Depending on the size, and portability, you can use a network connection, a USB drive, or this:
http://enjoygineering.com/mounty/
http://enjoygineering.com/mounty/
File transfer from Windows formatted HD to Mac formatted HD
Hi all, I have been searching the web in an effort to find an answer to this but thought it would be better to speak to you all. I have my music library (mainly FLAC) loaded on to WD or Seagate external hard drives which were originally formatted for Windows and are currently used with my Windows based Baetis Audio Music server in my main two channel system.
I am setting up a headphone system in my office and will use a MacBook Pro 2016 as server with Audionirvana. I will buy some new external hard drives for this system. My question is how can I copy the existing files I have on the Windows formatted HDs to the new HDs that need to be formatted for Mac?
I understand that Mac can read a Windows formatted HD but not write to it and I will need to write to these files as well. Should I first copy the files across to the new HDs and then after that re-format the HDs for Mac? Can I reformat after transferring my music or will it corrupt the files?
Thanks
James
I am setting up a headphone system in my office and will use a MacBook Pro 2016 as server with Audionirvana. I will buy some new external hard drives for this system. My question is how can I copy the existing files I have on the Windows formatted HDs to the new HDs that need to be formatted for Mac?
I understand that Mac can read a Windows formatted HD but not write to it and I will need to write to these files as well. Should I first copy the files across to the new HDs and then after that re-format the HDs for Mac? Can I reformat after transferring my music or will it corrupt the files?
Thanks
James
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Formatting or reformatting a drive, or a partition within a drive, will destroy all data that is on the drive or partition. In addition to software programs that are available for mounting NTFS (Windows formatted) drives on Macs, such as the one Erik suggested, you might want to consider the following program which will allow you to perform the file transfer using a Windows computer. It costs $19.95: https://backstage.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/ Regards, -- Al |
The Paragon software I referenced would be downloaded and installed onto a Windows computer. You would connect the Windows-formatted external drives containing the music files to that computer. You would also connect the new Mac-formatted drives to that computer. The Paragon program would make it possible for the Windows computer to read and write to and from all of those drives, just as if the Mac-formatted drives had been Windows-formatted. After you have copied the music files to the Mac-formatted drives, using the Windows computer and the Paragon program installed on it, you would then connect the Mac-formatted drives to the Mac computer and be good to go! Regards, -- Al |
James, no, the Paragon program I referenced will only run on Windows-based computers. There are programs for Macs, though, which will provide similar capability when using a Mac computer. The program Erik referenced apparently being one example. I have no familiarity with the Mac-based programs, though. Regards, -- Al |
