User profile for user: Ferry67
Ferry67 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

NTFS for Mac?

Hi there, I have an external hard disc in NTFS format. I used it for my laptop with Microsoft Windows on it. Now it is impossible to use this hard disc for my new iMac. It's "only read" now. I have done some Googling and there seem some software to get the mac write, copy, read and delete on an external hard disc in NTFS format. But I am not sure if I want to download this software. Is there any other way except reformatting the disc into FAT32? I have loads of music on the disc I want to upload into my iTunes library.

Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays!

Ferry

iMac 21,5" 500Gb, Mac OS X (10.6.2), iPod Classic 180Gb

Posted on Dec 23, 2009 6:00 AM

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User profile for user: Fortuny
Fortuny
User level: Level 7
21,461 points

Posted on Dec 23, 2009 6:25 AM

Hi Ferry,

OSX itself can indeed only read from NTFS formated disks, not write to them.

Only through installing NTFS-3G or the commercial Paragons NTFS for Mac OSX gets write access to NTFS.

While there is a way to convert FAT32 to NTFS there is no way for the other direction apart from reformating the disk.

But for 'uploading' the music files you have on that disk you only need read access not write access.
Or do you plan to leave the files on the disk and not put them into the iTunes library ?

Regards

Stefan
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User profile for user: Fortuny
Fortuny
User level: Level 7
21,461 points

Dec 23, 2009 6:25 AM in response to Ferry67

Hi Ferry,

OSX itself can indeed only read from NTFS formated disks, not write to them.

Only through installing NTFS-3G or the commercial Paragons NTFS for Mac OSX gets write access to NTFS.

While there is a way to convert FAT32 to NTFS there is no way for the other direction apart from reformating the disk.

But for 'uploading' the music files you have on that disk you only need read access not write access.
Or do you plan to leave the files on the disk and not put them into the iTunes library ?

Regards

Stefan
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User profile for user: Ferry67
Ferry67 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Dec 23, 2009 11:47 AM in response to Fortuny

Hi Stefan,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I have installed the NTFS-3G and iTunes is busy now to rearrange the iTunes library. I have over 500Gb of music files so it will take iTunes a couple of hours I guess. I leave the files on the disc and add some more in the near future. iTunes will only work when I connect the disc. This is how I did it when I had my laptop with Microsoft. Hopefully it will work fine after is has finished to rearrange my library.
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User profile for user: Fortuny
Fortuny
User level: Level 7
21,461 points

Dec 25, 2009 10:31 PM in response to Ferry67

Hi Ferry,

500GB is quite a task for iTunes to 'import'.

I myself have about 190GB and it took iTunes about 4-5 hours to 'import' them into its library.
My advantage is that with my Mac Pro I assigned one internal harddisk solely for the files.

If you don't plan to use the external harddisk for Mac and Windows PC, you should consider reformating it to the OSX file system (Mac OS Extended - Journaled).
You should also consider getting a second external harddisk for backup of your music files.

Stefan
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NTFS for Mac?

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