Question

How to convert NTFS to Mac?

Asked by: Gary_King

How can I convert a NTFS drive to be usable with my Mac? What filesystem does Mac use?

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Asked On
2005-07-05 at 08:31:21ID21480658
Tags

ntfs

,

mac

,

convert

Topics

Apple Operating Systems

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Appletalk

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Apple

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Answers

 

by: leewPosted on 2005-07-05 at 08:38:51ID: 14370143

Macs use HFS+ natively, but can read FAT32 (Assuming OS X)

http://www.kernelthread.com/mac/osx/arch_fs.html


 

by: leewPosted on 2005-07-05 at 08:39:24ID: 14370146

To be clear that's read and write FAT32.  They supposedly can read NTFS too (not write).

 

by: ChristianMaisPosted on 2005-07-05 at 09:51:35ID: 14370868

Hi Gary,

Most important: Where was the NTFS drive used and with which OS?
- If it was a Windows Server running Services for Macintosh (SfM), it is best to install the disk running that OS an a PC again and sharing the drive via SfM, fetching the data via the network share from the mac. This keeps the files
- If the drive was used on a windows client, it is missing the resource forks of the files, so the mac can´t interprete the type of the files in older programs (running in OS 9). For these files you could use a tool like "QuickChange" to attach the missing resource forks.
In any case, OS X since 10.3 can read NTFS volumes. It is recommended to update to 10.3.9 or 10.4.1.

 

by: davidis99Posted on 2005-07-05 at 12:25:17ID: 14372258

What are you trying to accomplish by converting a drive formatted with NTFS to a Mac format (presumably HFS+)?  

If the drive is going to be used locally on the Mac, e.g. you are re-using a drive from a PC as a replacement or second hard drive in a Mac, you will need to re-format the drive using HFS+ in order for the drive to be directly used by the Mac OS.  This will work if you do NOT need to save any files from the NTFS drive to the Mac.  

If, on the other hand, you want to take data currently on the NTFS-formatted drive for use on the Mac, then re-use the drive on the Mac (if this is an external drive formatted with NTFS, for example) you would need to network the PC and Mac together (which varies in degree of difficulty depending on the versions of Windows and Mac OS in question), copy the data to the Mac, connect the external drive to the Mac, reformat it as HFS+, then restore the data to theexternal drive, which will no longer be directly readable by the PC.  

If you are trying to accomplish something else, please provide some additional details so you can be assisted further.

 

by: leewPosted on 2005-07-05 at 12:35:35ID: 14372351

folks, I'm fairly certain this question explains why he wants to do this... hence my comments
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_21480627.html

Gary_King,

Please consider posting questions with more detailed information.  You'll get better answers faster.  For example, don't just ask "can I do this", explain why you want to.

 

by: icemanwolPosted on 2005-07-05 at 19:08:53ID: 14374325

Classic mac OS (9.2.2 or below) cannot read or write NTFS.  It uses HPS+ natively and can read/write Fat32.  Mac OS X 10.0-10.2.8 i do not think can read/write NTFS (corrent me if i'm wrong on this).  Mac os X 10.3 and on can read NTFS formated volumes but cannot write them.  OS X (10.X) can read/write Fat32 and uses HPS+ Natively

 

by: notphearPosted on 2005-09-28 at 12:08:38ID: 14978013

10.4 Tiger will read/write to NTFS volumes.

 

by: Gary_KingPosted on 2005-09-28 at 15:18:36ID: 14979635

notphear, do you have any references to back that up? I think that statement is false.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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