Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

question on Mac/hard drive compatibility

  • 01-10-2011 2:28am
    #1
    Gekko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭


    A friend of mine saved some video footage from a trip abroad on a hard drive that was formatted to work with a Mac.

    I don't know how old or what model Mac it was, but am wondering if I hire or buy a new or relatively new Macbook Air or Pro whether I should expect any problems in accessing the drive and being able to view the footage, given that there may be a difference between the operating system my friend's Mac has and the one on the Mac I would be using?

    Hope that makes sense!


Comments

  • #2
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    What connections has the drive? Is it SCSI, Firewire, USB2 or something else?
    A MacBook air has no port to connect a HDD. Some Macs have no Firewire port.

    You can get Windows software to read most Mac HDDs.


  • #3
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,698 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Liameter wrote: »
    A MacBook air has no port to connect a HDD.

    Not true. Current MacBook Airs have two USB ports, while the early models had one.


  • #4
    Talisman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,473 ✭✭✭Talisman


    If the drive was formatted for Mac and you can connect in to your own Mac then you will be able to read the content.

    Apple started using the HFS file system over 25 years ago, it has evolved into HFS+ but current systems can still read the original file system, however they cannot write files to a HFS formatted volume.


  • #5
    Gekko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭Gekko


    Talisman wrote: »
    If the drive was formatted for Mac and you can connect in to your own Mac then you will be able to read the content.

    Apple started using the HFS file system over 25 years ago, it has evolved into HFS+ but current systems can still read the original file system, however they cannot write files to a HFS formatted volume.

    Thanks for that info.

    I don't actually have a Mac myself. Have to borrow/hire/buy one in order to view the video footage.


  • #6
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    I'm sure I've read about Windoze software that allows you to read from an HFS+ formatted drive. Have a search. It might even be free.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Gekko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭Gekko


    Liameter wrote: »
    I'm sure I've read about Windoze software that allows you to read from an HFS+ formatted drive. Have a search. It might even be free.

    worth a try - thanks


  • #8
    Padgeman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 142 ✭✭Padgeman


    Gekko wrote: »
    worth a try - thanks

    You can try the free HFSExplorer, which lets you read HFS+ drives under Windows. If you need to both read and write to the drive, there's nothing out there for free I'm afraid. If you're willing to pay, Macdrive is very very good, worth the money if you use HFS+ on a Windows machine regularly.


  • #9
    J-blk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    Padgeman wrote: »
    If you're willing to pay, Macdrive is very very good, worth the money if you use HFS+ on a Windows machine regularly.

    +1 - it's pricey but excellent, I've used it for quite some time with no issues.


  • #10
    Gekko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭Gekko


    Padgeman wrote: »
    You can try the free HFSExplorer, which lets you read HFS+ drives under Windows. If you need to both read and write to the drive, there's nothing out there for free I'm afraid. If you're willing to pay, Macdrive is very very good, worth the money if you use HFS+ on a Windows machine regularly.

    Cool , thanks.

    I just need to read from the drive...in the hope that I can view the video footage...so that I can write a script to give to an editor so she can edit a film!

    Oh and MacDrive has a free 5-day trial...that would be enough time!


Advertisement