NTFS or FAT32

if it cant see the other partitions, it doesn't matter what you copy over.

are you using filevault? i doubt it, but if you are i would assume that would hinder macdrive... try opening up macdrive and fiddling with it's preferences... i'm switching back to xp right now, i'll look at my settings and compare them to yours.

Ted

i just restored defaults on md6 and still nothing, I'm not able to switch to os x right now though because I'm working on the windows side for work, maybe i'll try an uninstall/install later...this is weird, it shows as another hard drive under the c drive? do you have an aim name?

This may seem like a dumb question, but for those who are looking to access everything from their XP installation, would it perhaps be a good idea to partition it so that the OSX partition has all the space it needs +1GB for expansion/plugins, and then format the rest as FAT32, since the Mac can read the other partition anyway?

it shows up as "Macintosh HD" with a little red apple under it. my aim screenname is snoshues, i'll try and help if i can, i really didnt change anything when i installed macdrive though, i'm confused as to why it's not showing up.

Ted

While it's nice to be able to write to FAT32, keep in mind you will have absolutely no file security, no journaling (so if the machine loses power or Windows crashes your file system may corrupt) and a very low limit on volume/file sizes. To me, that's enough reason to stick with NTFS. FAT32 really isn't an option.

Is there anything that'll allow the Mac side to read the NTFS partition like how MacDrive will let WinXP read J-HFS?

Is there anything that'll allow the Mac side to read the NTFS partition like how MacDrive will let WinXP read J-HFS?

that's just what i was thinking, but i can't seem to find anything... Macdrive is a great little app, although it's kind of expensive for 50 bucks, it's a little better at 36 for education. I have a bad feeling it's something impossible... someone please prove me wrong! it would be a great setup to be able to read and write to either partition from both xp and osx... maybe in leopard?

Ted

Yes maximum file size is 4GB, so, when downloading DVD iso files, it *****!!!!!

you can not download more than 4GB! I was downloading debian dvd iso files today on my fat32 external drive. It couldn't finish it! I moved the file to ext3 partition and resumed the download.

Keep also that in mind...

I just clicked on the hard drive and highlighted the
name of my XP partition (currently named "NO NAME")
and changed it--what's the deal?

let me verify: you do this while from OS X? do you just right click on the icon on the desktop and change the name? does the XP work fine afterwards?

thanks!

that would mean that when in windows, i could access
my os x files? like music and pictures?

To do this try this software on Windows
http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive6

Quad 2.5 - PB 12" 1.5 - Just ordered: MBP 2 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.6)

With Boot Camp XP partition formatted FAT32 and installing XP successfully, I booted into OS X, renamed the drive on the desktop from "NO NAME" to "XP", and have subsequently booted to and used XP fine a number of times.

I think it is not renamable when the partition is formatted NTFS (as someone suggested above), due to access privelages.

In my travels, I can't get MacDrive to see the HFS+ partition on my GUID Partition Layouted disk. Meh.

Is there anything that'll allow the Mac side to read

the NTFS partition like how MacDrive will let WinXP read J-HFS?

Yeah, it's called Finder 🙂

MacOS can read NTFS, it just can't write to an NTFS filesystem (which is why you were unable to rename that partition from within MacOS -- you could have however, renamed the 'drive' from within XP and it should've reflected the updated name from the Mac Finder).

I'll be formatting FAT32 most likely, because I want the ability to write to my Windows drive from within the Mac environment, that way I can share files back and forth (grab them from the corporate server in Windows, jump back to the Mac for editing, and so on).

The advantages of NTFS over FAT32:

o Larger partitions (FAT32 supports maximum 32g partition)
o Larger files (FAT32 supports maximum filesize of ~4g)
o Compression (XP can work with compressed files transparently)
o Encryption (XP can also work with encrypted files transparently--I believe File Vault is similar)
o more efficient clustering, so small files use less space

I personally don't anticipate needing any of these features and want the flexibility of sharing files between OSes.

1.42/80/1g Mini - 1.83MBP/2g/100g 7200rpm Mac OS X (10.4.5) Former Newton OMP user.