portable hard drive...problem with pc to mac and vice versa?

riyunah

I brought this Com Star 2.5" ultra slim 160 GB portable hard drive for school use and I'm having problems with it. I can't transfer my files from school to the hard drive. It says it can only read and not allowed to add files to the hard drive.

Do I need to format?
I can format at my pc but school macs are not allowed to use disk utility program. It's such a bummer >_>;

I really needs help because they might change our computer and I need to transfer/backup my files.
EDIT: I don't know what to choose in the formatting menu.

The File system is only NTFS (default) and there's no other option.
Allocation unit size: default is 4096 bytes. There's a lot of option; from 512 bytes to 64 kilobytes.

Answer
The reason that it isn't working is because Macs and Windows PCs use different file systems. Windows uses NTFS, while Macs use HFS+. Your portable hard drive is formatted in NTFS, so the Mac can only read the contents, but will not allow you to write to the hard drive. If the hard drive was formatted in HFS+, the Mac would be able to use it as normal, but then your Windows PC wouldn't be able to do anything with it.

The only way you will be able to get both the Mac and your PC to read and write to the hard drive without issue is if you format it to a universally accepted file system, such as FAT32. While FAT32 is technically inferior, it will work for copying files between the two machines. In Windows, I believe you can format the hard drive to FAT32 by right-clicking the hard drive, going to properties, and finding the format tool. Be forewarned, though, that by formatting the hard drive, its contents will be permanently erased.

mac&pc portable hard drive.?

[ed]gar.

i have a wd external hd backed up to my mac with time machine. but know i think the square (hd) is huge and looks like a block. i wanna get a portable one. but i dont know witch one to buy because of all the options there is. I wanna get a 500gb that i can back it up to the mac but whenever i dont use my mac i wanna disconected and use it on the pc. is there a difference between. the WD portable hd for mac?
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=579
and the normal one?http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=691

so yea my question is; if i get the Mac formatted portable hd can i still use it on a pc?

Answer
yes u can use hard drive HD in mac as well as on pc i got same problem 2 years back when i bought my Time Capsule anyhow now i use maxter 750 gb (before it was 250gb) external HD with my pc and mac
no problem
dont worry but be sure for potable and external HD u need not to jurk too much as i loss my 250gb HD.

good luck if u like u can select my answer for best answer
thanks in advance

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