Which format to format my external HD?


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If you want to read and write on Windows but only read on OS X, you can go with NTFS (but you'll have to format that inside of Windows). If you want to read and write on both systems, go with MS-DOS (FAT).

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FAT32 is limited to 4gb files though. If you want, NTFS works too, just use MacFuse and NTFS-3G if your not on SL yet, or HFS+ (Journaling) and use MacDrive on the PC (costs some $$)

Thank you so much! What format can i use after i install SL?

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Thank you so much! What format can i use after i install SL?

Better off with HFS+ since MacDrive 8 already supports Windows 7 fully. But really up to you. If you don't have files over 4gbs each, you can use FAT32.

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  • 2 weeks later...

sorry back with another question. So i got SL on my imac now. Which format from my screenshot do i need for my external HD to be able to read and write in mac and win xp? if you guys say HSF+ i don't know what that is from the option... sorry :(

Do i need windows 7? I really don't want to bother installing a new windows.. i think i stopped using windows from XP

Thank you so much!

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sorry back with another question. So i got SL on my imac now. Which format from my screenshot do i need for my external HD to be able to read and write in mac and win xp? if you guys say HSF+ i don't know what that is from the option... sorry :(

Do i need windows 7? I really don't want to bother installing a new windows.. i think i stopped using windows from XP

Thank you so much!

If you just want to keep it simple, just use MS-DOS (FAT) from that list. That'll format it as FAT32, which both your Mac and your PC can easily read from and write to.

However, if you have files over 4GB in size on the external HDD, you can go three ways:

1) Use Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and install MacDrive on your Windows box.

2) Hook it up to a Windows XP box and format it as NTFS. Then use this trick on your Mac. This feature is completely unsupported by Apple, however, and it's probably not on by default for a reason.

3) Do either number one or two (In other words, either HFS+(1) or NTFS(2)), but instead of install MacDrive or using a hack, just use file sharing from either box to share the HD to your network.

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