# mac files



## MaximusExtreme (Jun 3, 2010)

i downloaded a bunch of torrents on my mac and im trying to copy them to my external hard drive but it wont let me. ive formatted already the hard drive without any success of copying.

only files that are more than 4gb cant be copied the rest are ok. any help?

thanks


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## lyndonguitar (Jun 3, 2010)

format your ext. hard drive first to NTFS. backup first.

FAT32 can't have files that are bigger than 4 gb(i think that your ext. HDD is FAT32)

EDIT: Oops you have MAC!! sorry
just format to another format in mac with supports more than 4 gb files


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## slyfox2151 (Jun 3, 2010)

EXT 3 i think will work with mac


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## Kreij (Jun 3, 2010)

Isn't there something like HFS+ that will work also?


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## Pembo210 (Jun 3, 2010)

HFS+ should do it. That's Mac's current Latest and Greatest.

If not, you'll need to format with NTFS from a windows machine and use a program like Macfuse or NTFS-3G to read from it.


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## MaximusExtreme (Jun 3, 2010)

how to format it to hFS
?


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## slyfox2151 (Jun 3, 2010)

On a mac? i have no idea, ill google a guide for you andpost a link ^^ wait 2 seconds.


sorry, i could not find a very easy to follow guide. ill let someone else better with mac help you with this bit.


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## Pembo210 (Jun 3, 2010)

I dont have a Mac anymore, but you should have a Disk Utility program built in that will allow you to manage your drives and their formats.


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## MaximusExtreme (Jun 3, 2010)

i tried anything. i know the disk utility. the only files i cant copy are more than 4gb..


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## Pembo210 (Jun 3, 2010)

what does the utility program show for the external drive?

(probably FAT32)


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## MaximusExtreme (Jun 3, 2010)

for windows only fat32 and the rest are mac os extended . if i format it as mac extended will work but will not work on windows..


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## Pembo210 (Jun 3, 2010)

Correct. HFS+ will not work on windows, unless you purchase extra software.

If you want the external drive to work on Windows and Mac AND also allow files larger than 4GB, then you need to format as NTFS from a Windows machine and run a program from your Mac like Macfuse or NTFS-3G to read the NTFS file system.


The other option is to format in HFS+ (mac) and buy a program called MacDrive that allows Windows computers to read Mac formatted drives. I think it's like $50.

That's pretty much all I can remember from my Mac days. I haven't used one in a couple years.


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## lyndonguitar (Jun 3, 2010)

Pembo210 said:


> Correct. HFS+ will not work on windows, unless you purchase extra software.
> 
> If you want the external drive to work on Windows and Mac AND also allow files larger than 4GB, then you need to format as NTFS from a Windows machine and run a program from your Mac like Macfuse or NTFS-3G to read the NTFS file system.
> 
> ...



Its better to format it to NTFS and run a program to allow mac to read it. This an ext. hard drive right. *Windows is everywhere.*


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## Dippyskoodlez (Jun 7, 2010)

MacFUSE and NTFS-3g are both excellent tools for NTFS access on a Mac.

Fat32 IIRC will limit you to the 4gb files and such.

You can use the Disk Utility (Located in Applications->Utilities->Disk Utility) to format your drive any which way you please, except NTFS, because OS X does not natively support NTFS writing. READ ONLY. MacFUSE and NTFS-3G will allow you to write things to NTFS drives.

HFS+ will however, be mac only, unless your PC/Linux box also has a compatability software installed.

I would suggest MacFUSE if you need to use the drive between machines.

you CAN have HFS+ and NTFS partitions on the same drive, aswell. The HFS+ partitions just will not mount in windows without help.


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