My Win8 PC can't detect exFAT (formatted from a MBP)

Format the ExFAT under Windows. Mac is more adaptable than Windows.

Right Mac OS X messes up the exFAT format. Format the drive on a Windows PC and then both Mac and Windows will see it.

Not quite right. OS X can't fomat a drive exFAT properly.

steve359 wrote:

Format the ExFAT under Windows. Mac is more adaptable than Windows.

Copy them onto the Mac first.

If you formatted it on a Mac that same thing will happen. Copy the data over to your Mac, Format it on a Windows PC and then Both systems will be able to Read & Write to it.

Any system that reads the Mac-formatted ExFAT can copy the files. Do you have any freidns with Macs?

Well sorry about that and also sorry that Mac screws up the exFAT format so bad that a Windows PC can't even see the drive is formatted.

You are going to need to find someone with a Mac and copy that data over to it.

What you can do is go to an Apple store or Apple Mac reseller and buy a Macbook Pro. Copy all you data to it then format the drive on your Windows PC and the copy it back off the Mac and return the Mac for a full refund. Apple has a 14 day No Questions Asked Return Policy. So as long as you return it within 14 days you'll get all your money back.

RRrod wrote:

I was hoping that there may be some kind of tweak/application/fix for Win8 to detect, however, if there's not, then I suppose asking someone is my only option.

Install free VirtualBox into Win 8, then in Win 8 download a free Linux distro like Linux Mint as it's easy to install.

Then start the VirtualBox and point it at the Linux Mint download and install it. (you can also try Parted Magic as it's smaller)

Once you get Linux Mint install and running, then hook up the Mac exFAT drive and copy files to Linux Mint, then copy them back to the drive once it's formatted exFAT by Windows.

Mind you you have to make sure you have enough room setting up Linux Mint in Virtualbox so it has enough disk space.

Once you do that then you can keep Mint or delete it and or VirtualBox.

I know this appears to be resolved, but people kept saying Apple can't do exFAT correctly. This is wrong. The problem is that Apple defaults new partitions to GUID, which is bootable on a new Mac. But Windows can't read it. You have to manually choose MBR (Master Boot Record) as the partition type, which is bootable in Windows, and then format as exFAT. I just did this on my MBP and the whole flash drive shows up as exFAT on my Windows machine perfectly.

I realize this doesn't help RRrod with his data, but hopefully if someone else finds this, they will know how to do it properly so they don't get stuck like he did.

I had the issue of windows not detecting my usb drive formatted with exFat on Mac. I could not even re-format it on Windows as Windows detects my 16gb flash drive as a 200MB drive.

StrangeronEarth's answer helped me out, thanks! I'm just gonna jot down the steps so make it easier to follow as I had trouble finding how to set it up manually.

1. Open up Disk Utility on mac

2. Select your flash drive on the left side pane. Select the top-most item bearing the name of the flash drive, not any of the partitions listed below the name of the flash drive. (important)

3. Click on the "Partition" tab which is among the tabs on the right side of the window. (you will not see this unless you do step 2 right)

4. Click the "Volume Scheme" drop down and select Partition 1.

5. Select desired file system format using "Format" dropdown. I selected exFat which works on both mac and windows, including win8.

6. Click on the "Options" button and select Master Boot Record. --- this does the trick to make it detectable on windows.

7. Click "Apply"

Hope this helps.

I had the same problem with FAT where Windows 7 could only read 200MB of a 64GB drive I formatted on OS X. I fixed my problem by formatting to Master Boot Record instead of GUID Partition Map.