How to use an external hard drive formatted for mac on a pc

#How to use an external hard drive formatted for mac on a pc how to#
#How to use an external hard drive formatted for mac on a pc install#

This tool installs a file system driver that allows you to access a Mac-formatted drive like any other drive in File Explorer, or any other Windows application with an open or save dialog. ParagonвЂ™s HFS+ for Windows is a bit fancier, but itвЂ™ll cost you. Option Two: Paragon HFS+ is $20, But Offers Write AccessВ and Better Integration TheyвЂ™ll be copied to the location you choose on your PC. Just select the files or folders you want, click вЂњExtract,вЂќ and choose a folder. YouвЂ™ll see the contents of the HFS+ drive in the graphical window. Click the вЂњFileвЂќ menu and select вЂњLoad File System From Device.вЂќ ItВ will automatically locate the connected drive, and you can loadВ it. To use HFSExplorer,В connect your Mac-formatted drive to your Windows PC and launch HFSExplorer. You can set read-only mode in other applications, tooвЂ“but, if youвЂ™re not going to use theirВ write support, thereвЂ™s less reason to pay for them. It ensures that no bug in the third-party driver can damage your Mac-formatted drive and the files on it. This applicationвЂ™s read-only natureВ isnвЂ™t necessarily a bad thing. dmg disk images to get at the files inside them. But you can open HFSExplorer, read a Mac-formatted drive, and copy the files to your Windows PC without paying a dime.

#How to use an external hard drive formatted for mac on a pc install#

You canвЂ™t use it to write to Mac-formatted drives, and it doesnвЂ™t install a file system driver that integrates into FileВ Explorer. HFSExplorer isnвЂ™t fancy, though, and doesnвЂ™t have a lot of features. Then, install HFSExplorer like you would any other Windows program. It does require Java, however, so youвЂ™ll have to install that first. ItвЂ™s the only completely free way to access a Mac-formatted drive. If you only need to get a couple files off the drive, we recommend HFSExplorer.

#How to use an external hard drive formatted for mac on a pc how to#

RELATED: How to Restore Files From a Time Machine Backup on Windows

Option One: HFSExplorer Is Free and Basic But be absolutely sure thereвЂ™s nothing you need before you do. Of course, if the drive doesnвЂ™t have any important files on it, you can go ahead and format it. Just donвЂ™t format theВ drive until you get the important files off the drive. ThatвЂ™s fine, because other applications do. This message appears because WindowsВ doesnвЂ™t understand AppleвЂ™s HFS+ file system. When you connect a Mac-formatted drive to Windows, youвЂ™ll be informedВ that вЂњyou need to format theВ disk in drive X: before you can use it.вЂќ DonвЂ™t click the вЂњFormat diskвЂќ button or Windows will erase the contents of theВ driveвЂ“click вЂњCancelвЂќ!