Using Mac external hard drive with Windows

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  1. Bob Pickering
    Posts : 110
    windows 7 home premium 64
       New #11

    Thanks for keeping up with this, and for all your suggestions. I reformatted the drive into two partitions on Mac Disk Utility. The first partition is HFS+ (Mac OS extended), and the second is Ex-Fat. The option for NTFS appears unavailable. On reconnecting the drive to the PC it is still unrecognized, and Device Manager reports the same problem (no driver). Partition map is shown as GUID on Disk Utility. As the problem seems to be happening with different drives, Seagate, WD, and another (?), and is only on the Windows 7 OS, I am still wondering where the problem lies. Certainly it appears to me that the problem lies within Windows 7 on this PC. I have attempted to repair Windows 7, using the steps outlined on a sevenforums page, with both the original install disk and an ISO disk I burned (with IMGBurn) after downloading from Microsoft. In each case the instal fails with a message saying it encountered an unknown error and has to quit. I don't want to have to do a new install, as I have a lot of applications on this PC. (BTW-My use with Mac drives on the PC is primarily to burn CD and DVD disks from the archive drive, as it is far quicker on PC than the Mac. Also the MacBook Pro is a late 2008 model, so it may end up dying sometime and I need to have access to the archive resources.)
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  3. TVeblen
    Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
       New #12

    I think you may have the same problem with Ex-FAT. It would be good to see what happens if it were formatted NTFS or even FAT32.

    You could try Partition Wizard to format the ExFAT to NTFS. If you use the Bootable CD you do not have to install it on your PC.
    Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online
    Partition Wizard only works with Windows based partitions, so be careful around your HFS+ partitions.
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  4. Bob Pickering
    Posts : 110
    windows 7 home premium 64
       New #13

    I feel certain that the problem is within Windows 7-64 on my PC. Partition Magic will not show any of the unrecognized external hard drives. What I have done is reformat the portable hard drive that PC will not recognize by using Windows 8 on my Mac in Parallels. Firstly I reformatted it as NTFS. Not recognized (code 28, no driver). Then I installed Partition Magic on the Mac computer (Parallels, Windows 8), and again formatted as NTFS. The Windows 7-64 PC still will not recognize it. I suspect a registry problem that keeps it from opening either the portable drive and the Mac Seagate drives. I reiterate, it will open one portable drive I have used for another ongoing Mac project, showing it as HFSJ format. Can you suggest any way to fix this? As I said, I have tried a repair instal of Windows but it won't allow it. Also I have System Mechanic installed, which has repaired detected registry errors. That has not corrected the problem.
    Last edited by Bob Pickering; 04 Dec 2013 at 16:36. Reason: mistyped
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  6. TVeblen
    Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
       New #14

    If these drive can be recognized on other PCs and other operating systems, anf this problem PC can't see a NTFS partition or drive, then there is no point in playing with the formats anymore. You know have to focus on the problem PC.

    There is a possiblity that the drives are not recognized due to defective USB ports, or USB drivers. You could try other USB ports, different cables, see if that changes anything.
    Also, you can go into Device Manager and delete (uninstall or remove) all the devices listed under USB and restart the computer. Windows will reinstall all the USB drivers fresh on restart.
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  7. Bob Pickering
    Posts : 110
    windows 7 home premium 64
       New #15

    Thanks again. Sadly I have already tried those actions numerous times, without any change. The PC says it is loading drivers, but then says it failed. I will try again to do a repair instal. Just waiting for a very slow backup of system image to my external drive. The USB ports front and back work ok with one external Mac drive, but the other Mac drives and the one now repartitioned as NTFS continue to be refused. The reformatted drive was first done on Windows 8 in Parallels, but after that failed in the Windows 7, I reformatted it on Mac as NTFS using Partition Magic, but with same failure. Will let you know how I get on. (p.s. what part of the world are you in?)
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  8. Bob Pickering
    Posts : 110
    windows 7 home premium 64
       New #16

    Many thanks TVeblen for your help. I was able to do a repair install, and this seems to have fixed the problems I was having. I still need to be a bit choosy about which USB ports to use, as although no drives are unrecognized, there are some USB3 ports that do not seem to work effectively as the drive does not appear on 'my computer' explorer window. That is another thing for me to work on. By the way, Malware Bytes did find PUPs in Partition Wizard that I had downloaded as you suggested, and also IMGBurn. They are now quarantined.
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  10. Layback Bear
    Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       New #17

    IBurn will load you up with PUP's. Even from the originators site.
    Malwarebytes Anti Malware in the last few weeks has got a lot better at finding these PUP's but I would also run Eset free online scanner.

    Free Virus Scan | Online Virus Scanner from ESET

    And this for a little extra search.

    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
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  11. TVeblen
    Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
       New #18

    Bob Pickering said:
    Many thanks TVeblen for your help. I was able to do a repair install, and this seems to have fixed the problems I was having. I still need to be a bit choosy about which USB ports to use, as although no drives are unrecognized, there are some USB3 ports that do not seem to work effectively as the drive does not appear on 'my computer' explorer window. That is another thing for me to work on. By the way, Malware Bytes did find PUPs in Partition Wizard that I had downloaded as you suggested, and also IMGBurn. They are now quarantined.
    Glad to hear you got it sorted.
    I have never experienced that with Partition Wizard before. That is disturbing. However I only use the bootable CD so maybe I was just blissfully ignorant.
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  12. Bob Pickering
    Posts : 110
    windows 7 home premium 64
       New #19

    Layback Bear said:
    IBurn will load you up with PUP's. Even from the originators site.
    Malwarebytes Anti Malware in the last few weeks has got a lot better at finding these PUP's but I would also run Eset free online scanner.

    Free Virus Scan | Online Virus Scanner from ESET

    And this for a little extra search.

    AdwCleaner Download
    Oh dear, Eset found quite a number of nasties that others had missed.
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  13. Layback Bear
    Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       New #20

    I have went through that IBurn trip and a bad trip it was. Glad you found and got rid of the nasties.
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