how to format my hard drive for windows and mac

#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac how to#
#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac for mac#
#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac full version#
#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac mac os#
#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac software#

I'll conclude by saying that stereohisteria's suggestion of using GParted in a Linux emergency disk is a good alternative, provided you're comfortable enough with Linux, or with a variety of OSes in general, to try that approach. Move it back to the Mac and verify that you can still read the HFS+ partition and the file(s) it contains.Īt this point, if everything still works, you should be able to begin using the disk as you'd intended.Move the disk back to the Windows system and see if you can still access it and read the test file(s) you put on the NTFS partition.Leave at least one test file on it, but don't fill it with data.

#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac software#

Move the disk to your Mac and use the Mac's partitioning software to create an HFS+ partition in the unpartitioned space on the disk. When prompted by the system, click OK to proceed and then OK again to confirm.

Leave at least one test file on it, though.

Test the NTFS partition in Windows, but don't fill it with data just yet.

Using Windows tools, create an NTFS partition for Windows at the start of the disk, leaving the rest of the disk unpartitioned.

Using whatever software you like, erase all the partitions from the disk.

You might want to employ that same rule here: One rule of thumb in the past was to use partitioning tools in a given OS to create partitions for that OS. Click on Create and Format Hard disk partitions. Click on the Start menu to open Windows Disk Management.

#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac how to#

Choosing A File System For Your Partition. In this section, we will learn how to format an external HDD from a Windows computer. Once done hit the format button and that’s it. A new window will open, select the desired file system, keep the allocation unit size to default and check mark quick format (or it will take more time).

#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac for mac#

To Partition The External Hard Drive For Mac And Windows PC. Plug in your external HDD to the USB port of your computer> then go to my computer > find your external drive > right-click it > and select format. Although the hybrid MBR should work OK with your Windows system, it's conceivable that it won't, or it might be interacting badly with a removable disk, so you might want to avoid it. Pick The External Hard Drive You're Going To Partition For Mac And Windows. For the rest of my answer, I'll assume you're talking about a removable disk that you're moving between two computers.Īnother potential issue is that OS X partitioning software (at least, as of a year or two ago I haven't checked recently) creates a hybrid MBR if you put a FAT or exFAT filesystem on a partition. Within your applications, youll need to find your Utilities. If so, at least part of the solution would be to put the Windows partition first on the disk. To begin with, youll need to go to Start, and then look for your applications. This is definitely how Windows treats USB flash drives, but I'm not sure if it treats removable hard disks in the same way. Is this an external disk that you're moving between a Mac and a Windows PC? If so, it's conceivable that Windows is refusing to access anything beyond the first partition on the disk. To format a hard drive means to erase any information on the drive and to set up a file system so your operating system can read data from the drive and write data to the drive. In the pane on the left of the Disk Utility window, click. Under Allocation unit size, choose Default. In the Utilities folder, choose 'Disk Utility.' 3. If you are still experiencing problems with your external drive, look for a possible solution in this article, in which we describe the most frequent issues when using external drives.You refer to connecting the disk. In the Finder menu, click 'Go' and then, in the drop-down menu, choose 'Utilities.' 2. When complete, the external drive or USB flash key will be empty, fully compatible with Mac OS, and ready for work. The duration of the process depends on the size of the drive and the amount of data contained in it. Step 1:To begin formatting, go to Finder > Applications > Utilities Step 2: View all the available tools and features. Click the Erase button to confirm the formatting process. In the second line, enter your drive name or leave it unchanged.Ħ.

#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac mac os#

We recommend Mac OS Extended (Journaled).ĥ. In the pop-up window, choose a format from the drop-down menu. Find your drive in the left sidebar of the Disk Utilities window, select it, and click the Erase button.Ĥ. Launch Disk Utility using Spotlight search.ģ. Once you have the copy, follow the guide below.Ģ. Note: before you start formatting, remember that all data from the drive will be erased, so ensure you have made a copy of your data. How to format an external drive using disk utility?įormatting an external hard drive or USB flash key is straightforward.

Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of read more.

#How to format my hard drive for windows and mac full version#

You will need to purchase the full version to remove infections and eliminate computer errors. It is recommended to run a free scan with Combo Cleaner - a tool to detect malware and fix computer errors.