BootCamp and Windows - External HDD

AlMuhairi · 10th June 2008, 20:36

Hello Everyone,

I hope someone has encountered this problem and might have an idea how to solve it. I upgraded my laptop to Leopard and installed Windows Xp Professional using bootcamp. The install went smooth with no problems however, I encountered two problems:

The first problem was that I was not able to access my external hard drive through firewire or USB. Windows recognizes that the hard drive is connected, but it doesnt show it in my computer, but when i plug the external hdd to OSX, it works fine.

The other thing was that I was not able to access my files that were saved in my Documents folder in OSX, I can only to chose to share some files through a shared folder. In Mac, I can acess the files for the Windows with no problem. I am still searching to find an answer.

Hope someone out there could help.

Eisa

fangpyre · 11th June 2008, 19:23

Most probably both of your problems are due to the fact that Windows can't read Mac formated disks.
This includes your Mac's Disk.

What format is the external disk formated as?

maccebu · 12th June 2008, 06:29

hi there,

Probably your external disk and of course your main drive is formatted as hfs+ or as they called it mac formatted disk in which the windows OS cannot understand it. Your best option is to install macdrive on windows OS, try to search it on google.. this is not a free software but it is really handy and very helpful when reading mac fromatted disk from windows OS and at the same time be able to save files to a mac formatted disk. It can also read a mac disk installer which is great!, been using it for years and was really satisfied with it.

goodluck.

AlMuhairi · 12th June 2008, 19:36

Thanks for the tip guys. I formated my external hard disk as FAT32 so that its readable by windows and macintosh. I was going to install windows on an external harddisk but i needed the USB ports to connect and sync my nokia E90 and iphone. I will try formatting my external harddisk in windows again and hopefully it will work.

erikbriones · 12th July 2008, 02:30

hi

we have the same setup, and like you, i cannot access the partition with os x when im on my winxp. i assume it to be normal as windows cant read journaled or hfs. (hoping someone can show a workaround on this as well)

as for your FAT32 external hd, it should be readable by windows. my external hd is hfs.. had bad experience with my mp3s travelling back and forth in pc and mac formats.

gajanan · 12th July 2008, 02:38

Just FYI, next time anyone has a problem like this in MAC-Windows or Windows-MAC like i did. I had a hdd that was formatted usinf NTFS and my mac wouldent detect it. I installed Paragon NTFS and now i can detect all my mac drives. At office we use all macs, so when i got a HDD to open on a PC, it didnt show up, a quick search in google showed up Mediafour's macdrive software that detects ANY mac formatted drives and can access them to read and write.

Mediafour | MacDrive - To work on mac formatted drives through a PC.
Paragon NTFS for MAC OS X - To work on any PC NTFS formatted drives through a mac.
Both support read and write.

Hope these help in future

10th June 2008, 20:36	#1 (permalink)
AlMuhairi Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: AlAin - UAE Posts: 89	BootCamp and Windows - External HDD Hello Everyone, I hope someone has encountered this problem and might have an idea how to solve it. I upgraded my laptop to Leopard and installed Windows Xp Professional using bootcamp. The install went smooth with no problems however, I encountered two problems: The first problem was that I was not able to access my external hard drive through firewire or USB. Windows recognizes that the hard drive is connected, but it doesnt show it in my computer, but when i plug the external hdd to OSX, it works fine. The other thing was that I was not able to access my files that were saved in my Documents folder in OSX, I can only to chose to share some files through a shared folder. In Mac, I can acess the files for the Windows with no problem. I am still searching to find an answer. Hope someone out there could help. Eisa

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11th June 2008, 19:23	#2 (permalink)
fangpyre Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 1,417	Most probably both of your problems are due to the fact that Windows can't read Mac formated disks. This includes your Mac's Disk. What format is the external disk formated as?

12th June 2008, 06:29	#3 (permalink)
maccebu Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 57	hi there, Probably your external disk and of course your main drive is formatted as hfs+ or as they called it mac formatted disk in which the windows OS cannot understand it. Your best option is to install macdrive on windows OS, try to search it on google.. this is not a free software but it is really handy and very helpful when reading mac fromatted disk from windows OS and at the same time be able to save files to a mac formatted disk. It can also read a mac disk installer which is great!, been using it for years and was really satisfied with it. goodluck.

12th June 2008, 19:36	#4 (permalink)
AlMuhairi Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: AlAin - UAE Posts: 89	Thanks for the tip guys. I formated my external hard disk as FAT32 so that its readable by windows and macintosh. I was going to install windows on an external harddisk but i needed the USB ports to connect and sync my nokia E90 and iphone. I will try formatting my external harddisk in windows again and hopefully it will work.

12th July 2008, 02:30	#5 (permalink)
erikbriones Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 24	hi we have the same setup, and like you, i cannot access the partition with os x when im on my winxp. i assume it to be normal as windows cant read journaled or hfs. (hoping someone can show a workaround on this as well) as for your FAT32 external hd, it should be readable by windows. my external hd is hfs.. had bad experience with my mp3s travelling back and forth in pc and mac formats.

12th July 2008, 02:38	#6 (permalink)
gajanan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Born in AUH living in DXB Posts: 227	Just FYI, next time anyone has a problem like this in MAC-Windows or Windows-MAC like i did. I had a hdd that was formatted usinf NTFS and my mac wouldent detect it. I installed Paragon NTFS and now i can detect all my mac drives. At office we use all macs, so when i got a HDD to open on a PC, it didnt show up, a quick search in google showed up Mediafour's macdrive software that detects ANY mac formatted drives and can access them to read and write. Mediafour \| MacDrive - To work on mac formatted drives through a PC. Paragon NTFS for MAC OS X - To work on any PC NTFS formatted drives through a mac. Both support read and write. Hope these help in future