Fat32 external hard drive is unable to read macOS Sierra

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Level 1

4 points

Fat32 external hard drive is unable to read macOS Sierra

whenever I plug in my Sony External hard drive (1 TB), myMBP shows a dialogue box stating this drive is not readable by this mac. I have tried using NTFS softwares like Paragon & Tuxera but neither worked actually.

this hard drive is readable and writeable on my Windows laptop. By clicking on Intialize it would take me to the disk Utility.. where my only option is to erase the drive which I don't want to do. Help me out.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12.6)

Posted on Aug 17, 2017 8:16 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

126,985 points

Aug 17, 2017 9:01 PM in response to pablo_07

That drive likely has some directory damage, and that is why the Mac does not want to read or write it. You do not need a special driver to read or write FAT-32 on a Mac.

Take the drive back to your Windows computer and do a disk directory repair on it with a Windows program. (This may involve chkdsk in command line).

Then try it again on the Mac.

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Answer 2

pgerrit

Level 1

8 points

Oct 30, 2017 12:26 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I have this issue with a Fat32 SanDisk Ultra 128GB, everything else i tried reads it ..Windows (scan with no errors) the CarCam, my Android Box just not my IMac with OS Sierra ver 10.12.6.

Frustrating.

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Answer 3

Oct 30, 2017 12:42 PM in response to pgerrit

Are you sure it is not Windows New Technology File System (NTFS) ? that is Microsoft proprietary, and Macs can read, but not write.

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Answer 4

pgerrit

Level 1

8 points

Nov 3, 2017 10:20 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yes it's Fat32.. did a scan in Windows to be sure it was ok. NTFS drives are readable, just can't write to them.

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Answer 5

pgerrit

Level 1

8 points

Nov 3, 2017 10:48 AM in response to pgerrit

I tried a 32GB SDcard and it worked fine in the Mac. I'm thinking it has something to do with formatting the SanDisk for 128GB on the CarCam is the issue.

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