Seagate 2TB HD exFat file?

sauce2k on 15/07/2021 - 11:32

Hey guys
Noob question here - I jumped on the 2TB seagate Portable drive deal recently but i forgot to check if it’s exFat file format? I have a windows and Mac so I need to switch between the two without formatting the drive.

Thanks a lot

Computing

Comments

  • MS Paint on 15/07/2021 - 11:36
    +1

    Could be that by default I'm guessing but likely exfat32.

    In W10 go into disk management. Right click on portable HDD volume, select properties. Under the volumes tab check the partition style.

    If in doubt just reformat

    • sauce2k on 15/07/2021 - 12:08

      Hi thanks for the response. I haven’t opened the package yet but would like to know if I need to format because I need to be able to use it without formatting each other I’m switching OS. If I can’t do this I will return it back to OW

      • MS Paint on 15/07/2021 - 12:24
        +2

        Plug it in to W10 machine.
        Right click on drive in explorer
        Select format
        Choose a format type
        Give your drive a memorable name (eg. Drivey_mcdriveface)
        Done

    • Chandler on 15/07/2021 - 13:10
      +1

      If in doubt just reformat

      This was my first thought. If it's not exFAT, just change it to exFAT.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2021 - 11:43
    +1

    Well, not sure about smaller drives but 4TB+ are NTFS for sure

  • dazweeja on 15/07/2021 - 11:45
    +1

    It sounds like you don't have the drive yet so you can format it to any filesystem you like when you get it. That's assuming that "without formatting the drive" you mean without formatting it every time you switch OSs.

    • sauce2k on 15/07/2021 - 12:09

      Hi thanks for responding!

      I just got the drive yesterday from OW and yes I want to make sure I don’t need to format every time I switch OS. I have a T7 SSD now which I can plug in windows and Mac . Hustle free.

      • Mechz on 15/07/2021 - 13:04
        +1

        If you open the drive and format it to exFat yourself you won't need to reformat every time you plug it in.

        • sauce2k on 15/07/2021 - 13:05

          Oh right sorry I wasn’t even aware I could do this myself …

          • Mechz on 15/07/2021 - 13:06

            @sauce2k: MS Paint lists the steps above.

          • Payne on 15/07/2021 - 16:43

            @sauce2k: Yep, and exFat is fully compatible with Windows and Mac computers.

  • artxty on 15/07/2021 - 11:53

    just buy this app for your mac ntfs for mac

    • sauce2k on 15/07/2021 - 12:10
      +1

      Hi would prefer not to spend money :/

      • AndyC1 on 15/07/2021 - 12:37
        +1

        True oz bargainer.

  • brendanm on 15/07/2021 - 13:03
    +1

    Just format it as exfat?

    • sauce2k on 16/07/2021 - 00:01

      Legend

      • mickyb80 on 16/07/2021 - 00:06

        No prob.

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