Want to format a partiition on my pc to be able to read mac files

[kmkad]

Hello,
is there a way to format a partition on my windows 7 laptop to be able to read a mac osx drive?

 

[Hawkeye22]

I believe gparted can format partitions as HFS and HFS+.

 

[CaedenV]

It is not an issue of the HDD being in the proper format to store OSX files, it is an issue that Mac (in all their propriatary wisdom) has not allowed MS to make software that reads HFS. So if you had a partition of HFS on your windows machine you simply would not see it. Use a common format instead such as FAT which can be both read and edited by all major OSs on the market.

 

[Hawkeye22]

It is not an issue of the HDD being in the proper format to store OSX files, it is an issue that Mac (in all their propriatary wisdom) has not allowed MS to make software that reads HFS. So if you had a partition of HFS on your windows machine you simply would not see it. Use a common format instead such as FAT which can be both read and edited by all major OSs on the market.

There are programs out there for windows to read HFS drives, though I'd be skeptical to use most of them. I assumed the OP knew this, otherwise why create a HFS partition?

@OP: I agree, it makes more sense to use a FAT32 partition. Just be aware that FAT32 file size limits are 4 gig.

 

[kawininjazx]

You can always run a Ubuntu live CD to read the drive, more than likely you can copy the data to your windows NTFS drive, just make sure you unmount all the drives before you reboot.

 

[kmkad]

Hey, all ... thanks so much for your help (daughter just had my 5th grandchild and have been away for a bit, so sorry for my slow response) ... Couple of things ... my OS drive has data on it, so can't reformat it in order to set it up so it can be seen on both my mac os and my pc os. I 'can' run a Ubuntu live CD to read the drive and then move the data to my pc ... great idea and that's what I will try first ... now ... different question ... does it ever make any sense to try and set up my pc as a dual boot ... mac os and pc os. I can use boot camp on my pc to run windows on it ... is there anything that lets me do the same on my pc?

 

[kmkad]

Best answer selected by kmkad.

 

[Hawkeye22]

does it ever make any sense to try and set up my pc as a dual boot ... mac os and pc os. I can use boot camp on my pc to run windows on it ... is there anything that lets me do the same on my pc?

This can't be done legally. The end-user license agreement for Mac OS X forbids third-party installations of Mac OS X. Basically, the OS is locked to Apple hardware.

Pystar lost a law suit from Apple regarding this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psystar_Corporation