external HD for us with OS X and XP possible?

[scatterbrain]

mods, i've looked through the threads and i've found bits and pieces of this issue in other threads but none discuss it exculsively. please move if i am mistaken. thanks

anyway, here goes.

is it possible to format an external HD for read and write on both OSX and XP?

i've googled this to death and i've gotten myself confused. all i've gathered (before getting confused) are the following:

1. OSX can only read on NTFS.
2. OSX can read and write on FAT32.
3. Formatting in FAT32 places certain size constraints for the partitions (40MB per partition) --> can be cumbersome if you have say a 200GB HD.

so theoretically speaking it's possible (at least i think it is). it seems the common ground is FAT32. so here are my questions:

1. is there a way to format without the partition and file size constraints?
2. if there is, how? please walk me through it.
3. am i missing anything?

thanks for the help.

[waffycasem]

What constraints? I have a 200GB external HD, FAT32, that's not partitioned and it works fine on both Mac OS and Windows XP.

[jerrychu]

I am using a 250 GB external HD, FAT32 also. and not partitioned working fine with my mac and windoze. Use Disc Utility in mac os and format the external HD in MS-DOS file system.

[bon]

The restriction of FAT32 is maximum file size: 4GB maximum. Maximum volume size under FAT32 is 2 terabytes. Therefore the FAT32 file system may pose a problem if you're working with files larger than 4GB (e.g., video files, DVD disk images, etc.)

[scatterbrain]

thanks for the replies everyone.

it's helping to clarify a few things. so is my understanding correct that the best way to do this would be to format using Disc Utility in OSX stipulating and MS-DOS file system. if i do this i won't be subject to partition constraints? i will still be subject to the 4GB file size constraint, is this correct?

i remember reading about the partition constraints although it may have been an XP constraint as against a FAT32 constraint. at any rate, it's clearer now.

btw, there's no way to get around the 4GB file size constraint? does this mean it won't be able to handle large (4GB up) files from either OS?

thanks again!

[scatterbrain]

I am using a 250 GB external HD, FAT32 also. and not partitioned working fine with my mac and windoze. Use Disc Utility in mac os and format the external HD in MS-DOS file system.

did you get the drive pre-formatted? or did you get the drive and enclosure then format it yourself?

thanks!

[tapnclick1940]

so is my understanding correct that the best way to do this would be to format using Disc Utility in OSX stipulating and MS-DOS file system. if i do this i won't be subject to partition constraints?

based on my personal experience, yep.

XP will limit you to 40GB partitions if you want to format your HDD in FAT32. any partition higher than 40GB and XP will not give you the FAT32 choice in the File System pull down box.

use OSX to format it instead.

[scatterbrain]

based on my personal experience, yep.

XP will limit you to 40GB partitions if you want to format your HDD in FAT32. any partition higher than 40GB and XP will not give you the FAT32 choice in the File System pull down box.

use OSX to format it instead.

thanks! for the help. so there's really no way of getting around the 4GB file size limit?

[jerrychu]

did you get the drive pre-formatted? or did you get the drive and enclosure then format it yourself?

thanks!

I got the hard drive and enclosure then formatted it myself.

[jps444]

thanks! for the help. so there's really no way of getting around the 4GB file size limit?

not under fat32 i believe.