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Best option to write to NTFS drives

ruqui

ruqui

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 22, 2013
29
0
Hi,

I'm evaluating alternatives to enable NTFS writing under Mountain Lion,

I've found that there is an option to install all needed software (OSXFuse, ntfs-3g, etc) via brew or similar, and there are also some commercial alternatives offered by Paragon and Tuxera.

I'd prefer to use the free option (manually install all needed packages) but I'm not sure how reliable is this, anyone has experience with this? Are the commercial alternatives better (besides offering a simple installation)?

Any comment will be welcome :) Thanks!
 
I recommend Paragon. While it's not free, I don't see problems being reported about it, as I've seen with Tuxera and other methods.
 
just reformat into EXfat.

but 3rd party blu-ray players don't read EXfat, so if you're not going to plug your HD to a blu-ray player to watch movie. then use EXfat. no need for nu-neccesary apps (i believe people are going kinda nuts with loading their computer with apps this apps that.)
 
kensic said:
just reformat into EXfat.

but 3rd party blu-ray players don't read EXfat, so if you're not going to plug your HD to a blu-ray player to watch movie. then use EXfat. no need for nu-neccesary apps (i believe people are going kinda nuts with loading their computer with apps this apps that.)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, but the problem with this approach is that I need to interact with other OS, so using this option is not feasible. Also I need to be able to save some information in disks provided by other people and most of them are in NTFS format.
 
ruqui said:
Thanks for the suggestion, but the problem with this approach is that I need to interact with other OS, so using this option is not feasible. Also I need to be able to save some information in disks provided by other people and most of them are in NTFS format.
Click to expand...

i see, yea Linux doesn't read EXfat. but windows does. hmmm i guess you have to use an app.

all of us should as Apple nicely about accepting NTFS. sometimes i think apple does all this stuff just to be "different". grrrrrr
 
There used to be a way to...

There used to be a terminal "hack", ok, command line hehe

BUt what it would do is enable write mode/permission for the finder with NTFS volumes, I am sure if you google it you can find it.

EOL
 
rezwits said:
There used to be a terminal "hack", ok, command line hehe

BUt what it would do is enable write mode/permission for the finder with NTFS volumes, I am sure if you google it you can find it.

EOL
Click to expand...

Yes, I read something about it, but it seems it's not recommended at all (it may corrupt the NTFS filesystem).

Anyone have installed the free packages (OSXFuse, ntfs-3g)?
 
rezwits said:
There used to be a terminal "hack", ok, command line hehe

BUt what it would do is enable write mode/permission for the finder with NTFS volumes, I am sure if you google it you can find it.
Click to expand...
Many problems have been reported with that approach.


NTFS (Windows NT File System)
  • Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
  • Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
    [*]To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
    • For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon ($19.95) (Best Choice for Lion and Mountain Lion)
    • For Mac OS X 10.5 and later, including Lion, FUSE for OS X
    • For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
    • Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36), which is an enhanced version of NTFS-3G with faster performance.
    • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and later versions, but is not advisable, due to instability.
  • AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
  • Maximum file size: 16 TB
  • Maximum volume size: 256TB
  • You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.
 
SlCKB0Y said:
It can be made to very easily with FUSE.
Click to expand...

Ok, I know it can be easily implemented, the point is that, from time to time I need to transfer information from external disks that don't belong to me and are formatted with NTFS, so I have to deal with them (converting them to another format is not an option).
 
Last edited:
ruqui said:
converting them to another format is not an option
Click to expand...

Of course it isn't! But I think you already have your answer. If you want to have reliable, fast, write-enabled access to NTFS partitions on ML, use Paragon. It's only caveat is it isn't free. Other would-be options, if there'd be any, are not worth mentioning. They either don't work with ML at all or they are slow and unreliable. Nothing more needs to be said.
 
PeterHolbrook said:
Of course it isn't! But I think you already have your answer. If you want to have reliable, fast, write-enabled access to NTFS partitions on ML, use Paragon. It's only caveat is it isn't free. Other would-be options, if there'd be any, are not worth mentioning. They either don't work with ML at all or they are slow and unreliable. Nothing more needs to be said.
Click to expand...


I'm wondering about pricing of Tuxera and Paragon, once I buy a license will it be valid for all future releases? Or do I have to buy a license every time I upgrade the OS or a new version of the software is available?

(I'm asking because that information is not provided in their website).
 
Last edited:
Still

GGJstudios said:
Many problems have been reported with that approach.

NTFS (Windows NT File System)
  • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and later versions, but is not advisable, due to instability.
[/LIST]
Click to expand...

Yeah, I thought they might have fixed that, by MLion :(

I use Paragon Personally, Fuse for PPC, if you want free I thought that might work now
 
rezwits said:
Yeah, I thought they might have fixed that, by MLion :(
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, they haven't. Remember that NTFS is a proprietary Microsoft file system, so it's not unusual that it isn't natively fully compatible with OS X. In the same way HFS+ is a proprietary Apple file system that isn't compatible natively with Windows.
 
GGJstudios said:
Unfortunately, they haven't. Remember that NTFS is a proprietary Microsoft file system, so it's not unusual that it isn't natively fully compatible with OS X. In the same way HFS+ is a proprietary Apple file system that isn't compatible natively with Windows.
Click to expand...

In my opinion this point is not valid, under Linux NTFS works perfectly well (never had an issue and I've been using linux+ntfs for several years). If Linux systems can have this right, I don't see why Apple can't implement it as well (at least they could port the linux solution to OS X).

If you are using Paragon, can you comment on the licensing question I made regarding the validity of the license? Is it valid only for the version I buy or will it be valid for all later versions? Thanks!
 
ruqui said:
If Linux systems can have this right, I don't see why Apple can't implement it as well (at least they could port the linux solution to OS X).
Click to expand...
Linux is free and open source software, unlike Windows or Mac OS X.
ruqui said:
If you are using Paragon, can you comment on the licensing question I made regarding the validity of the license? Is it valid only for the version I buy or will it be valid for all later versions? Thanks!
Click to expand...
This may help answer that: Paragon Software Group - Upgrade Assurance
 
I used NTFS-3G on Snow Leopard and it was great. Haven't tested it on Mountain Lion yet.
 
SlCKB0Y said:
...

So is exFat, but they licensed that from MS.
Click to expand...
exFAT is not only proprietary closed Microsoft software, but also a user will find himself or herself trying to exchange media with an installation of Windows XP that was never updated to support it. This is simply not an issue with NTFS.
 
ruqui said:
Hmm, it seemss that Paragon wants money for every release, so that takes this software out of my list :) anybody knows if Tuxera has the same policy?
Click to expand...

Apple has the same policy. When we paid for Snow Leopard when it was released, we didn't get a coupon to get Lion for free. The same thing happened when we upgraded to Mountain Lion. But don't worry: I understand that a certain type of user believes they are entitled to infinite access to the work of others. Condoning theft is as old as the world itself. So, suit yourself.
 
I have been using Tuxera for 3 years now and have never had a problem. things just work on those macs i have it on.
1 licens covers all of you household macs and therefor helps my mother out to.
About upgrades, do not think they had a major point release the last couple of years. I always have the latest version and did not have to pay more then the 1 time 3 years ago.
This is my experience with Tuxera, and i do recommend it to my friends there uses mac and windows.

What problems have been reported with Tuxera and when?
would like 2 know:p
 
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