[graphics84]

Can I format my VST 6 gig firewire drive so that I could plug it into a Mac or PC and both would see the filing structure?

from the special menu I get two mac options and that's it...

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Plug it into the PC, and format it for MS-DOS. It will then work fine in either the Mac or the PC.

I've searched myself for a way to FORCE the Mac to allow MS-DOS formatting as an option always, but haven't found it yet! It will do it, but the circumstances where it's an option are way limited. If someone else knows for sure a way to get MS-DOS as an option to format in always, please tell!

After formatting in Windows, you first plug the drive into the Mac, the Mac OS will create it's own invisable directory system on it like "Move and Rename" Volume Settings" "Desktop Folder" and "Trash". You may also give it an icon file like any other drive.

These directories are of course invisable on the Mac, but when you re-hook the drive to a PC, they become visable in Windoze. You can either remember to leave them alone while on the PC, or select them all, Right-click, select properties, and select "hidden". Then the drive's directory structure will show up exactly the same on either platform.

[Workers Comp Wampa]

Originally posted by graphics84:
<STRONG>Can I format my VST 6 gig firewire drive so that I could plug it into a Mac or PC and both would see the filing structure?

from the special menu I get two mac options and that's it...</STRONG>

Remember if you format it DOS then you cannot put Mac specific files on the drive.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Horsefeathers. Sure you can.

The Mac won't give a hoot that it's not HFS formatted. Your drive, applications, Mac data, etc. will suffer no adverse side effects whatsoever from using DOS (FAT) formating. Macs use DOS formatted disks perfectly fine, whereas of course a PC cannot use a standard Mac formatted disk, without specific software.

Don't be fooled because you may have seen a DOS formatted disk and certain PC files show up on your Mac with little "PC" icons on them. That's just a product of File Exchange, otherwise they'd be generic. (*hint* try CHANGING those icons and see what happens!)

I use many external harddrives on multiple platforms that are DOS formatted, as well as removeable drives, compact flash and smart media cards, etc. DOS (FAT) is the perfect universal format option that assures a drive can be used with the greatest system compatiblity.

[Workers Comp Wampa]

Originally posted by CRASH HARDDRIVE:
<STRONG>Horsefeathers. Sure you can.

The Mac won't give a hoot that it's not HFS formatted. Your drive, applications, Mac data, etc. will suffer no adverse side effects whatsoever from using DOS (FAT) formating. </STRONG>

So if I copy Mac applications to the DOS disk and try copying them to another computer of running them off the DOS disk they will work?

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Yes. Just as I said in my first post, when on a PC or other comp where the Mac file system is visable.. don't mess with those files... such as the Mac resource fork. As long as the Mac file system on a DOS disk remains intact, Mac files work just like they would on an HFS (Mac) formatted disk, and of course can be copied back to the Mac.

If you have a floppy drive, or zip drive etc. try it with that. Copy some Mac applications and files to it, and open them.