External Hard Drive Switched from MAC 2 PC file format (Read Only)

Question

Level 1

14 points

External Hard Drive Switched from MAC 2 PC file format (Read Only)

I have a Toshiba Canvio Connect 2TB Portable Hard Drive. Since 2014 I've used it only on my MacPro. I have 1.69 TB available. I updated to Sierra & than my external hard drive switched to Windows NT File System (Read Only).

This is the only action I have done.

How can I switch it back to MAC format w/o erasing files? I took it to Genius Bar and was told this is a sign my hard drive is about to die. I bought a brand new hard drive which I can't afford but I just don't buy this explanation. I ran Disk Utility. I tried Kappy's Terminal instructions only to see that Kappy stated what I already knew--- it was a Win NT File System format.

I dont have the space to move 500 GB back onto Mac then onto NEW hard drive.

I appreciate any guidance or suggestions. Thank you

MacBook Pro, iOS 10.0.2, External Hard Drive (Toshiba)

Posted on Oct 15, 2016 6:56 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Oct 15, 2016 7:15 PM in response to mcantwell75

Your external drive was always formatted NTFS for Windows. You likely installed and were running a third party utility that allowed your computer to read/write to the NTFS formatted disk. When you upgraded your OS to MacOS Sierra you likely did not also upgrade the third party utility. The old version of the utility likely is not compatible with Sierra. Update the third party utility for Sierra.

Alternatively you could copy off your data then format the external drive for Mac. Then you won't have to depend on any third party utility in order to use your disk.

Reply

Answer 2

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:22 PM in response to mcantwell75

As you already have a new external drive you can just copy directly to it, no need to use your Mac's HDD space.

Reply

Answer 3

mcantwell75 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:21 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

Bob thanks for replying so quickly. This external hard drive is designed for the following:

Stores and access files from PC and Mac without reformatting

How would I know if I was using a 3rd party? How would I update 3rd party? If I recall, this has always been plug N play.

I found this on Amazon review of this specific hard drive: "You can purchase Paragon NTFS for Mac Os X and have full NTFS read/write permissions on you Apple computer" I never purchased anything besides this HD

Do you buy that my old hard drive is dying as the Apple Tech stated?

Thank you again for your help.

Reply

Answer 4

mcantwell75 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:22 PM in response to Csound1

How would I do this? Thanks for the suggestion.

Reply

Answer 5

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:27 PM in response to mcantwell75

Plug both of them in and copy from a to b

Reply

Answer 6

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:29 PM in response to mcantwell75

mcantwell75 wrote:

Stores and access files from PC and Mac without reformatting

That is of course impossible without some utility to handle the file conversion process.

Reply

Answer 7

mcantwell75 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:39 PM in response to Csound1

So did it do this automatically? I'm not tech savvy enough to have installed a 3rd party... I have used this since 2014 constantly adding removing changing files back and forth from Drive & MacBook.

Its like it went to Read Only overnight (actually when I upgraded to Sierra).

Hmmm....

System Requirements

Formatted NTFS for Microsoft Windows 8.1, 8, 7
Mac OS X v10.9/ v10.8 / v10.7 / v10.6.6 to v10.6.8 with included NTFS driver for Mac

Reply

Answer 8

mcantwell75 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:40 PM in response to Csound1

Duh! That makes sense... Quick Q Can I Time Machine the new hard drive & then do the Copy A to B? Thanks

Reply

Answer 9

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:41 PM in response to mcantwell75

Read what the text says, "included NTFS driver for Mac"

Reply

Answer 10

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:45 PM in response to mcantwell75

What does Time Machine have to do with this?

Reply

Answer 11

Oct 15, 2016 7:47 PM in response to mcantwell75

As it says, you have a third party utility --- the included NTFS driver. Make sure your new drive is formatted for Mac before you start to use it and get yourself into the same issue having to depend on a third party utility.

Reply

Answer 12

mcantwell75 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:49 PM in response to Csound1

I was originally going to use my External Hard Drive to run time machine after upgrading to Sierra... I found out that in order to do that I would have to have a clean hard drive... so I did not run it. Now that I have a "new" & clean hard drive shouldnt I run time machine to back up my computer first?

Reply

Answer 13

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:51 PM in response to mcantwell75

I'm not clear on what you intend this new drive to do, store Time Machine backups or store files from the (possibly failed) one.

Reply

Answer 14

mcantwell75 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:53 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

Yes, I read that... I also googled it and it sent me to paragon driver...

So reading that means what? 3rd party? Impossibility? I'm up a creek without a paddle? Can you tell me what it means and what I can do next? (again, trying to keep files safe, continue using said hard drive thus returning expensive hard drive back to Apple store as I believe the Tech is wrong about the HD dying thus turning itself into a "read only" HD)

So essentially there is nothing that can be done to salvage current HD w/o using the New HD? And when I use the new HD, format it for MAC and lesson learned?

I still don't understand why one day it works, next day its read only? Did the upgrade to Sierra kill my supposed 3rd party?

I appreciate your efforts.

Thank you

Reply

Answer 15

mcantwell75 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 15, 2016 7:58 PM in response to Csound1

Originally both. I wanted my HD to store my current "old" files and then do the Time Machine backup.

After learning that I needed to do Time Machine with a blank HD I discovered my HD was now "read only"

Since going to Apple store and discovering my only option is buy a brand new hard drive...

I was instructed to do the following:

1. Remove old files off of old HD---> put them on the computer

2. Take new HD run Time Machine (thus having MAC backed up & old files)

A few issues:

1. I have 19 gb free space on MAC & 500 gb of files on External Hard Drive

2. I don't believe my old HD is dying (which is what Apple guy said is why it switched to Read Only).

2. It was working perfectly on my MAC since 2014 adding, changing, reading, writing, etc

3. Upgrade to Sierra and it becomes a Read Only HD

Reply