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File transfer from Windows formatted HD to Mac formatted HD

Hi all, I have been searching the web in an effort to find an answer to this but thought it would be better to speak to you all. I have my music library (mainly FLAC) loaded on to WD or Seagate external hard drives which were originally formatted for Windows and are currently used with my Windows based Baetis Audio Music server in my main two channel system.

I am setting up a headphone system in my office and will use a MacBook Pro 2016 as server with Audionirvana. I will buy some new external hard drives for this system. My question is how can I copy the existing files I have on the Windows formatted HDs to the new HDs that need to be formatted for Mac?

I understand that Mac can read a Windows formatted HD but not write to it and I will need to write to these files as well. Should I first copy the files across to the new HDs and then after that re-format the HDs for Mac? Can I reformat after transferring my music or will it corrupt the files?

Thanks

James
vicks7
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
The Paragon software I referenced would be downloaded and installed onto a Windows computer. You would connect the Windows-formatted external drives containing the music files to that computer. You would also connect the new Mac-formatted drives to that computer. The Paragon program would make it possible for the Windows computer to read and write to and from all of those drives, just as if the Mac-formatted drives had been Windows-formatted.

After you have copied the music files to the Mac-formatted drives, using the Windows computer and the Paragon program installed on it, you would then connect the Mac-formatted drives to the Mac computer and be good to go!

Regards,
-- Al

vicks7 OP
182 posts
 
Thanks very much Al.
vicks7 OP
182 posts
 
Al, would there also be a way to do this in the reverse, using the Macbook Pro?
vicks7 OP
182 posts
 
I mean attaching all drives to the MacBook and transferring the files across to the MacBook formatted HD? I am currently without a windows based laptop.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
James, no, the Paragon program I referenced will only run on Windows-based computers.  There are programs for Macs, though, which will provide similar capability when using a Mac computer.  The program Erik referenced apparently being one example.  I have no familiarity with the Mac-based programs, though.

Regards,
-- Al
 
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