External hard drive - how to read?
Hello,
this is probably very simple, but I can't figure out which button to use to bring up the data on an external hard drive.
I was surprised that on connecting to my powerbook that the USB didn't automatically detect it.
Can someone spell out what application I need to view the contents on my external hard drive, and then copy it over to my internal hard drive in the power book?
Thanks.
this is probably very simple, but I can't figure out which button to use to bring up the data on an external hard drive.
I was surprised that on connecting to my powerbook that the USB didn't automatically detect it.
Can someone spell out what application I need to view the contents on my external hard drive, and then copy it over to my internal hard drive in the power book?
Thanks.
Comments
Justin, what's the drive? Make/model? What's the format of the drive? FAT? NTFS? One of the Linux formats?
If it's a standard USB drive, it *should* just pop right up. If, however, it's one of those wacky kinda-sorta-USB-drives that are more common on the Windows side of things, or if it's formatted in a way that MacOS X can't read, then you're probably out of luck.
You *can* use Disk Utility, however, to get some of the above information. If it doesn't even show up in there as a device, however, then I'd be checking the USB port.
Originally posted by Gene Clean
What's a 'wacky-kinda-sorta-USB-drive-on-the-Windows-side' look like?
The kind that is formatted in NTFS or smething similar maybe?
I can't format the drive!! It's got all of my Windows work on it! It's a Seagate 280GB external PATA drive which I've partitioned into two sectors on Windows - I should be able to read and copy it onto the Apple, right? It's a standard Windows NTFS format with default chunk sizes running up to around 100GB in the most important partition. I had it assembled into one of those cool external hard drive cases with a one-button back up utility which works perfectly on the Windows, (i'm backing up my Windows stuff onto the Apple for stability and user friendliness). It came with a standard USB 2.0 connection - these are pretty much standard for larger external hard drives - I see they go from 20GB up to 400GB nowadays..
Brain failure has stopped me from finding where Disc Utilities is - it's not in my System Preferences....?
Originally posted by Justin
Hi there,
Brain failure has stopped me from finding where Disc Utilities is - it's not in my System Preferences....?
You are right it is not in your System Prefs. You will find it in
Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility
Originally posted by onlooker
The kind that is formatted in NTFS or smething similar maybe?
No, the kind that isn't a standard USB device, and needs drivers... that they don't provide for the Mac. I've seen a number of these, generally really ultra-cheap ones from China. The company doesn't make sure the device is actually USB compliant (bad HW design), then patch it with a driver to handle the wonkiness. Which is fine under Windows, but they don't provide a driver for the Mac or Linux, and then it simply won't work.
Doesn't sound like the case here though.
*hope this works..*
Originally posted by Ichiban_jay
I thought Mac OSX couldn't read/write in NTFS? Only FAT/FAT32 and the usual Mac formats. Since NTFS is a windows proprietary format that is still under a patent???
It can read, but not write. There's a Linux driver that lets Linux write to NTFS, and with some work it could be ported to OSX, but I'm not sure how stable it is or if its worth the hassle anyhow.
Oh dear. I think I've just understood the implications. I can't edit any of my Windows stuff saved as a Windows NT file on the Apple>?
Should I then format the HD and save as FAT32? This is so confusing. I just wanted to transfer my windows work as a master copy onto my Apple and dump the Windows.
Originally posted by Justin
Oh dear. I think I've just understood the implications. I can't edit any of my Windows stuff saved as a Windows NT file on the Apple>?
Should I then format the HD and save as FAT32? This is so confusing. I just wanted to transfer my windows work as a master copy onto my Apple and dump the Windows.
OK. It goes like this:
1. OS X can read NTFS formatted drives but not write to them. That means that while you can open your Windows files you have in your NTFS formatted drive connected to your Mac, you will need to save them on the Mac if you want to change anything in those files. Say you have a book you're writing and it's stored in your external hard drive that's formatted as NTFS. You connect the drive to your Mac, open the Word file and start writing some more. Once you're done, you want to save it. You can't save it in that external drive because Macs don't write to NTFS formatted drives. But that doesn't preclude you from saving that file to your Mac or to any other hard drive that's formatted in HFS(+) or even FAT/FAT32.
2. The best way to take your files from your hard drive to your Mac would be to drag them onto your new Mac. Just fire up your external drive, and copy your data. If you don't have enough space in your Mac, consider burning the data into DVDs.
3. When you're done with that format the drive. If you want to able to exchange files from your Mac to your PC, format it as FAT32. Just a reminder: FAT32 doesn't allow you to store files that are bigger than 4GB so if you're working with huge movies it's not the best choice. Otherwise I recommend HFS+.
"
This isthe bit that boggles me.....how do I 'drag' the files? I have a readingon disc utilities identifying the external HD, but I can'tseem to do anything with it?
the external HD is only picked up on Disc Utilities - I can't find any other icon on the desktop except Macintosh HD and Software.
Say for instance, I open Word: I don't get the option of peeping into the external hard drive on the 'Open' Word command.
This is very different from Windows! Is there a manual I should be reading instead of bothering everyone here? It doesn't feel intuitive at all....I have an external hard drive which I have now found, with a lot of data (point 1. I understand) and no way to extract it....
Originally posted by Justin
[B]Hi Gene,
the external HD is only picked up on Disc Utilities - I can't find any other icon on the desktop except Macintosh HD and Software.
That's odd, because it should show up immediately. Try logging out and then log in again. It should show up.
I don't get any of that. Just Mac HD and Software - that's all there is. When I hunt for the external HD on Finder, it doesn't show. The only way it pops up is via Disk Utilities - it registers as a Seagate and the powerbook detects its size and permissions as a read/write HD.
In some ways it's validating knowing that I'm not such a wally to find this transition to Apple so difficult
is it possible there is something else I've overlooked?