Format for a Mac vs PC

Question

Level 1

12 points

Format for a Mac vs PC

Hi,

I have never asked this before but I would like to have a betterunderstanding, I have seen this a lot, when you buy a new external hard drive that says “ready formatted for mac”or in some tutorials on the internet they recommend ... “format for Mac before you use your new HD ” and I have noticed that in some cases I have not formatted my new external HDs and they just worked, so I was wondering what’s the difference between a formatted HD for PC vs Mac.

Can some explain the differance between a formatted HD for PC vs Mac or direct me to where I can find some info about formatting types?

Does this mean that I cannot use the same hard drive for both a PC and Mac? In otherwords this means that I cannot switch a HD back and forward between a PC and a Mac? I haven’t tried this since I’m afraid to corrupt the files other HD itself but it would be nice to know if this is possible.

Can some explain a little bit about the different format types?

Thanks

MacBook, MacMini and iPhone, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Aug 31, 2011 5:27 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 31, 2011 5:50 AM in response to fs_tigre

Mac uses a filing system called HFS+ [Hierarchical Filing System Extended] for writing files to a drive. Windows uses a filing system called NTFS [New Technology Filing System]. The older Windows system was FAT(32) [File Attribution Table-- 32-bit]. Mac can read and write to HFS+ and FAT32 but can read only from NTFS (without third-party plug-ins). Most commercially-available external drives are formatted so that Windows users can put the drives into service without any preparation for their machines; this means that most drives from BestBuy etc are formatted FAT32, which creates no problems for general usage with a Mac. In order to use such a drive for Time Machine you would have to re-format to HFS+. That is the message you would get if you decided to use such a drive for Mac backup. The Time Machine process would happily do that for you to prepare the drive. However, it is possible to do that hands-on yourself by using Disk Utility. When a drive isuch as a LaCie or G-Tech is purchased from an Apple Store or Apple Reseller the drive is already formatted HFS+ for Mac users which is why the box label would read that it is ready for Mac (but not for Windows!).

As a rule of thumb, I clean a drive before I ever begin to write files to it by using Disk Utility to erase and format. That way the drive is doulble-checked for bad sectors before use where your important files will be stored. If you have already written files to a drive then it cannot be re-formatted without wiping it clean because the allotment sectors have to be prepared on an empty drive. Don't be confused about partitioning since a drive already formatted in HFS+ using the GUID Partition Table can be partitioned 'on the fly' (so to speak) without erasing the files.

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Answer 2

fs_tigre Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 31, 2011 6:01 AM in response to kennethfromtoronto

Wow, it could be better explained! Thank you for the good explaination.

One more question, this means that all HD drives can be formatted for either OS and vendors are probably using the "ready for Mac" to target Mac clients, right?

Sorry if my question doesn't make too much sense.

Again thanks a lot for your help!

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Answer 3

AMenard

Level 1

5 points

Aug 31, 2011 6:32 AM in response to fs_tigre

Yes...

But many time, the company making the drive will also include some utility pre-installed on the drive and those are targeted for the OS specified on the box. But if all you want is the drive then, yes you can just reformat it for your platform of choice.

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Answer 4

Aug 31, 2011 7:07 AM in response to fs_tigre

The drives available at Apple sellers usually have extra interface options such as FireWire 800 (or FireWire 400) in addition to USB because Macs use these connections for file transfer for movie editing [Final Cut] or audio engineering [Logic] where the faster bus speed is useful. A lot of the less expensive Windows machines have USB only so that makes for a lower price point on generic drives. Check the G-Tech drives and you will see multiple connections: USB, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, SATA, drive speeds of 7200 RPM and appearance that match that of a MacPro or MacBook Pro and the price point to match the extra features. That is why "formatted Mac-ready" means something a bit different than just an ordinary drive for unspecialized use.

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