PC formatted 'My Passport Essential SE 2.5" USB 750GB' on Snow Leopard?

[rovan]

Has anyone tried using a PC formatted 'My Passport Essential SE 2.5" USB 750GB' on Snow Leopard by reformatting the drive? Will the Mac VCD Manager work on this drive (750GB)?

[thanarath · Accepted solution]

Yes, I have used the PC formatted drive with Mac computers and it is working fine.

The only down side is that each file size is limit to 4GB or smaller.

You still be able to fill up the drive with as many files as you like.

Do not format it on Mac because it will change the file system, then PC will not see the file on it.

If you are intend to make it work for Mac only, then go ahead format it.  if not, leave it that way.

[rovan]

thanks for the reply and yes...it works as you described. just received my drive which was advertised as a windows formatted drive and according to the seller it needed to be reformatted to work under snow leopard. it worked right out of the box...

[LastDesperado]

I got WD drive from a client. could not access on snow leopard. erased drive. works good on mac. BUT now client can not see files on PC running xp. what to do what to do?

having hard trouble finding answers on this question

[thanarath]

Windows XP can not read Mac GPT partition that is why PC client can see the file on that drive.

You need to take the drive back to the Mac computer.

Back up all important data to the Mac internal hard disk drive.

You need to re-erase the drive with MS-DOS FAT.

Go to Disk Utility.

Select the WD Passport drive.

Select "Erase"

from Format Select "MS-DOS FAT"

click on "Erase" To erase the drive.

After that you can copy file(s) to it and windows XP client will now see the files.