External Hd format how to?

[Delta6326]

I need to reformat my Toshiba external as it's been getting random dc's. and other things.(hope shes not dieing) did test and past hdtune

I was wandering what format should i change it too fat32? and what program. i use it on W7 XP and Mac os newest, it holds all my photo's video's. i just got done copying it all to my main hdd for now.

By the way should i get a new internal storage hdd? waslooking at Western Digital Caviar Green WD8000AARS 800GB 5400... or a SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cac... only $10 difference with promocode but it will only be for storage so i was leaning towards the WD.

if i should get a new hdd will need to order tonight

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Ok, the Sammy is a better HDD between those two hands down. It is larger, faster, and well worth $10 more.

I don't know what formats Mac can read, but FAT32 is slow compared to NTFS. So if Mac will read that, go with NTFS.

Externals are just HDD with control chips and a USB/whatever interface so you could just buy a new drive and put it in the external enclosure. Ore buy an enclosure that is easy to work with in doing something like that.

Formatting can be done by either OS without a program. Win7. Connect it, click on My computer, right click on drive icon, click format, chose file type and click go.

 

[Delta6326]

ok going to google what type works i think theres a program i can use on my macbook to format it

edit: mac can read NTFS but not write have to format to FAT32
hmm i can't choose FAT32 on W7

 

[TheLaughingMan]

ok going to google what type works i think theres a program i can use on my macbook to format it

Don't quote me on this, but I think Mac is the same as Windows when it comes to drive format. As long as the icon for it comes up, you can click on it, then click "file" and select format as the option for the drive. Then a menu will ask for the format type, if you want it cleaned first, blah blah blah and you click "ok" to start.

Edit: Wrong. The feature is built in, but that is not how you do it. Instructions at eHow.com below.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2063795_format-hard-drive-mac-os.html

 

[TheLaughingMan]

ok going to google what type works i think theres a program i can use on my macbook to format it

edit: mac can read NTFS but not write have to format to FAT32
hmm i can't choose FAT32 on W7
http://img.techpowerup.org/100901/Capture087389.jpg

**Before you begin, note that the FAT32 file system has size limitations. You can't create a FAT32 partition greater than 32 gigabytes (GB). Also, you can't store a file larger than 4 GB on a FAT32 partition. If the partition you want to format is larger than 32 GB, the NTFS format might be a better option. For more information, see Convert a hard disk or partition to NTFS format.

 

[Delta6326]

all im looking to do is erase everything and make it like it was new, should i try NTFS first and if i can't use it with my mac then just change it to FAT32? and by going NTFs does that take away the plug n play?

edit: GAAAA can't format threw my mac sense it's a school computer that program is locked dang

 

[TheLaughingMan]

all im looking to do is erase everything and make it like it was new, should i try NTFS first and if i can't use it with my mac then just change it to FAT32? and by going NTFs does that take away the plug n play?

Ok. NTFS is just the HDD format and will not effect the plug N play since that is a USB feature and handled by the USB controller in the external.

Here is your answer, format in NTFS and then use MacFuse on your Mac to allow it to read/write to the drive.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/li...write-ntfs-windows-partition-on-mac-os-x.html

LifeHacker is your friend, call him.

Option two to avoid hassel would be to get a NAS. Since its OS will handle read/write, both OS's will read and write to it just fine as they will no longer handle the actual operation of it. This option has benefits and drawbacks as well.

 

[Delta6326]

argh! just went to format it says it write protected so i can't format it! maybe i could do ex fat its better than fat32 just not as compatible yet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExFAT

 

[TheLaughingMan]

argh! just went to format it says it write protected so i can't format it! maybe i could do ex fat its better than fat32 just not as compatible yet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExFAT

You may have to go into the device manager and disable write cache and switch that drive to "Quick Removal". I think I had to do that to formate my 2 TB when I first got it.

If that does not work, put the Win7 install disk in and reboot. When you get the part about selecting a drive, just format the external as needed, then cancel the install. Take out disk and reboot.