Windows won't read my external hd...

[Dale Cooper]

I have a LaCie external hd that's working fine with OSX (formatted in Mac Os X extended), but windows won't recognice it. Windows reports it as a "removable media", but when I try to "enter" it I'm asked to "Please insert a disc" (like with a floppy drive). Doesn't windows read Mac OSX Extended?

 

[FragTek]

I have a LaCie external hd that's working fine with OSX (formatted in Mac Os X extended), but windows won't recognice it. Windows reports it as a "removable media", but when I try to "enter" it I'm asked to "Please insert a disc" (like with a floppy drive). Doesn't windows read Mac OSX Extended?

AFAIK Windows won't read anything formatted in a Mac file structure. Correct me if I'm wrong though!

 

[realityisterror]

You're right fragtek, but it is possible with this: http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive6/

 

[FragTek]

You're right fragtek, but it is possible with this: http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive6/

Man that program brings back a few memories... I remember reading about that program quite some time ago in its very early stages. I rememberd thinking to myself "man that's awesome! now I can share files with my mac buddies".

Glad to see that they are still supporting it. I'll definately have to put that on my BootCamp drive so that I can access my music files on the FireLite!

 

[x86]

You can format the drive into the FAT32 format in which both operating systems will read. I had a bit of trouble getting OS X to format FAT32 above the 4GB mark in the past, so I would recommend formatting it with Windows if you so choose. This way you don't have to spend any money.

 

[frankblundt]

X should format FAT32 (it calls it MS-DOS i think) up to any size. It's actually Windows that won't let you format FAT32 beyond around 30GB (for some reason known only to MS) without a third-party app.

I have a 200GB drive in FAT32 (formatted on the Mac), with no issues on either side.

FAT32 does come with some limitations - most particularly the inability to take files larger than 4GB each (like DVD images)

 

[Dale Cooper]

Thanks guys! Guess I'll try Macdrive, and then format if it doesn't work...

 

[Temujin]

Thanks guys! Guess I'll try Macdrive, and then format if it doesn't work...

I've been using Macdrive for a while now. I use it when running Windows through Boot Camp, and when using my Lacie drive on my Windows system.

Check your Lacie bundled software. My Lacie drive was bundled with Macdrive.