mcantwell75
Level 1 (8 points)
Notebooks

Q: 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

 

Screen Shot 2016-10-15 at 9.47.44 PM.pngScreen Shot 2016-10-15 at 9.48.21 PM.png

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

Posted on Oct 15, 2016 6:56 PM

by Csound1,Solvedanswer
Csound1 Csound1
Level 9 (51,412 points)
Desktops
A:

What does Time Machine have to do with this?

Posted on Oct 15, 2016 7:45 PM

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mcantwell75

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

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  • by mcantwell75,

    mcantwell75 mcantwell75 Oct 15, 2016 7:58 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    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

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Oct 15, 2016 8:05 PM in response to mcantwell75
    Level 9 (51,412 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 15, 2016 8:05 PM in response to mcantwell75

    1. I already told you that the space on your Mac does not matter, you will be copying directly to the new drive.

     

    2. It may or may not be dying, you will find out later (after it has been formatted for use with a Mac)

     

    3.  No, don't do that.

  • by mcantwell75,

    mcantwell75 mcantwell75 Oct 15, 2016 8:26 PM in response to BobTheFisherman
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Oct 15, 2016 8:26 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

    BTW I just found this.... does this help me any?

    Screen Shot 2016-10-15 at 10.59.49 PM.png

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Oct 15, 2016 8:42 PM in response to mcantwell75
    Level 9 (51,412 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 15, 2016 8:42 PM in response to mcantwell75

    No the 3rd party drivers failed to keep up, blame whoever supplied them with the drive.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Oct 15, 2016 8:44 PM in response to mcantwell75
    Level 9 (51,412 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 15, 2016 8:44 PM in response to mcantwell75

    Why do still want to continue using a drive formatted for Windows on a Mac, especially when you had experience of how bad it can get?

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Oct 16, 2016 9:23 AM in response to mcantwell75
    Level 6 (15,712 points)
    Oct 16, 2016 9:23 AM in response to mcantwell75

    Your drive did not switch from one format to another.

     

    Take your computer to someone who knows how to format an external drive and transfer data. It is clear from your posts that you have not understood fully what has been suggested to you.

     

    You continue to want to use a Windows formatted drive on your Apple computer. To do so you need a third party app which you don't know how you installed the app, or that you are now wanting to use on your new drive. Have this person format the new drive for your Apple computer then move the data from the old drive to the newly formatted drive.

     

    After the data is moved to your new, Apple formatted drive, have them format the old external drive for your Apple computer. Once this is done you will have two external drives formatted for Mac and you won't need a third party utility to use the drives.

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