How to make your Mac OS X recognize, read, and write to NTFS volumes

[Giaguara]

How to make your Mac OS X recognize, read, and write to NTFS volumes.

1. Download MacFUSE package dmg from google (free) :
http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/
Install it; restart of the mac is required.

2. Download and install NTFS-3g package (free, and no restart required)
http://chucker.mystfans.com/opensource/ntfs-3g/

(3. If you get an error in installing NTFS-3g, rename MacFUSE Core.pkg to MacFUSE.pkg
Macintosh HD/Library/Receipts/MacFUSE Core.pkg and then repeat step 2)

4. Plug in your NTFS formatted USB hard drive or connect to your Windows share or user or however you plan to use the NTFS volume, and enjoy the read and write access.


Cost : free

Read and write access works; if you need for some folders or files execute access, the best way to add it is to chmod the file or folder in question from the Mac side with terminal. (chmod u+x)

To have read and write access to NTFS volumes from Mac is good not only when you have access or have to use a NTFS formatted hard drive that is to be shared with a Windows computer, but also when you have vms running that are on NTFS formatted virtual volumes.

Also [HOWTO] Make Windows see HFS+ formatted drives
+ HFSExplorer can enable you to see the HFS+ formatted drives on Windows (free) [link]

[tlu85]

Hello, thank you in advance for taking the time to help me!

I'm a new mac user so please bear with me! I've heard from friends that NTFS format external hard drives are read only, but macfuse will work so it's read & write.

So when I got my new external hard drive I installed MacFuse & NTFS 3-G before I plugged it in. When I first plugged it in the mac fuse worked (the format on get info would read NTFS MacFuse or something similar) & I could read & write, but could not use Time Machine. Since this was the main reason I got a hard drive, but I still want to be able to transfer files back & forth from my old PC laptop & my new Mac, I partitioned it w/ 150 gb for the mac format to use only for Time Machine & left 600 gb in NTFS format since I figured the macfuse would let me read & write in that segment.

However when I plugged my newly partitioned hard drive back in, the format on the NTFS section no longer contains the wording macfuse, & it will allow me to read only. I tried re-installing macfuse & ntfs-3g as I did before but it won't work.

Please help!

[Satcomer]

If you want a painless/native like read/write to NTFS then you will have to pony up $39 US to Paragon Software's NTFS for Mac® OS X.

[roderick]

Hi I am new to MAC
I tried what you said but, I didn't restart after installing macFuse and the problem is now, I can't know if it's installed or not and I can't even see the hard disk. If I turn it off, mac says that I did an illegal action but I can't see the icon.
Can you help?
thank you

[monstrecharmant]

Installed both applications to Mac. Before I did this I could read from NTFS, but not write. Now the Mac doesn't recognize the NTFS drive at all. Any ideas?

[roderick]

Installed both applications to Mac. Before I did this I could read from NTFS, but not write. Now the Mac doesn't recognize the NTFS drive at all. Any ideas?

Both applications? MacFuse & NTFS 3-G?
This happened to me too. But I disconnected the HD, then repaired it with Disk utility, everything went well. Now I can write and read.

[monstrecharmant]

Can see the NTFS drive again, but still can't write.

[roderick]

Try to connect it to a windows based pc and check for errors. Then do the same again on mac, it's supposed to work.
Do you get any error messages?