[ShawnSS]

I got a Lacie 160gig Firewire hard drive. I am running Windows XP. I hooked it up and Windows didnt recognize it. I heard about how Windows can only recognize external hard drives in 32gig sized partitions for fat32 format. I need it for both Mac and PC so thats why I need fat32. Can someone tell me if there is any way I can hook this up without having to buy more stuff like cards or software? If not what is it I need?

Thanks
-Shawn

 

[ShawnSS]

TTT

Anyone?

 

[SacsTC]

Just guessing from your post, but it sounds like it needs to be formatted.

 

[JohnWill]

Windows XP will recognize any size FAT32 volume, it just won't let you create one larger than 32gigs. I agree with Shawn, it's probably not formatted...

 

[Moby]

Lacie drives aren't formatted before they go in the box to sell, so if you want a third opinion, it isn't formatted.

 

[ShawnSS]

Windows XP will recognize any size FAT32 volume, it just won't let you create one larger than 32gigs.

I'm sorry, this is more of what I am trying to ask about... Can I have this drive as one big 160 gig drive or do I really need to have 5 different partitions? I would like to use this drive for viedo editing and I would rather have it one partition so there is no problems in the programming of the video stuff. I dont want to be in the middle of editing and have it tell me I need to switch partitions because one is too full.

What if I take it to the Mac first. I know that will see it as one drive with one big partition. If I format it on the Mac for FAT32 and then bring it to my PC will the PC recognize it because it is already formated?

Thanks very much so far.
-Shawn

 

[JohnWill]

Since you want to use it for video, I'd just format it NTFS, since the limit on file size for FAT32 is 4gb. Yes, if you format it FAT32 on a system, you can plug it into the PC and see all of it. You can actually format it FAT32 on your PC if you use something like Partition Magic, I've done that a number of times.

 

[ShawnSS]

I am told Mac doesnt recognize NTFS. Thats why I wanted to do FAT32.

So your saying that I CAN go to a Mac and format it as one drive then bring it to my PC and since it will be formated it will see it as one partition? Otherwise I will have to go get Partition Magic or something. I knew that was one option but I was just checking if I can do that without buying anything else. Are there any other good programs like Partition Magic? Also... is there any way to read an HFS partitions on Windows XP.

Thanks for replying,
-Shawn

 

[Moby]

You can format it on either computer with fat 32 and it will be read by the other one. All you are doing is a format, you won't be creating any new partitions. How many windows xp machines have hard drives below 32gb? Not many, so how do they manage? There's nothing to manage. Just format the bloody thing in either machine and you'll have 1 unpartitioned 160gb drive, which is exactly what you want.
Sorry, got carried away.
Good luck Shawn.

 

[ShawnSS]

I think I found my solution to what I wanted to do. MacDrive 5 by MediaFour. It's a program to let windows run HFS+. So I went to a Mac and hooked the drive up and it was already formated with that. So I checked out this program through the trial version and my PC (Win XP) is running it and sees the on partitioned drive. It does cost $30 but I figure it is worth it so I'll probably just go ahead and buy it.

Any one else use this program? How do you like it?

Thanks for all that replied.

-Shawn