When was the last time you used something that just worked? That butter knife you used to spread jam on your toast this morning, did it require a reboot? What about the time you looked at the painting in your living room. You know, the one of the ship at sea or the sad clown. How about a freshly sharpened pencil, piece of bread, or a can of motor oil? You may now add MacDrive 7 to that list, and if you really use Windows on your Mac a lot via Boot Camp, you will find it invaluable. [Removed references to Fusion and Parallels. -Ed.]
So, what does MacDrive do? Simple. It adds HFS and HFS+ capabilities to Windows. HFS is the Hierarchical File System created by Apple as an advanced storage system for the Mac OS. HFS+ was added later to support larges and larger drives. HFS+ even works with the huge terabyte drives we’re seeing today, but Windows doesn’t read it. Windows uses the FAT system, or File Allocation Table. There are FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32 versions and Microsoft offers the NTFS (NT File System) for more advanced features. These are like HFS in their own way, but Windows can’t read HFS.
MacDrive allows Windows to read HFS. Where that comes handy for the Mac user is when you’re using Apple’s Boot Camp you can have immediate access to your Mac drives. Yup. You can read and write to them just like any other Windows drive device. The drive (or drives) is even allocated a drive letter. Its amazing how much easier Windows becomes when you have clean, simple, seamless access to your Mac files without having to burn them to CD or DVD, copy them to a Flash drive or external HD, or email them to yourself. For me, it makes it easy as pie to play my iTunes library music without having to make a copy for Windows.
I have installed it in Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista Ultimate, and it works fantastic. Its also supposed to work with HFS formatted external drives like FireWire and USB, and it works with any HFS volumes located on just about any bus, like SCSI, Fiber Channel, and even Parallel Port drives, as well as the expected IDE and SATA. Its really seamless, too. Other that one thing, which I get to next, you simply can’t tell its not a Windows drive, even down to the icons on compatible files showing up correctly.
There is, in all of this sweetness and satisfaction, a tiny, eensy weensy little issue I have, and it does NOT impact the extreme value of MacDrive. It doesn’t hide the Dot files on the Mac side. In UNIX, adding a period to the front of a file name (i.e., “.ProgramFileStuff”) makes it invisible on the file system. These are just files that you don’t use anyway, so its not a loss. I don’t believe, however, that MediaFour, the makers of the superb MacDrive, would actually be able to make such files hidden, since that would mean tinkering with Windows, and its already unstable enough!
This is a fantastic deal at US$49.95, but I would strongly suggest you get the Twin Pack, two copies for just US$59.95. I’ve not experienced anything bad yet (knock on wood!) but so far MacDrive 7 is just a simple and powerful little utility that’s worth ever penny you spend.
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written by Tyler Regas
Posts
January 9th, 2008 at 5:21 am
I am evaluating MacDrive 7 now and I think it is really what I need. But a small issue that I could not find out - Is it possible to make only a particular folder available as a drive rather than the whole Macintosh HD? Also if it is possible to configure what drive letter is assigned? These would make it perfect.
January 9th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Faiz, thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, part one of your query is not possible. MacDrive 7 is a file system for Windows which allows it to see HFS/HFS+ partitions, and nothing more. Good news on the second part, though. Using the Manage tool in Windows XP and Vista, you can change the drive letter. Right click on My Computer or Computer, select Manage, select Disk Management, right click on your Mac drive, click the existing drive letter, click Change, then select the letter you want. Enjoy! -Ed.
January 11th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
With MacDrive 7, can you both read and write to Hard Drive from both the Mac and Windows XP?
January 12th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
MacDrive 7 allows you to read HFS and HFS+ formatted drives in Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. To read and write NTFS drives on the Mac, you need NTFS for Mac OS X which I will be reviewing shortly. Suffice it to say, NTFS for Mac OS X works seamlessly, but I’ll have more info in the formal review.
March 17th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I note that a reference to Parallels was removed. I’m running XP on Paralells 3.0. Is MacDrive usable in this configuration?
March 17th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
MacDrive is not required for access to drives on the Mac, since Parallels and Fusion both have integrated shared drive access features. I had initially written the story mentioning the fact that you can use MacDrive that way, but then removed it since the developers of MacDrive had indicated that there were some issues running it in a VM and that they did not suggest it. I’d hate to be the reason why people break their computers
Thanks for asking!
May 13th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Thanks for the review. I’m looking at using MacDrive to read and write from a Windows XP PC to a HFS+ formatted HDD (EG WD MyBook Studio) which will be connected to an Airport Extreme Base station and used for shared storage with a Macbook and the Windows XP PC (all networked via the AEBS).
What I’m not 100% clear on is whether I can also WRITE to the HSF+ formatted HDD from the Windows PC using MacDrive, or only READ from it?
May 13th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Wow! I didn’t notice that before. I could have clarified that a lot more. Yes, MacDrive 7 does enable reading from and writing to HFS and HFS+ drives. Enjoy and thanks for pointing out that one little deficiency!
June 18th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Sorry I’m a bit confused. I had a Mac, but now have a PC. My hard drive has my backed up files from my Mac and my PC now can not read them. Will Macdrive work on my PC so that I can read & transfer them or is Macdrive solely to be used on Macs? Thank you.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
MacDrive 7 is a utility which you install on a Windows system which allows Windows to read and write HFS and HFS+ formatted drives. HFS/HFS+ is Apple’s drive format and Windows cannot read or write to it natively. In your situaltion, you’d probably remove the drive from your old Mac, insert it into a USB drive enclosure, and plug it into your PC. With MacDrive 7 installed, you’d be able to access all of those files. For clarity’s sake, MacDrive 7 is a Windows program and does not require an Apple Mac in order to operate. With that said, you would only use MacDrive 7 if you had HFS/HFS+ drives which you needed to access. One final point of clarification, MacDrive 7 doesn’t allow you to access HFS/HFS+ drives over a network, so you can’t plug your Mac into the network and view your files that way. That’s another process entirely.
I hope that helps!
June 18th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
It’s an external hard drive which I saved the items from my old Mac in. It’s when I plugged in this external hard drive into my new PC that it was not able to read anything. Thus I was wondering if MacDrive 7 would assist in this process.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
That it will, Robert. I’d download the demo version which will allow you to copy everything over. You can then format the old Mac drive to FAT32 and copy everything back. If you don’t have enough room and you have a CD/DVD burner, you can archive stuff there, as well.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:19 am
ok,guys,here’s my question.I am new to this stuff,shame on me.I have Windows Visa.I do music (disc jockey)I have a 80 gig LaCie with my songs loaded.I went and purchased a g3 Laptop.LaCie will not talk apparantly to Apple because Windows And Mac will not coexsist,apparantly.Will MacDrive 7 BE MY ANSWER? And what is this about Bootcamp.I’d appreciate some info out there,after all I’m only a DJ and not as gifted as the knowledeable ones.Can you help me
June 25th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Don’t count yourself out there, Jack! I may be a nerd, but put me into a DJ role and I’d likely scratch stuff, and not the hip-hop way, if you know what I mean! Here’s the breakdown. Windows understands something called FAT and NTFS. Macintosh understand something called HFS. Macs can also understand FAT, but cannot read NTFS. Windows machines can’t understand HFS at all. If you created a disc on a Mac using HFS you will need MacDrive 7 to read it. If, however, you created that external disc on a Windows machine and made sure it formatted as FAT32, a type of FAT, then both the Windows machine and Macintosh machine will be able to use it.
Boot Camp is a technology created by Apple which allows Windows to run on a Macintosh. This technology requires three things. One, you must have Mac OS X 10.5, also called Leopard. Two, you need to have an Intel-powered Mac as Boot Camp will not even install on a G4 or G5 powered system, much less run. Three, you need a copy of Windows XP or Windows Vista as Apple will not provide that part.
I hope that helps!
June 26th, 2008 at 4:31 am
Much appreciated,Tyler,but let me throw this at you.I bought this g3 because it was cheap and functionable.I am not going on line with it but merely going to use it as a medium to address my need for music. Had I thought about it,I never would’ve bought it,not thinking of the consequences.Do I really need all these things just to let LaCie talk to Mac! I’d proberly be better off just getting a used lap(WINDOWS) to supply my need.Remember,This Mac is only to supply my my music need,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Hope you’re still out there and can understand my need…thanks for trying to explain.I’m to old for this stuff !!
June 26th, 2008 at 4:39 am
By the way,Tyler,this g3 has panther 10.3.9 installed.Whatever that means.It’ll proberbly.Is there another solution or do I really need Tiger and Boot too?……thanks again……I’m humbled
June 26th, 2008 at 4:47 am
Sorry,meant Leopard.See what Tiger Woods can do to ya……..He’s everywhere!
June 26th, 2008 at 10:15 am
I’d like, if we can, identify the PowerBook in question. What color is it? If its white, does it have a tray loader or slot loader CD-ROM drive? What is the processor speed and exactly what version of the operating system are you using? You can tell this by clicking on the Apple menu and selecting the About This Mac… option at the top of the menu.
As for the complexity of using a Mac, its not there. I will explain. All you need to do to be able to use that external drive with both Mac and Windows is to format the drive as FAT32. This is easy to do. On a Mac:
1. From the Desktop, open your hard drive (likey called Macintosh HD).
2. Open the Applications folder.
3. Open the Utilities folder.
4. Open the icon called Disk Utility.
5. Plug in your USB drive. It will mount on the desktop and should appear as a yellow and white icon with a USB logo on the top. You will also see this drive appear in Disk Utility.
6. Open the disk on the desktop and copy anything you have in there to a folder on your desktop. Verify that the contents match.
7. Return to Disk Utility and select the USB drive icon from the list.
8. Click on the tab in the right pane that is marked Partition.
9. Select “1 Partition” from the Volume Scheme menu.
10. Select MS-DOS (FAT) from the Format menu.
11. MAKE DOUBLY SURE YOU ARE WORKING ON THE CORRECT DISC. If you have to, unplug it and plug it back in a few times to watch it appear and disappear in Disk Utility to you are absolutely sure you are selecting the correct disk. I cannot and will not be held responsible if you delete your hard drive, though Mac OS X won’t really let you. Another way to tell is by looking at the bottom of Disk Utility where there is a list of information. Under the item labeled Connection Bus it should say USB.
12. Once you are absolutely sure you’ve left nothing important on the disk and you have selected the correct disk, click the Apply button in the lower right corner of the Disk Utility window.
You will not have a FAT32 drive capable of working both on Windows and Mac systems without issue. Copy your stuff back to the newly formatted drive and you’ll be all set. No software, no money spent, no switching to Windows.
June 26th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
I get to #5.By USB,you mean,I think,plug in the LaCie?…….I plug in the LaCie and no USB icon…………..Look, I don’t want to perplex you with this problem.You,ve been nice enough with me to work with me on this.I’ll bring it to someone who can assist the matter………..thanks again……….great site,great BIO Jack
I’ll tell others ’bout your site,but it’s way beyond me,but I’ll visit and I’m sure I’ll learn.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Sorry I couldn’t help, Jack. There are times when what is expected doesn’t happen. If you are in the LA area, send an email to the Sensei (look up at the top of the site) and I’ll find someone for you. Cheers!
June 26th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
you did help,Tyler.I learned much today and it’s due to people like you.I just print pictures and play around with music.But you stimulate curiosities in me and got me searching more into what makes Mac and PC tick….I enjoyed your assistance and I’ll get someone to fix this thing.I’ll get back to you
I retired from the phone company in 1996.I saw iron wire, 4 party lines, panel office (mechanical) evolve into xbar then to ESS in 1971.Then CM8 OUTSIDE PLANT,evolved to SLC 96,then to LITESPAN 2000 which was replaced by BROADBAND IN 1994……….NOW THIS STUFF! What an amazing world we live in !!…………Intrigueing times we live in………..someone like you has to explain it to we little ones…………….thanks again God Bless You
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:58 am
Hi, Tyler,
Thanks for an informative review. I just purchased a new MacBook, and I’m interested in installing Windows (probably XP) on it, so I’ve been researching Boot Camp and Parallels. The review of both of those programs from notebookreview.com led me here, and as I understand it, I’ll get the most functionality for the lowest cost if I combine Boot Camp (already installed on my computer) with MacDrive 7 ($50 — sweet deal!). The school system I work for is all Windows-based, so I’m keen on the idea of being able to switch operating systems as seamlessly as possible. The less converting, rebooting, burning, and tracking-that-flash-drive-I-keep-losing I have to do, the better! I know that one of the differences between Boot Camp and Parallels is that Boot Camp requires a reboot to switch the OS, where Parallels actually runs both OSes at once. With MacDrive 7, will Boot Camp still require the reboot?
Thanks!
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:25 am
Thanks for the comment, Barb. The short answer is yes. Each operating system has what is called a file system, and sometimes many. Windows uses the File Allocation Table, more commonly called FAT, and the NT File System, called NTFS. Macs use the Hierarchical File System, also known as HFS. Linux uses EXT2 and EXT3 and the list just goes on and on. MacDrive 7’s only skill is to allow Windows-based operating systems like Windows XP, Windows Vista, and so on, to read from and write to HFS discs. Windows normally can’t do that. In a practical sense, MacDrive 7 lets you use your Mac-side files when you are in Windows, but it doesn’t allow you to run Windows like Parallels and Fusion do, nor does it replace Boot Camp.
I’ll apply a metaphor. When you go buy a new printer and bring it home, you take it out of the box, follow the instructions to install it, and eventually you install the drivers so that the computer knows how to use the new printer. Think of the Mac drive as a printer and MacDrive 7 is the driver.
I should also stress that MacDrive 7 isn’t necessary if you will be running Windows in Parallels or Fusion. Those programs, which allow you to run Windows in a window on the Mac desktop just like any other application, have their own built-in functions which allow you to work with your Mac files.
I hope that helps!
July 11th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Hi,again,Tyler……..shame on me for buying the G3.It won’t serve my purpose……..I went and bought a iomega minimax that serves both windows and mac….works fine.Then I went and bought a m-audio x-session.Between these two tools,I was supposed to drive a analog 1/8 pin to 2 1/2 pin,I guess..But there are no allowances on the G3 or the Session.Now what…….I was told by someone who was familiar with the G3 lap to buy the Session and that these toys would compromise my need………..now I’m back to square 1……If nothing else I,ll have to buy another lap with out audios 1/8 pin……do you have an answer………It’s ok ,if not……….thanks…… Jack
August 5th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I need help… My question is: can I use MacDrive 7 to “convert” Windows drivers to be used on a Mac?
August 6th, 2008 at 8:11 am
That’s an excellent question, but no. MacDrive 7 is an HFS/HFS+ file system facilitator for Windows so that you can read and write to Mac drives. For instance, let’s say that you purchase a 250GB USB drive and format it for use on your Mac. If you plug it into your Windows systems or Windows in Boot Camp, Windows will not be able to read or write to the drive. When you install MacDrive 7, that drive immediately becomes available to both read from and write to. I hope that helps!
August 31st, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Hello!,
August 31st, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Hi!,
September 16th, 2008 at 10:24 am
“That’s an excellent question, but no. MacDrive 7 is an HFS/HFS+ file system facilitator for Windows so that you can read and write to Mac drives. For instance, let’s say that you purchase a 250GB USB drive and format it for use on your Mac. If you plug it into your Windows systems or Windows in Boot Camp, Windows will not be able to read or write to the drive. When you install MacDrive 7, that drive immediately becomes available to both read from and write to. I hope that helps!”
Actually I have a macbook pro with bootcamp my external is formated hfs+ and connected via firewire. I can use it OSX but not windows. If I right click on my computer and go to manage the computer does see it but recognizes it as unformated. I installed the trial of Macdrive 7 and it WILL NOT let me access my drive….WTH am I missing here—because it too seems to be able to find it in its disk management utility but it I still cant get into my hard drive in windows–????????????????????????
September 16th, 2008 at 10:28 am
EDIT
“If I right click on my computer and go to manage the computer does see it but recognizes it as unformated”
*sorry—I meant (unknown partition) not unformated—
September 17th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
No SuRRenDeR, you’re having an interesting problem which I have not encountered. I, too, have an HFS+ formatted external drive, but it is USB. I have serious doubts that the cause of this issue is the transport, but one can never say anything without at least injecting some doubt. I would contact MediaFour support and tell them that you’d like to purchase it, but can’t get it to work. I can’t imagine they wouldn’t be more than happy to give you a hand.
September 18th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Well Ill try switching to the usb connection and see if makes a difference with the Macdrive software.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 am
Nope —usb or firewire same situation…….(I am not going to format the drive using the disk manger in windows either or Ill loose the 100+gigs of stuff i already have on it)……Windows absolutely wont recognize my Western Digital Mybook studio edition drive (hfs+ formatted) with or without this software. In order for Macdrive to work —windows needs to first assign the drive a drive letter———————————–> BUT windows wont assign it a drive letter if it’s hfs+ formatted disk….this is a total catch 22!
I was so hopefull now im just peaved!
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I feel your pain. With MacDrive 7 enabled, it should recognize your HFS+ drive just like it does with FAT formatted drives. Give MediaFour support a call. They’ll help you, even though you haven’t purchased it yet.