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From: Roger Darlington on 24 Mar 2010 13:30

I have just bought a Seagate 2TB "Expansion Drive".

On the iMac it says it is Windows NT format, and says it is 'Read
Only'!!

Huh?

What?

Why should I buy a drive that I cannot write to?

It has two files on it, both /exe files, which dont seem to run on the
iMac.

I assume Windows NT format is in-compatible with iMac?

If so, to which format should I format it to, bearing in mind I would
want it to be ~2TB.

Also bear in mind that I wish to download AVCHD movies onto it from a
Panasonic HD camcorder. Naturally, I don't wish to limit my viewing of
the AVCHD files to my iMac, but would also like to play them back via
a Panasonic Blu-Ray recorder (not bought yet) onto the Panasonic TV.

Does this limit me to FAT32 format?
Are there any disadvantages to formatting it to FAT32?

--

Cheers
Roger
If you feel weary after just 3 miles, you might be walking too slowly.
From: Chris Ridd on 24 Mar 2010 13:51
On 2010-03-24 17:30:45 +0000, Roger Darlington said:

> I have just bought a Seagate 2TB "Expansion Drive".
>
> On the iMac it says it is Windows NT format, and says it is 'Read
> Only'!!
>
> Huh?
>
> What?
>
> Why should I buy a drive that I cannot write to?
>
> It has two files on it, both /exe files, which dont seem to run on the
> iMac.
>
> I assume Windows NT format is in-compatible with iMac?

For writing, yes. Unless you buy the NTFS driver from Paragon.

> If so, to which format should I format it to, bearing in mind I would
> want it to be ~2TB.

HFS+ (Journaled)

> Also bear in mind that I wish to download AVCHD movies onto it from a
> Panasonic HD camcorder. Naturally, I don't wish to limit my viewing of
> the AVCHD files to my iMac, but would also like to play them back via
> a Panasonic Blu-Ray recorder (not bought yet) onto the Panasonic TV.
>
> Does this limit me to FAT32 format?

Probably, but you need to check the Blu-Ray recorder's documentation.

> Are there any disadvantages to formatting it to FAT32?

For starters it can't store big files and it is inefficient. I don't
think it can support 2TB volume sizes either, but since Wikipedia seems
to be down at the moment I can't check.

I'd think through your plans for the Blu-Ray recorder a bit.
--
Chris

From: Roger Darlington on 25 Mar 2010 03:48
On 24 Mar 2010, Chris Ridd wrote:
> On 2010-03-24 17:30:45 +0000, Roger Darlington said:
>
>> I have just bought a Seagate 2TB "Expansion Drive".
>>
>> On the iMac it says it is Windows NT format, and says it is 'Read
>> Only'!!
>>
>> Huh?
>>
>> What?
>>
>> Why should I buy a drive that I cannot write to?
>>
>> It has two files on it, both /exe files, which dont seem to run on the
>> iMac.
>>
>> I assume Windows NT format is in-compatible with iMac?
>
> For writing, yes. Unless you buy the NTFS driver from Paragon.

Something reminds me here of "Not fit for purpose"...
How remiss of Seagate not to include free drivers...

>
>> If so, to which format should I format it to, bearing in mind I would
>> want it to be ~2TB.
>
> HFS+ (Journaled)
>
>> Also bear in mind that I wish to download AVCHD movies onto it from a
>> Panasonic HD camcorder. Naturally, I don't wish to limit my viewing of
>> the AVCHD files to my iMac, but would also like to play them back via
>> a Panasonic Blu-Ray recorder (not bought yet) onto the Panasonic TV.
>>
>> Does this limit me to FAT32 format?
>
> Probably, but you need to check the Blu-Ray recorder's documentation.
>
>> Are there any disadvantages to formatting it to FAT32?
>
> For starters it can't store big files and it is inefficient. I don't
> think it can support 2TB volume sizes either, but since Wikipedia seems
> to be down at the moment I can't check.

Just checked, up to 2TB (4TB under unusual conditions that I probably
dont have, and the disc isn't 4TB anyway).

I think I'll format it to FAT32, at least there's a slight chance it
might also work on a BluRay recorder.

I'll also send a letter to Seagate reminding them of the "not fit for
purpose" law we have!

>
> I'd think through your plans for the Blu-Ray recorder a bit.


--

Cheers
Roger

From: Chris Ridd on 25 Mar 2010 04:10
On 2010-03-25 07:48:25 +0000, Roger Darlington said:

> Just checked, up to 2TB (4TB under unusual conditions that I probably
> dont have, and the disc isn't 4TB anyway).
>
> I think I'll format it to FAT32, at least there's a slight chance it
> might also work on a BluRay recorder.
>
> I'll also send a letter to Seagate reminding them of the "not fit for
> purpose" law we have!

They'll just laugh and tell you how to reformat it. The NTFS format is
closed, and they'd have to license it (for $$$) from Microsoft. I think
that's what Paragon did.

--
Chris

From: Ric on 25 Mar 2010 05:23
On Mar 25, 7:48 am, Roger Darlington <roger...(a)freeuk.com> wrote:
> On 24 Mar 2010, Chris Ridd wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On 2010-03-24 17:30:45 +0000, Roger Darlington said:
>
> >> I have just bought a Seagate 2TB "Expansion Drive".
>
> >> On the iMac it says it is Windows NT format, and says it is 'Read
> >> Only'!!
>
> >> Huh?
>
> >> What?
>
> >> Why should I buy a drive that I cannot write to?
>
> >> It has two files on it, both /exe files, which dont seem to run on the
> >> iMac.
>
> >> I assume Windows NT format is in-compatible with iMac?
>
> > For writing, yes. Unless you buy the NTFS driver from Paragon.
>
> Something reminds me here of "Not fit for purpose"...
> How remiss of Seagate not to include free drivers...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >> If so, to which format should I format it to, bearing in mind I would
> >> want it to be ~2TB.
>
> > HFS+ (Journaled)
>
> >> Also bear in mind that I wish to download AVCHD movies onto it from a
> >> Panasonic HD camcorder. Naturally, I don't wish to limit my viewing of
> >> the AVCHD files to my iMac, but would also like to play them back via
> >> a Panasonic Blu-Ray recorder (not bought yet) onto the Panasonic TV.
>
> >> Does this limit me to FAT32 format?
>
> > Probably, but you need to check the Blu-Ray recorder's documentation.
>
> >> Are there any disadvantages to formatting it to FAT32?
>
> > For starters it can't store big files and it is inefficient. I don't
> > think it can support 2TB volume sizes either, but since Wikipedia seems
> > to be down at the moment I can't check.
>
> Just checked, up to 2TB (4TB under unusual conditions that I probably
> dont have, and the disc isn't 4TB anyway).
>
> I think I'll format it to FAT32, at least there's a slight chance it
> might also work on a BluRay recorder.
>
> I'll also send a letter to Seagate reminding them of the "not fit for
> purpose" law we have!
>
>
>
> > I'd think through your plans for the Blu-Ray recorder a bit.
>
> --
>
> Cheers
> Roger- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

FAT32 can't handle individual file sizes over 2GB, I don't think.
This might become a problem for large video.
Just as a PC can't read HFS+ natively (without MacDrive or similar),
neither can a Mac read/write NTFS without a third party driver. This
is by design by both Apple and Microsoft. Both are as guilty as each
other. At least MS seem to have lightened up on people using their
semi-universal FAT32 format...
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