Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of johnsonconsult
johnsonconsult

asked on

External Mac formatted drive - need to copy files to a windows machine

I have a 110 GB hard drive formatted for a Mac.  I wanted to know if there was a windows program that would allow me to view this hard drive when plugged into my windows system (I would prefer cheap or free program).  

If this is not an option I also have a drive formatted in FAT32 format that I can plug into the Mac.  However there are Mac files with illegal windows file characters such as " ! and? . Is there anyway to convert these file names so I could copy them to the FAT32 hard drive?  

Thank you.
Avatar of rindi
rindi
Flag of Switzerland image

I wouldn't know about mac filesystem emulation software for windows, but if any such software existed, you'd still have the illegal filename problem when trying to copy that to the windows box.
Why don't you just rename those files while still on the mac?
Avatar of Watzman
Watzman



For now, I'd stick with FAT32 partitions no larger than 32 gigs each on the USB hard drive.  As to the filenames, I'd begin doing whatever you have to in order to convert those.  They will cause you any number of interoperability problems, not only in this regard, but in other ways as well (as you might try to use them over a network that is mixed-environment, and/or you might try to burn them to a CD or DVD, whose file system may also object to the same special characters).

I think that the announcement of a MAC OS that can read NTFS discs is imminent.  And I suspect that such "add-on" software probably exists now, as probably does PC software to read a MAC native format disk, but neither is currently free.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of icemanwol
icemanwol

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial