Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

> Learn more

> Add to your calendar 

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: ronedee
ronedee Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

formatting hard drives for mac & pc?

Hi all, I have a G5 tower running 10.7 and have been experiencing problems when formatting swappable HD's for both my make and PC. I've been archiving video files and numerous drives. I had been formatting the "new" drives with the using the disk utility; single partitions, GUID & ExFat. I was getting artifacts and truncated files when going to the PC. I read on a Mac form to change to: Master Boot Record instead of GUID. Since I have been doing this, on startup my G5 is telling me these drives are not readable and need to be initialized!


My question: What is the reason that I'm now getting this message? Should there be 2 partitions? One for the boot record and another free space? s there a better, more reliable method of formatting for use on both platforms? It doesn't seem to be effecting the drives formatted w/ GUID and one partition. But I'm at a standstill on what to do with the several drives I formatted with the MBR option.


This is very frustrating because, I didn't see this problem coming and all my data is being lost, and I have to re-digitize several hours worth of video again!


Thank you for any help you can offer! Ron

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5), multipule hard drive bays

Posted on Apr 16, 2015 10:06 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,990 points

Posted on Apr 17, 2015 8:03 AM

Your silver tower is called Mac Pro and in "more about this Mac..." system profile the hardware header will say


MacPro n,1 (1,1 up through 5,1)


Want seamless and easy, invest in Paragon Software.

Their NTFS for OS X is excellent and no issue or reduction in I/O.

So is there HFS+ for Windows. I have both.


Redundant sets of data, backups, cloning etc.


Take a drive, is it to be used for data only? GUID can be used or use DU Partition => Options to set it. Or to set it for Windows.

OS X does not format to native NTFS though without Paragon or another NTFS driver.


With my PC running Windows 8.1 under UEFI that uses GUID (GPT) for the system also.


Lastly, Paragon can do non-destructive conversion between HFS and NTFS, but of course no one should just do that or anything else without one or two backup sets.

View in context
2 replies
Question marked as Best reply
User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,990 points

Apr 17, 2015 8:03 AM in response to ronedee

Your silver tower is called Mac Pro and in "more about this Mac..." system profile the hardware header will say


MacPro n,1 (1,1 up through 5,1)


Want seamless and easy, invest in Paragon Software.

Their NTFS for OS X is excellent and no issue or reduction in I/O.

So is there HFS+ for Windows. I have both.


Redundant sets of data, backups, cloning etc.


Take a drive, is it to be used for data only? GUID can be used or use DU Partition => Options to set it. Or to set it for Windows.

OS X does not format to native NTFS though without Paragon or another NTFS driver.


With my PC running Windows 8.1 under UEFI that uses GUID (GPT) for the system also.


Lastly, Paragon can do non-destructive conversion between HFS and NTFS, but of course no one should just do that or anything else without one or two backup sets.

Reply

formatting hard drives for mac & pc?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.
Learn more Sign up