Which HDD format for Mac & PC use?
Which format is best for an external hard drive I plan to use for both PCs and Macs? I've heard that Snow Leopard can read NTFS, but not write without the free NTFS+3G app/plugin. I've got a new Sandy Bridge iMac coming in this weekend (my first Mac) and I'm not sure what to format my external hard drives to for optimal performance on both platforms.
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There is a fourth option. Snow Leopard has the ability to write as well as to read NTFS. This functionality is disabled out-of-the-box. However, it can be enabled from the Terminal command.
Your list of options is not complete. Snow Leopard supports a relatively new Windows file system named ExFAT. However, I don't trust anything with "FAT" in the name. I voted for NTFS. Virtually every Windows PC in use on Earth uses NTFS. On the Mac, you have at least three options to use NTFS, the commercial Paragon NTFS and Tuxera NTFS drivers plus the free NTFS-3G. I use NTFS-3G. No problems.
There is a fourth option. Snow Leopard has the ability to write as well as to read NTFS. This functionality is disabled out-of-the-box. However, it can be enabled from the Terminal command.
In regards to NTFS-3G, does it read/write as fast as Mac's native format? Also, I read about Snow Leopard's abilities, but also read that it was currently unstable. Anyone able to chime in if there's any difference in Lion?