How to make OS-X recognize ext4 file systems

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Level 1

8 points

How to make OS-X recognize ext4 file systems

Hi:

Is there a way to have OS-X recognize and access (read/write) a disk that is formatted with ext4 (journaling) file system? Thanks.

Mac mini, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Mar 3, 2013 4:56 PM

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Answer 1

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mende1

Level 10

93,538 points

Mar 3, 2013 10:30 PM in response to williepabon

OS X can't write and read ext disks by default, so you need a third-party application as Paragon extFS to use this ext drive in your computer

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Answer 2

Mar 4, 2013 5:51 AM in response to williepabon

Paragon extFS looks by far the easiest solution however you have to buy it. If your budget does not stretch to that then you will need to get your hands dirty. The following two packages together will make a free solution.

http://osxfuse.github.com/

https://github.com/gerard/ext4fuse

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Answer 3

Mar 4, 2013 1:10 PM in response to williepabon

There is also an open source HFS+ for the Linux side. Search for HFS+ in the current Ubuntu Software Center. Filename is hfsplus 1.04-12build4. Allows adjacent Mac OS X Extended (Journaled) partition to mount r/w on Linux.

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Answer 4

williepabon Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 4, 2013 2:13 PM in response to John Lockwood

John Lockwood wrote:

Paragon extFS looks by far the easiest solution however you have to buy it. If your budget does not stretch to that then you will need to get your hands dirty. The following two packages together will make a free solution.

http://osxfuse.github.com/

https://github.com/gerard/ext4fuse

Thanks for the info, but the exercise to make is too technical fo me. Maybe

Paragon extFS could help, but my project goes beyond that. I want to read/write files from an ext4 formatted drive, but I also want to boot the Linux OS that resides in the drive. I haven't found a single solution for this yet, except using virtualization.

wp

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Answer 5

Mar 4, 2013 5:43 PM in response to williepabon

You suggested virtualization. I use VirtualBox and it permits me to share a regular OS X folder from the host, with the virtualized guest (Ubuntu 12.10, Fedora 18, Win 7). On the Linux guests, I link the mounted OS X folder to one I called Share. Probably, a similar functionality exists for Parallels Desktop and VMware.

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