Accessing NTFS external HDD?

z3roforc3z3roforc3
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Hi, I have just bought a mac mini (go me!) and am switching from a winXP box. On the winXP machine I have an external USB HDD with a pile of MP3's etc on, I was hoping I could just plug it in the mac and go but this doesnt seem to be the case. If I plug it into the mac it doesnt show as a drive on the desktop and if I try and open disk manager it just sits there 'thinking'.



I guess that if I had some X-over cable I could network into the PC and copy the files to the mac that way?



Once I have all the files off the USB HDD can I somehow wipe it and then format it with the mac so it is usable with the mac?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Z3roForc3

    Hi, I have just bought a mac mini (go me!) and am switching from a winXP box. On the winXP machine I have an external USB HDD with a pile of MP3's etc on, I was hoping I could just plug it in the mac and go but this doesnt seem to be the case. If I plug it into the mac it doesnt show as a drive on the desktop and if I try and open disk manager it just sits there 'thinking'.



    Congratulations on switching!



    This problem is odd, as OS X should be able to read NTFS disks. It just can't write to them.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by Z3roForc3

    I guess that if I had some X-over cable I could network into the PC and copy the files to the mac that way?



    Yes, you could, but it will probably be quicker to reformat the external drive with the PC to FAT32, copy the stuff you want to move onto the drive, then connect to the Mac.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by Z3roForc3

    Once I have all the files off the USB HDD can I somehow wipe it and then format it with the mac so it is usable with the mac?



    Once everything is copied over, you can wipe the drive with Disk Utility. Use HFS + disk formatting.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    z3roforc3z3roforc3 Posts: 17member
    Yeah, a quick google revealed that you should be able to read a NTFS drive, but still no luck?? Anyway, I will copy the stuff off, re-format etc etc.



    One more Q whilst i'm here, I have an OS upgrade disk which I would like to use. In the readme it says you can re-format the whole HDD which I would like to do as I bought the machine 2nd hand and would prefer a 'clean start'. Can I back up any programs simply by copying the contents of the applications folder off and putting it back once the mac is rebuilt?



    Many thanks again,



    Darren.
  • Reply 3 of 4
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    Lets make sure this isn't a USB bus powered disk first.



    That tends to be the biggest problem with USB disks so much it has become my first question now.
  • Reply 4 of 4
    z3roforc3z3roforc3 Posts: 17member
    No, it is USB but has it's own PSU.
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