know if you have one nearby, but you could take your MBP into an Apple store to get help with the iPod, or call support since you'll be covered still for phone support. As soon as you change your Maxtor drive to FAT32, everything should be fine with using, editing and saving files on both your Mac and any Windows machine. For your Motorola Q problem, I would highly suggest www.howardforums.com. That site is all about cell phones, functionality, hacks, and doing thingsl ike tethering to computers: Mac and Windows. If it can be done, you'll find it on that site.

Best of luck and let us know how it works out. Welcome to mac-forums!

Does the iPod still work and play music? Do you have your music backed up on a computer? If so, I would reset the iPod. You use the iPod updater. Doing so will erase everything, but it sounds like something has gone wrong on the iPod itself.

Thank you all again...man I have been so busy...but also still feel like I am spinning my wheels...I try to fix one issue then I realize the other issue is more important lol!
Okay...the iPod..it is a 'windows' iPod...ever since I updated to service pack 2 on the PC, the PC stopped recognizing the iPod. It still plays music if I pop it into my car or just plug in headphones. I just can't transfer any songs I d/l from iTunes to it...nor do any of the songs on my ipod show up in itunes. When I plug it into the MBP, same thing..it charges..but the MBP won't recognize it.
I am still trying to figure out everything else...just not enough time in the day...I will keep you posted..just seems like I hit so many dead ends.
I do have an Apple store about an hour away...but was so hoping not to have to schlepp out there =(

Well it wont matter if the iPod is formatted for windows or mac, because it will work either way. It sounds like something internally has just been messed up and I would probably restore it to original settings and reload all the music.

If you are in the Arlington Area of Northern Virginia and decide to go to the Apple Store I highly suggest calling at least a day ahead and make an appointment. Both the Pentagon City and the Clarendon stores always seem to have about a one day lead time. (I would also highly recommend the Clarendon store)

Stick with it, you'll get there. And when you do you'll wonder how you ever did it before!

Oh yeah, if you go to the Apple store for help, you have to make an appointment to meet with a "genius". You can do it online at apple.com.

Thank you again...I am closest to the store in Tyson's. I have not tried to plug in the iPod to my neighbor's PC yet, (someone suggested that) and if it doesn't show up on his PC then I will probably head to Apple to see a 'genius' =)