SimpleTech harddrive?

Question

Level 1

10 points

SimpleTech harddrive?

hi, I have a Mac, a PC, and a SimpleTech USB external harddrive....

I have my PC backed up on the external harddrive, and I want to be able to connect it to my mac to put files on it and to back it up using Time Machine while having my PC backed on it.......

however I plug it in to my mac and it shows up in Finder and the Desktop.... but I can't write on it, only read. If I try hooking it up with time machine, it says: "Reformat Required"

So what I want to do is to, Partition the external harddrive in 2 parts one with my PC files on it and another with my mac files on it (Time Machine backup files too)

Thanks,
Daniel

Mac Book Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.4), final cut studio 2  ROCKS!!!

Posted on Aug 13, 2008 3:57 PM

Reply

Answer 1

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Aug 13, 2008 4:13 PM in response to daniel 4 jc

that drive is probably formatted NTFS. NTFS drives are read only in OS X. you can make them writable from OS X using [MacFuse and NTFS-3g|http://macntfs-3g.blogspot.com>. However, TM will not back up windows drives (NTFS or FAT). as you say you need to partition your drive in two. you can make one partition FAT so that windows can read and write to it and the other HFS+ (= mac OS extended journaled). Make sure you use GUID partition table when formatting the drive if you want to use the mac partition for TM backups.

Reply

Answer 2

daniel 4 jc Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 13, 2008 6:11 PM in response to V.K.

OK, thanks... is windows XP FAT or NTFS?

and so I have to use GUID to be able to use TM?

and so basically I need to partition it into 3 parts?: one for windows (NTFS or FAT, another for TM (GUID), and another for just putting mac files on it (HFS+)?

Reply

Answer 3

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Aug 13, 2008 6:23 PM in response to daniel 4 jc

daniel 4 jc wrote:
OK, thanks... is windows XP FAT or NTFS?

I don't know, it could be either one, you'll have to look and see for yourself how it's formatted. select the drive, enter command+i and read off the format in the info window.

and so I have to use GUID to be able to use TM?

and so basically I need to partition it into 3 parts?: one for windows (NTFS or FAT, another for TM (GUID), and another for just putting mac files on it (HFS+)?

no, GUID is the general partition table for the drive. start disk utility, select the whole drive and go to the partition tab. set the number of partitions and click on "options' to select the partition map.

you need one partition for TM (mac os extended journaled) and one for windows (FAT). FAT partition will be also read+write from OS X. if you want more partitions make more.

Reply