Ok, a new user question. I only received my new macbook pro yesterday, so I am trying to work a few things out.

Is there is an easy way to write to an external drive that has been formatted in the windows NTFS format? I have an external USB drive that i can read from quite easy, but cant write to it I guess it has something to do with the NTFS? I dont want to go the reformatting route just yet, without being sure..

No. NTFS = Windows write access only. Thank microsoft for that.

Hi, I was just about to ask a similar question.

I ended up formatting my USB drive to the Mac OS file system - then using Backup software like Bounceback Pro to backup my Mac and Boot Camp Vista files. The limitation is that I can't read/write to the USB drive from Vista (however I believe there is a hack for this somewhere).

I have the following additional questions, if anyone can help in answering:

In MacOSX:
- How do you write to the boot camp partition (Vista) and share files/directory (eg. photos/music);
- How do you format a USB drive so that it works on a Windows machine, like say to NTFS (as my USB drive is currently formatted with Mac OS Extended (Journaled);

In Vista (boot camp):
- How can you read/write to a USB drive formatted in Mac OS Extended;
- How can you format a USB drive if it can't recognise the drive?;
- How do you access files on the Mac partition;

Thanks

Nelson

I ca only with one of your questions. If your format your thumb drive to the FAT standard it will work both on Mac and PC. I only know this from personal experience as my current 1GB drive is formatted in this manner.

Or buy MacDrive so that your PC can use a Mac formatted disc.

This works well for me.

I use macfuse to read/write ntfs thumb drives this is what I did to get it to work


(1) Downloaded the latest MacFUSE package (dmg from Google);
(2) Installed MacFUSE package and restarted the Mac;
(3) Downloaded the NTFS-3g package (dmg from Chucker's - lifehack link is dead);
(4) Fixed the "macfuse_required" error (tip from InsanelyMac);
(5) Installed the NTFS-3g package (no restart);
(6) Plugged in my NTFS-formatted USB2 external drive (which wouldn't even mount before) and it just appeared on my Macbook's desktop - read-write

Links.
http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/
http://chucker.mystfans.com/opensource/ntfs-3g/

Got the instructions from here

Nice one. I wished I read this before I went to the hassal of transfering the contents of the drive to a win computer (on my home network) and then formatting my external drive.

@NelsonX - I just formatted my 160 gig WD passport in the MS-DOS format via the Disk Utility (which is FAT 32) and I now can read/write both from Win and Mac computer to the same drive. This should help for any external drives you have.

just remember FAT32 can't handle large (about 4 gigs) files so if you have DVD images, DV footage steams or anything they wont transfere on to your external Hard Drive..

Yes, thanks for that, I do remember this limitation which is not a problem for me. My single files haven't got this size (yet).

thanks - this is good info.

This is what I might do (time permitting of course).

1. In MAC - Format 100GB USB drive with MS Dos file system;
2. In PC - Format 100GB USB drive to NTFS;
3. In PC - Check out MacDrive to read/write Apple partition and share files between system;
4. In MAC - Install the Macfuse tweak to read/write to NTFS USB drive and hopefully the bootcamp partition.

And 'bob's your uncle' the PC and Mac can live in harmony..:-)

NelsonX
ps. MAB: which ntfs-3g package should I download? Is it the r4 version?