Mac OS X forum: MAC + Windows7 sharing files on MacBook Pro

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user mstenbo

Can we assume you are using Boot Camp here?

by mrmacfixit - 3/16/12 5:00 AM

In Reply to: MAC + Windows7 sharing files on MacBook Pro by mstenbo

I have found that when running Boot Camp, I can "see" the Mac Hard Drive from within Windows.
This allows me to drag files from the Mac side to the Windows side. Once there, they can be opened and worked on.
OS X can read, but cannot write, to a NTFS formatted drive. Windows cannot read or write to an OS X formatted drive.
Third party software, for either sides, can overcome this.

Another alternative is to use an external drive that is formatted at FAT32. Store all the files you want to use on both platforms, on there. Not the best solution though.

Adding a third partition is fraught with danger. You stand to lose everything on the disk. If you go that route, make sure you have a complete backup of BOTH platforms.

P

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user mstenbo

Personally

by Jimmy Greystone - 3/16/12 8:24 AM

In Reply to: MAC + Windows7 sharing files on MacBook Pro by mstenbo

Personally, I'd just store everything on a flash drive or something that is formatted as FAT32, rather than a third partition on the computer. Since it's a newer MBP, you could just kind of perpetually keep an SD card in the slot that serves that purpose. That way you keep your USB ports free for other things.

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user mstenbo

These answers are helpful but not quite what I'm looking for

by mstenbo - 3/18/12 1:32 PM

In Reply to: MAC + Windows7 sharing files on MacBook Pro by mstenbo

I am using bootcamp.
I can access the files from either side but I don't want to run 2 sets of files as I often work on documents over longer periods of time and don't want the trouble of having different versions of the same document stored.

I would like to store files on the Mac partition if possible so I can use timewarp so I would be interested 3rd party software for wondows 7 to write to Mac Os X. Any ideas on this? This would be my ideal solution.

I do have an external hard drive and use this for backup.
Part of the reason I bought this MacBook was that I was using an external HD for all my files and would like to stop carrying it around with me as this sort of defeats the purpose of having such a great laptop.

The SD card idea might work. I would like to keep my 2 USB slots clear for other things (like my external HD). I will only need 2 or 3 gb (but I don't want to run out of space here) in my running storage so maybe I'll get an SD card. Is there a way I can include this in timewarp backup? In the end it won't be too hard to manually copy this folder into my documents folder in OS X periodically anyway.

Thanks for the help so far.

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All the software

by Jimmy Greystone - 3/18/12 4:17 PM

In Reply to: These answers are helpful but not quite what I'm looking for by mstenbo

All the software I've seen for Windows is to be able to read an HFS+ partition, but then I don't tend to consider commercial programs. In any case, if you're looking for something where Windows Explorer will just be able to read the HFS+ partition like it would a FAT32, then I would probably just forget it.

And if you mean Time Machine when you say timewarp, then it should be possible to add the SD card to the things backed up, but time machine doesn't really like it when you use removable drives like that, because they can be removed.

There simply is no clean solution to what you want to do. The best option is probably the SD card, even though it has issues as well. It's the least bad solution you could say.

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still not quite

by mstenbo - 3/18/12 9:07 PM

In Reply to: All the software by Jimmy Greystone

The software I would need would be for windows to be able to write to the MAC partition.

Windows explorer can read the data on the MAC partition already.

I do mean time machine not timewarp.

Earlier mrmacfixit mentioned that creating a 3rd partition is fraught with danger but I have seen that other people have done it successfully.
I can back up both platforms so I won't run the risk of losing any data.
Wouldn't this be the most elegant solution?

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I wouldn't call it elegant

by Jimmy Greystone - 3/19/12 6:41 AM

In Reply to: still not quite by mstenbo

I wouldn't call it elegant. There is no elegant solution to sharing files between Windows and Mac OS X.

And people skydive, walk tightropes, juggle chainsaws, undergo some kind of risky surgery... All kinds of things and come out fine... Doesn't mean it's still not extremely dangerous.

If you tried creating a third data partition now, there's always a chance that both OS installs would be taken out in the process. It may be a small chance, but a chance nonetheless. The SD card idea actually gives you a secondary backup of the data files. There are also various "cloud" based storage options, but depends on how sensitive the info in the files would be. If it's nothing particular interesting, you could just throw it up on a site like dropbox. Of course then you have to always have an Internet connection in order for that to work.

One other idea, is that you could simply adopt a policy that any time you're doing something for work, you're running Windows. Any time you're doing something personal, you're using Mac OS X. Then there's no need to worry about moving the files back and forth.

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Thanks I think...

by mstenbo - 3/20/12 6:39 PM

In Reply to: I wouldn't call it elegant by Jimmy Greystone

I'm sorry I don't understand why you are comparing partitioning a hard drive to extreme sport or elective surgery. Juggle chainsaws?

Does anyone have a constructive suggestion?

As said I have backed up all my data and am not afraid of installing operating systems.
Is there any chance that partitioning my hdd into 3 can irreparably damage my hdd?

Thanks in advance.

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As I said

by Jimmy Greystone - 3/20/12 8:46 PM

In Reply to: Thanks I think... by mstenbo

As I said... There is risk involved, whether or not some people have managed to do it successfully.

It is highly unlikely that partitioning your drive will do any damage to the drive itself. There's always the possibility of some kind of catastrophic failure, but it would have happened regardless of you partitioning the drive or not.

To be honest, I have no idea whether Time Machine will even back up files on anything other than an HFS+ partition. Can't say as I've ever thought to try it. Might be worth looking into before getting too far ahead of yourself. There may be some kind of implications that are not immediately apparent.

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I must say I'm still confused by your reply Jimmy

by mstenbo - 3/21/12 12:17 AM

In Reply to: As I said by Jimmy Greystone

If I can back up everything I need and I can reinstall the OS if need be what is the risk involved?
I appreciate that you are trying to help and I appreciate this but your replies are not helpful, they have no real warnings or helpful information.

You keep saying beware of the risk... this is like juggling chainsaws... but I have yet to hear any actual risks.

You don't seem to have read my original question.
I am looking for a solution to the dual access problem.
Backing up is the next problem I will face. I will cross this bridge when I come to it. I am not getting "too far ahead of myself"

I am not computer illiterate, just new to this platform.
Obviously I am researching the situation, that is why I have asked this question here.

Moderator, please close this thread.

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