[SOLVED] Recommended partitions and format for WD 3TB external HD

[apollolancer]

Hello, I juz bought a new WD My Book Essential 3TB and I want to know if I want to partition and reformat it, what are the best recommendations for formatting. One partition for Mac OSX Journaled and the other two as MSDOS(FAT), or two partitions for Extended Journaled and FAT32 for storage for my MacBook Pro with 320GB internal HD space. I also wanna use it for Time Machine Backups as well as storage as well... Thanks.

 

[Ijack]

What computer(s) do you want to use it with? If only for a Mac then stick with OS X partitions - why bother with FAT?

 

[das_stig]

1.5 GB OSX
1.5 GB NTFS

Use MacFuse @ http://shadowofged.blogspot.com/2007/03/ntfs-3g-for-mac-os-x.html you can read/write to NTFS partition or NTFS-3G @ http://www.ntfs-3g.org/

For Windows to read/write OSX partitions, you need MacDrive @ http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive/

 

[tyler11]

If you want to create partition to install other operating system on Mac system then sure you can do so. You will need to use Disk utility for creating partition mac. For secure creation of partition without disturbing the previous one OS, you will need to use third party software.
http://www.partitionmac.com

 

[apollolancer]

Best answer selected by apollolancer.

 

[mattmattsk]

I just bought a WD 3TB My book Essential to set up a media drive to use with my XBOX 360. Do I need to format it a certain way to be able to store and stream media through my console?

 

[Ijack]

You need to start your own thread in the appropriate forum for starters.