Reformatting a 3TB NTFS USB HD in exFAT so it works with Macs

[Muse]

I want to backup a lot of files at my volunteer gig, but when I try to do that I get messages that the HD is read only or "can't be modified." People tell me that Macs can't write to NTFS formatted HDs.

The HD in question is a brand new unmodified Seagate Backup Plus 3TB USB I picked up at Costco. It came with a few utilities. People told me that if I reformat the HD to exFAT I will be able to use it with both my Windows machines and the Mac at work.

So, I copied the utilities to one of my home HD's, and went to reformat it in exFAT, hoping that I'll be able to write back the utilities and have them work. If they don't, well I figure it's no big deal, I've never used that kind of stuff with HD's I've bought.

When I go to reformat the 3TB Seagate Backup Plus USB HD, the default allocation unit size changes from 4096kb for NTFS to 1024kb for exFat. Should I change that to 4096kb before proceeding with the reformat?

The default is Quick Format. Should I change that to Full Format? I figured it doesn't matter, but thought I'd ask that too.

 

[Muse]

I made full format on 3tb few days ago. Computer needed around 8 to 10 hours

As i know, full format is for checking for bad sectors on hdd. For your question about changing default allocations unit size, i dont have a clue.

OK, that didn't help much, but it helped a little. Thanks!

Someone said to just do a Quick Format. I just did. It seemed to take no more than 1/2 second!!! Used the default 1024kb allocation units.

 

[Hellhammer]

Someone said to just do a Quick Format. I just did. It seemed to take no more than 1/2 second!!! Used the default 1024kb allocation units.

That's because the data in the drive is not actually deleted but the OS just marks the drive as empty. When you go an write data to the drive, it will overwrite the existing data. A full format would write zeros across the whole disk, making the data in the drive unrecoverable.

In your case the quick format was enough because you are not selling the drive or anything.

 

[Dahak]

Another option that you could use is Paragon's NTFS for Mac link.
While its not free, it does allow you to write to NTFS partitions.

I had used it a while back when I used to support macs, back on 10.6 was the last one that I interacted with daily.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Another option that you could use is Paragon's NTFS for Mac link.
While its not free, it does allow you to write to NTFS partitions.

I had used it a while back when I used to support macs, back on 10.6 was the last one that I interacted with daily.

Wouldn't you have to install that on every Mac you use though? Better to use a cross-platform FS imo.

 

[Dahak]

Wouldn't you have to install that on every Mac you use though? Better to use a cross-platform FS imo.

Yes you would, but if it is only one machine could not hurt either. Just giving the option.

Personally I have never used exFAT , so I have not looked into it very much. But it seems that exFAT would be the better option

 

[ViviTheMage]

This will better help explain partition sizes:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314878