Can Windows 7 Read a Mac hard drive?

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mr19th

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Jun 17, 2022
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I have spent hours trying to figure this out and have found myself going in circles. We have mac hard drives that we need to copy files from, but the computer I'm using is a PC with Windows 7.

I tired downloading and using HFSExplorer, but it didn't see anything. I then tried TransMac and it didn't see anything.

I thought about the idea of using an external hard drive reader, but figured I would be in the same position I'm in now. The PC can't read the mac formatted drive. Is there an external drive drive with a program that can allow a PC to read a Mac hard drive & vise versa? For PC drives, I use a basic hard drive reader that I connect via USB port. The wires connected give the drive power and a connection to the PC. A new Hard Drive appears and I can see all of the folders/files in that hard drive. When I connect an Apple hard drive, I can hear the drive getting power, but no drive appearing in Windows.

What do I need to get the files from a mac hard drive? I just want the audio files, the photos/videos,... I don't want the programs or anything like that.

Thanks for any help,
Sean
 
mr19th said:
I tired downloading and using HFSExplorer, but it didn't see anything. I then tried TransMac and it didn't see anything.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the drive was formatted in HFS or HFS+ and not exFAT which is the only way that the two OS can communicate with each other.
 
Do you know for sure the file system is HFS or a guess
If a guess I would download a Ubuntu distro to a USB
Boot from the USB - you DO NOT have to install Ubuntu it will run from the usb.
See if you can read the drive.
https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#1-overview NO install needed

Or here is a Youtbe on how to make the usb

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Copy your data to an external drive or another computer/nas.

Insert the usb or cd/dvd and boot your system. You may have to change bios settings to boot from the usb or cd/dvd (every computer is different) We can help with this.

When the computer boots choose TRY UBUNTU and let the system boot.
 
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