Hdd Formats For Both Mac And Windows10/20/2021
On Mac OS X, this would be HFS+ (Mac OS Extended). Open Disk Utility for me.On Windows, this format would be NTFS. MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT: File systems that are compatible with Windows. Mac OS Extended: The file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier. Disk Utility on Mac supports several file system formats: Apple File System (APFS): The file system used by macOS 10.13 or later. File system formats available in Disk Utility on Mac.
Hdd Formats For Both And Windows How To Format ASo, What Is The Issue? Why Doesn't My External Hard Drive Just Work? In this article, we are going to discuss how to format a hard drive for Mac and some related terms too.Windows uses the NTFS (New Technology File System) format, while macOS uses either HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus, a legacy format used by older versions. Using the Mac preferred file system is important otherwise the files will be of no use to you. As a result, you will need to format the hard drive for Mac. Options For Having An External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without FormattingSo, you can’t simply use the same drive with both Windows and Mac.Options For Making An External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Formatting How Much Do You Want To Spend On The Problem? Which Computer Are You Planning To Use Your External Hard Drive Most On? It interprets what is on the external hard drive so that your Mac or PC can read and write to the drive.2. This software acts like a translator. Or one for your Windows PC. Use a Software Solution – You get a piece of software that sits on your Mac.Your Windows PC reads FAT32, NTFS and ExFAT file systems. The one your Windows PC writes on the drive by default and the one your Mac writes are different.Unless you started out with a file system that they both can read and write you’re going to run into problems. There are different sorts of file systems. So, What Is The Issue? Why Doesn’t My External Hard Drive Just Work?Each drive, whether internal, external, a hard drive or an ultra fast SSD has a file system on it.A file system is how your Windows PC or Mac stores and finds your documents on that drive. This allows you to have your documents set up so that both computers can use them without you loosing any data. You just need to fix the issue on the Windows PC for the short time you’ll use the external hard drive there.If your answer is, you will use equally on both. Then you just need to fix the issue on the Mac for the odd time you need to use the drive there.If mostly on your Mac then the same thing holds true. Which Computer Are You Planning To Use Your External Hard Drive Most On?Because if your using your external hard drive mostly on your Windows PC. Before You Decide How You’re Going To Fix Your External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Losing Any FilesThere are some questions to ask yourself before you go ahead. Then you can check the drive’s properties if you’re not sure what file system it uses. The faster SSD drives on a Mac may well use an APFS file system.To check, right click on the external hard drive. Does your external hard drive manufacturer provide the software for free? If not, you will need to pay. You use the software on the Mac or Windows PC that can’t read the drive. Or you may need to spend some money.Options For Making An External Hard Drive For Mac And PC Without Formatting 1. How Much Do You Want To Spend On The Problem?You may get lucky and find there is a free solution. Or wait for the release of a version that works.The manufacturer of your hard drive may provide a free solution.So it is well worth checking the model of your external hard drive on the manufacturers site.For example Seagate provides a free NTFS reader for the Mac on their support downloads page.Check the software is compatible for the operating system you’re running. You’ll need to check that the software is compatible with the new operating system. Or your Windows PC, if you bought it for the Windows PC. Security essentials for mac downloadAPFS for Windows – This piece of software sits on the Windows PC and allows it to read the Mac’s APFS drives. NTFS software for Mac – you load this software on the Mac to read a Windows PC NTFS formatted drive. That allows you to test out the Paragon software and make sure it’s for you and your particular set up.The Paragon Software set of tools has more options compared to Tuxera. Paid Software SolutionsThe two front-runners in this space with the best reputations are:Both companies have tools that make an external hard drive compatible with Mac and PC without formatting.The good news is that you can download the software and have a 10 day free trial. No special software tool to buy, maintain or check the versions of. Heavy or the equal use of your external hard drive on both your Mac and PC. It allows the Mac to read and write to a Windows PC NTFS formatted external hard drive. In Tuxera’s case the trial period is15 days.Tuxera NTFS for Mac – Sits on the Mac. HFS+ for Windows – Sits on the Windows PC and allows it to read HFS+ formatted external hard drives.Tuxera also has a free trial period that you can take advantage of before you buy. And because your Mac can read the NTFS drive. And the other Finder windows on the ExFAT drive.4. One finder window on the NTFS formatted drive. You then open two finder windows on your Mac. By this I mean the NTFS drive with your documents on and the newly formatted ExFAT drive.3. Copy your files across as I explained for buying a drive.Then you format your own drive – Don’t worry all this formatting only takes a few minutes.Copy the files back onto your own external drive.Return the loaned hard drive to the person you borrowed it from. You’ll need a drive with nothing on it.Just as if you bought the drive yourself, you follow my directions above.You format the drive to ExFAT. And What Do You Do With The Spare External Hard Drive When You’re Done?Use your second external hard drive for backup.A good idea as you should never only have one copy of your documents on any drive.As drives as well as cloud storage have been known to and do fail.And that would mean you loosing all your documents, files, photos, music … Loan A DriveIf you can, find a good friend to loan an external hard drive from. And you did it without losing any data. You can plug that drive into either and use it.Yes, you had some formatting to do but it was on the new drive. You have all your files on a drive that is compatible with both Mac and PC. And without formatting the drive. And which you find the easier to use.Either way there is a solution to having an existing external hard drive for Mac and PC.
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