Anyone working with PC AND Mac simultaneously?

[huguito]

I just got an Imac, always had done my editing and printing from windows machines

My pictures live on a external hard drive

I got one of my hard drives and plugg it onthe Mac via USB, I can see all the pictures in Bridge and Lightroom, I noticed that I can't rename the drive. Is there anything else that can't be done if the same setof images get edits from both plataforms?

Can I use the external hard drive I was using on the PC, and just plug on the MAC?

Does something need formatting on a specific way so I will be able to work on either machine? I use Photoshop and Lightroom, both by subscription to Adobe

Thanks

Hugo

[Jager]

PC's and Macs use different filesystems, Hugo (usually NTFS on PC's and HFS+ on Macs).  You can use FAT32 as a format that either will read, but I don't recommend it for any drive that is doing anything other than temporary transfers from one system to another.  FAT32-formatted drives are not a very good solution as working drives, in other words.

It's not very hard to move files back and forth from PC to Mac and vice versa.  But it's generally not a good idea to use a common drive between those platforms.  There are some hacks that purport to present a common file format, but given that the file format is the heart and soul of anyone's digital storage, I wouldn't advise it.

[Mark Lindquist]

We do have both systems in our studios.  If you want to transition between machines quickly and easily, look into Network Attached Storage (NAS).  

We've used NetGear and DROBO.

Here's an easy unit to work with:

READY NAS

Once the NAS unit is on your Network, keep all your photo assetts there.

Both computers can access everything easily.

[huguito]

Mark
Thanks but your solution is way more involvede that I can or want
Photography doesn't make my living and I am not tryingto add a Mac to my Pc, its a replacement for the PC

So, if the drives I have have been all copied out of the PC, where the master folderof pictures live for now.

What are the steps to create a drive with a copy of all the pictures compatible with the Mac

I just come back from buying a 2TB external to create the external for the mac

Hugo

[Mark Lindquist]

Hugo, if I read you correctly,

Format the new empty external drive for the Mac.

Go to Applications>utilities>Disk Utility> Erase Drive.

(There are several ways to do this).

Right click on the newly formatted drive > get info.  Name the drive.

Plug in old drive with photos and transfer folders to new drive.

Simple, if you can see both drives - the new one and the old one.

If not, see if you can transfer the images using another program.

[huguito]

Thanks Mark, that's exactly the info I was looking for.

If I understand correctly, the files and folders will remain unchanged and can be read and edit by either machine.
But the drive itself has to be formated specifically for the MAc in order to work. Is that correct?

[Mark Lindquist]

Hugo, sorry, but no, unfortunately.  Jager's post is correct.  Only Fat 32 format lets both windows and mac have access, and has limitations.  Not recommended, unfortunately.

If you format the new drive for the mac and transfer your files to it, then you're limited to using the drive with just the mac, unless you have a network and can share the external drive over the network. 

Now you can install a program called VMWare, and put a windows operating system on it that runs concurrently and simultaneously with your mac, but it becomes alas, probably more complicated than you want.

I know what you want and what you had hoped to do, but sorry, the simple solution that is stable, is just not there.  I wish I could say it would work like you want, but no, it won't.

I guess you could try something like this:

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/

Here's what you would like to do, but like I say - limited and not recommended:

http://youtu.be/e5EbK25kQ7s

[Tony Jay]

IMHO the solution is very simple:

There are any number of free utility programs (as well as more sophisticated commercial versions), easily downloadable to either Mac or Windows machines that allow either MAC to understand and read/write to NTFS-formatted drives or Windows machines to read/write to HFS+-formatted drives.
Off the top of my head I cannot remember specific products but there are many and I found what I wanted with the simplest of Google searches.

I alternate EHDD's between my MBP and Windows workstation seamlessly.

Tony Jay

[howardm]

the Mac NTFS driver is made by Paragon Software.  It's inexpensive but there is a lower performance $0 NTFS driver too

[Jim Kasson]

We do have both systems in our studios.  If you want to transition between machines quickly and easily, look into Network Attached Storage (NAS).  

We've used NetGear and DROBO.

I second what Mark said. I have used Drobos, but no longer do so. My current favorite NAS boxes are the Synology ones. I can go into detail if you're interested.

Jim

[huguito]

Thanks Jim, but your solution sounds very good but also very complicated for what I do.
I am planning to get rid of the PC and use only the Mac for my photos

So I will format a new external I just got on the Mac, copy the photo files and folders to it and make sure everything works before shutting down the PC for good.

Hugo

[Phil Indeblanc]

The NAS recommendation maybe not be needed now. But if you plan to do lots of shoots for a long time, it maybe something to consider. The reason why I think it is important is because you have your photos on a single drive. With a NAS with 4 HDD/for example, you can setup the NAS so there is always 1 drive that can fail, yet you would still have all your content. You can do multiple RAID format methods(depending on the NAS).
If your single drive fails, you could easily be looking at $800(for a 2TB) data recovery bill. Or worse, they maybe unrecoverable.  So a NAS that maybe costly, does give you something. Unless you really don't have a lot of content, and you are a very religious person about backing up regularly.
This also gives you the option to separate the tasks you do to different computers. For example, running print emails, connecting devices, and more Word, or Excel related applications on the PC, and share the screen and components, while leaving your new Mac as the dedicated editing machine.
 
But if you are an occasional user and don't have so much data to deal with, and can't be bothered...that is easy to understand.....you should be perfectly fine with a single drive...... and backing up in automated regular intervals....Which might get you into a TimeMachine(another cost/complication :-/)

[huguito]

Thanks Phill for your suggestions.
I currently have about 2 TB of images.
Normally keep one working drive that I use and one more drive I backup to anytime I bring more images from a shoot or after few edits.
The backup drive at home gets swap with one more I have at my office.once a month or so.
A bit cumbersome but once you get used to just takes a few minutes to back up

Hugo

[Hans Kruse]

Thanks Phill for your suggestions.
I currently have about 2 TB of images.
Normally keep one working drive that I use and one more drive I backup to anytime I bring more images from a shoot or after few edits.
The backup drive at home gets swap with one more I have at my office.once a month or so.
A bit cumbersome but once you get used to just takes a few minutes to back up

Hugo

Exfat is a compatible format between Windows and Mac. In addition NTFS is natively supported by OSX for read and write. Write enabled needs settings where you need terminal to do it. You can google for that. If you don't like this Exfat seems like a perfectly good solution.

If you have the Lightroom catalogue on the external drive you can use this on both the Mac and your Windows machine. I have not tried if previews are compatible for a long time. I started using both Windows and Mac when I got my first MacBook Pro in 2009. Soon after I switched entirely to the Mac as there was no real advantage using the Windows desktop. I use an external monitor, keyboard and mouse hooked up to the MacBook Pro and this has served as my desktop ever since.

[howardm]

There's a reason it's not enabled by default.

CNET sez..........

Keep in mind that the writing ability of Apple's NTFS driver has not been thoroughly tested, and though this will enable write support using Apple's driver, there may be some limitations or unknown behaviors with the driver, so use it with caution. If you are dealing with important data, or need to access numerous different NTFS volumes, then third-party drivers may still be the best (if not most convenient) choice.

[Garnick]

Hello Hugo,

It would seem that most of the repliers have somehow missed the fact that you don't actually need/want a drive that will be used by both the PC and the Mac.  What I'm getting from your post is that the Mac will indeed be "replacing" the PC.  If that is the case all you will have to do is format the drive(s) for Mac, which you would do in the "Disk Utilities" app found in Applications/Utilities.  I use "Disk Utilities" often, so I keep the icon in the Dock.  The best type of formatting for your purposes would be "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)".  That format will work for anything you need to do on the Mac, including setting up an OS or simply saving and backing up your files(documents or graphics).  The Mac will read any of your PC related files and treat them the same as any other format.  All of my work is done on a Mac.  I handle many image files in my business for retouching, printing, etc, most of which are PC format, not a problem.  When I create a new document for a project there's always the choice of saving as a Mac file or PC.  I always save as PC, since that is more universal than Mac.  I use PCs as well for some applications, but the vast majority of my work and private computer time is spent on the Mac, both MacBook Pro and Mac Pro tower.  There are several reasons for that, non of which I will list here.  No point in opening up that old debate again.  The NAS and Drobo approaches work very well for those who have a lot of files to deal with, but it would seem that you have already a backup regimen that works well for your purposes.  No need to complicate things any further.  I hope this is of some help Hugo.

Gary          

[huguito]

Hi Garnick

You are the first one to really catch on the goal I have to start with. You get extra points for that 

I got one of the externals formatted last night, using the MAC OS Extended Journaled, whatever journaled means I don't know.
Once done I was able to renamed with no problem and then left it overnight copying the files and folders.
This morning I formatted the other external, same way, and left it copying files and folders.
When I make it home this evening I will test both, if everything OK, I will delete my Lightroom preferences so a folder for the backups can be designated on the external that will remain connected to the machine.
Tomorrow I will bring the other external to the office so it is off site just for extra insurance.

And so far that's all,now to work on the next goal, getting my 9600 and the Imac to play nice together and profile my papers with color munki

I can't stop getting amazed with how beautiful images look in that screen.

Thanks to all for your help and comments

Hugo

[Garnick]

Hi Garnick

You are the first one to really catch on the goal I have to start with. You get extra points for that 

I got one of the externals formatted last night, using the MAC OS Extended Journaled, whatever journaled means I don't know.
Once done I was able to renamed with no problem and then left it overnight copying the files and folders.
This morning I formatted the other external, same way, and left it copying files and folders.
When I make it home this evening I will test both, if everything OK, I will delete my Lightroom preferences so a folder for the backups can be designated on the external that will remain connected to the machine.
Tomorrow I will bring the other external to the office so it is off site just for extra insurance.

And so far that's all,now to work on the next goal, getting my 9600 and the Imac to play nice together and profile my papers with color munki

I can't stop getting amazed with how beautiful images look in that screen.

Thanks to all for your help and comments

Hugo

Hello again Hugo,

Thanks for the points, I can use them.  I'm glad you are now having some success with your new iMac, I'm sure you'll love it.  Also glad to know that someone is still using a 9600, a true workhorse for sure.  Even though my printer of choice for the past 4+ years has been the 9900, I just let my last 7600 go early last year.  At one point I had two 7600s(MK & PK), and I was still using the last one for smaller MK jobs.  Great machines and I hope you have good luck with your profiling task.  I still have the Bill Atkinson Profiles for the 76/9600 printers and they did a great job(better than the Epson versions initially).  If you are interested I can send them to you, but I imagine you will be creating some very usable profiles of your own.  Of course, due to the age of the printer it's likely a much better approach to create your own profiles.  I assume you are fully familiar with the 9600, but if you need any help let me know.  I did a couple of modifications on my 7600s that made a regular maintenance schedule much easier.  Have a good time with your iMac/9600 combo Hugo.

Gary