How can I access the contents of the USB drive plugged into the Airport through Windows 8?

First be sure that the USB drive is not formatted in either NTFS or ExFAT. The Time Capsule's file sharing service works best if the drive is formatted for HFS+, but it will also work with those formatted in FAT32.

The Time Capsule will share out this drive using the SMB protocol which is used by Windows or Linux-based computers. You would normally connect your Win8 PC to this drive just like you would any other network drive.

It is important that your TC has a base station name that doesn't include spaces. The same is true with the sharename that you give the drive.

Finally, be sure that you have "Client for Microsoft Network" enabled on your PC's Ethernet or wireless interface (whichever you are using to access the TC with.)

Tesserax said.....

The Time Capsule's file sharing service works best if the drive is formatted for HFS+, but it will also work with those formatted in FAT32.

The Time Capsule will share out this drive using the SMB protocol which is used by Windows or Linux-based computers.....

You said.....

I have to figure out if Windows 8 can read the drive if it is formatted with teh HFS+. I suspect not

To confirm again what Tesserax said.....Windows 8 can read and write to the HFS+ formatted network drive. FAT16/32 will also work. 🙂

AJGins wrote:

Thank you very much!! I have to figure out if Windows 8 can read the drive if it is formatted with teh HFS+. I suspect not......thanks again !

Win8 cannot directly read .. you can with HFSExplorer.. but you cannot write to the stick.. DIRECTLY.

http://www.catacombae.org/hfsx.html

Plugged into the TC it is now a network drive. it is written to as a network object via SMB (windows networking protocol) as if it is an NT server disk.

For USB drive Fat32 is ok.. but I would avoid it .. format HFS+ on any mac.

It is irrelevant to the PC the format that is used. Just that it is offered as a share to the network.