Mac / PC / External Drive Backups

mac / pc / external drive backups

know topic has been covered, typical of mighty internet there appears conflicting information thought try once more.

working with:
pc windows xp
mac air
seagate free agent external hard drive (ntfs format – 1tb)

want do:
have pc regularly backup seagate on same partition mac.
have mac air reg regularly backup seagate on same partition pc.
have mac & seagate backup remote cloud service.

concerns:
have read mac’s cannot read ntfs formatted hard drive. have no issue that, mac accesses fine.

have read having mac regularly access ntfs formatted hard drive can corrupt ntfs hard drive. there truth this, has experienced it?

current status:
using software came free agent have no issues having pc backing seagate, works perfectly.

unless manually (meaning drag , drop), cannot mac automatically backup seagate. searched free agent software mac had no luck. tried use time machine on mac wants reformat seagate hard drive hfs+ journaled format.

read once format seagate hfs+ journaled format pc not able access drive. true?

have suggestions or has accomplished trying do? if can suggest software mac , software pc run scheduled backups. have suggestions on reasonably priced , secure cloud / offsite storage service regular backups of 1 tb of data?

, let me know if need more information.

 

mac air said: ↑

what want do:
have pc regularly backup seagate on same partition mac.
have mac air reg regularly backup seagate on same partition pc.

click expand...

you can't that. mac os x requires hfs+ backups, windows can't read/write natively. create separate partitions. 1 ntfs windows, 1 hfs+ mac backups.

format hard drive using disk utility (which in /applications/utilities folder)

choose appropriate format:

hfs+ (hierarchical file system, a.k.a. mac os extended (journaled) don't use case-sensitive)

• read/write hfs+ native mac os x
• required time machine or carbon copy cloner or superduper! backups of mac os x system files.
  [*]to read/write hfs+ windows, install macdrive
  [*]to read hfs+ (but not write) windows, install hfsexplorer
• maximum file size: 8eib
• maximum volume size: 8eib
• mac os x: mac os extended format (hfs plus) volume , file limits
• you can use format if use drive mac os x, or use backups of mac os x internal drive, or if share 1 windows pc (with macdrive installed on pc)

ntfs (windows nt file system)

• read/write ntfs native windows.
• read ntfs native mac os x
  [*]to read/write/format ntfs mac os x, here alternatives:
  • for mac os x 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install paragon (approx $20) (best choice lion)
  • for 32-bit mac os x, install ntfs-3g mac os x (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
  • for 64-bit snow leopard, read this: macfuse 64-bit snow leopard
  • some have reported problems using tuxera (approx $36).
  • native ntfs support can enabled in snow leopard , lion, not advisable, due instability.
• airport extreme (802.11n) , time capsule not support ntfs
• maximum file size: 16 tb
• maximum volume size: 256tb
• you can use format if routinely share drive multiple windows systems.

exfat (fat64)

• supported in mac os x in 10.6.5 or later.
• not windows versions support exfat. see disadvantages.
• exfat (extended file allocation table)
• airport extreme (802.11n) , time capsule not support exfat
• maximum file size: 16 eib
• maximum volume size: 64 zib
• you can use format if supported computers intend share drive. see "disadvantages" details.

fat32 (file allocation table)

• read/write fat32 both native windows , native mac os x.
  [*]maximum file size: 4gb.
• maximum volume size: 2tb
• you can use format if share drive between mac os x , windows computers , have no files larger 4gb.

 

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