Mac flash drive to Windows

**StealthFox** · June 20, 2012, 10:40 AM

Okay, so a work colleague has sent me some files on a USB flash drive. The problem is that she uses Mac and I'm using Windows and apparently she did not format the drive to play with both systems. Is there any way around this issue, other than my finding a Mac or getting back in contact with this person? (she is a real pain to deal with) Does anyone know of any software that might let me open up the flash drive?

**PoleCat** · June 20, 2012, 11:39 AM

Is she using Window programs on that Mac? What type of files are they - Excel, Powerpoint etc.? If so there may be an easy option.

**StealthFox** · June 20, 2012, 11:58 AM

I'm not sure what programs she uses. I'm fairly certain it's not a windows program though. The files are video files and I don't imagine she would be using a windows media programs for multimedia production.

**irishron** · June 20, 2012, 12:05 PM

If it's in QuickTime, posssibly this may help. http://www.brothersoft.com/downloads...me-to-wmv.html

**StealthFox** · June 20, 2012, 12:12 PM

Thanks for the link, but I didn't see anything there that would help me. The problem isn't that I can't open the files, the problem is that I can't even open the flash drive to get to the files. When I plug it in the computer it tells me that it needs to be formated, which would obviously erase everything on it.

**irishron** · June 20, 2012, 01:01 PM

Oops.

**PoleCat** · June 20, 2012, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by StealthFox

Thanks for the link, but I didn't see anything there that would help me. The problem isn't that I can't open the files, the problem is that I can't even open the flash drive to get to the files. When I plug it in the computer it tells me that it needs to be formated, which would obviously erase everything on it.

A quick search brings up this - MacDrive. I've never had need to use it but it looks like the right idea and has a trial version. Otherwise there are other searches out there. Good luck!

**StealthFox** · June 20, 2012, 10:42 PM

I actually already tried MacDrive.

It wasn't recognizing the flash drive, unless I wasn't doing something right.

**PoleCat** · June 20, 2012, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by StealthFox

I actually already tried MacDrive.

It wasn't recognizing the flash drive, unless I wasn't doing something right.

Alright. Then try this - PearPC. It claims to be an emulator capable of reading OS X 10.3. They do say the word "caveat" though so your guess is as good as mine.

I'll have to add this last bit though - Even though the person you're dealing with is unpleasant it might be best to contact her and figure out a mutual exchange. We can play web searches and what-ifs all day but it won't beat the time it takes to tell the harridan to give you files you can read. Just my two cents. Good luck!

**StealthFox** · June 20, 2012, 11:04 PM

Thanks, I'll try PearPC when I get back to work tomorrow. I found out that one of my coworkers friends has a Mac, so if it doesn't work I'll just get him to help me with it instead of getting back in contact with one who sent the files. It's a really long story. She's screwed up so many times and she takes forever to get anything done. These files were supposed to be delivered last December, but she kept coming up with excuses and we just now got them today. There is much more to it than that; it gets way more complicated.

Needless to say though, we'll never do business with her again.

Anyways, like I said I'll try PearPC tomorrow.

**PoleCat** · June 20, 2012, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by StealthFox

...[snip]..It's a really long story. She's screwed up so many times and she takes forever to get anything done. These files were supposed to be delivered last December, but she kept coming up with excuses and we just now got them today. There is much more to it than that; it gets way more complicated.

Needless to say though, we'll never do business with her again....

Ah. I see now - useless contractors. Then by all means avoid her at all costs and look for any other route you can find. After that look for people that can fix her work - it's likely bad. I may be saying this out of past bitterness so take it as you will.

Good luck!

**AqD** · June 21, 2012, 04:02 AM

Apple Bootcamp does that. However, it'd very likely to mess up your system, like marking disks coming from one usb slot as "mac" forever, or other weird problems.

**karamazovmm** · June 21, 2012, 04:40 AM

the problem here is that the thumb drive is probaby using HFS+ (filesystem), and windows without tweaks cant read it. However if you are running win XP, it migt be that she formated the drive on exFAT, and you can read that on windows.

I would search for HFS+ in windows