2:55 'I own a SimpleTech 320GB Black Cherry Hard Drive and needed it to run on both Mac and PC for school. I thought it would be pretty helpful if you made a video showing how to format a disc to run on all OS's using Mac OS X.' First, Here's why there's a difference. All data has to be put in a file format that the operating system can read off the hard drive. OS X uses a file format called HFS+ to write its data. Windows can't read or write HFS+ data natively. However, OS X and Windows both can read and write to a format called FAT32, which used to be used for Windows all the way back into the MS-DOS days.

APFS (Apple File System) - This is the new file system that Apple bought to Macs with High Sierra and it will be the default if you are using that version of macOS. Both Windows and Mac can read drives formatted with this. The main difference is it can store files over 4GB. This legacy file system is the next generation of FAT that comes a long way from the DOS era. Almost all USB flash drive comes pre-formatted with FAT 32 While Mac users can correctly choose the file system to ensure compatibility with other OSes, most Windows users don’t even know the existence.

Most modern Windows systems use the NTFS file format, which OS X can read, but not write to. So your best bet for compatibility is FAT32. To format a drive as FAT32. First, the Windows way and then the Mac way. Windows way Plug in your external drive to the Windows machine. Go to My Computer and right-click on the correct drive letter. Make sure you are choosing the right drive!

You're about to erase all data on the drive you choose. Select format and choose format. Under file system choose FAT 32. Then press Start. Pres OK to affirm you really want to destroy the data on this hard drive. And sit and wait while it formats.

Mac way For OS X, connect your drive. Launch Disk Utility. I usually just press Command-Space and type 'disk utility' into Spotlight to find it. Click on the drive you just connected. Again MAKE SURE you click on the right one. Then Choose Erase. Remember, you are destroying every last shred of data on this USB drive.

Under Volume format, choose MS-DOS (FAT) That's FAT32. And then press erase. And press erase again to confirm that you REALLY want to erase it. Now here's the issue with FAT32. You cannot create a file larger than 4GB.

If you're mainly working with Web pages or audio, that's fine. Lightscribe for mac and disc burner. But if you're doing large video files, it's not going to work. NTFS can handle files larger than 4GB, and OS X can read to it, it just can't write to it. There is way around that by using the free MacFUSE to help OS X to write to NTFS. See my video called Read and Write NTFS in OS X for more info on that.