Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: katmat on April 04, 2009, 02:00:38 PM

Title: HELP Needed With External Hard Drive
Post by: katmat on April 04, 2009, 02:00:38 PM

I am using a Mac Mini (Power PC), OS X, Version 10.5.6 with a Seagate 500 GB Free Agent External Hard Drive.

Here is my problem...

I always use my external hard drive for my iTunes library, pictures, home movies, etc.  It is always connected and always on.  However, STUPID, stupid me disconnected it today and connected it to my daughter's PC (running Windows XP).  I was trying to remove a large 17 GB AVI file that my husband put on her computer.  I hooked up my drive and of course, Windows XP didn't see it.  So, I went in (with the help of the 'if you don't already know this - you shouldn't be doing this' Windows Wizard) and gave it a drive name, etc.  Basically, I think I "partitioned" it and reformatted it for a PC.

Now, my Mac will not recognize it.  It does say "S.M.A.R.T. Status: Not Supported." 

Okay, I think I get what dummy me did - I reformatted my external hard drive to a PC.  My question is, how do I reformat it back to my Mac - WITHOUT ERASING what is on it?  My stuff is still on there, as it says there is only about 232 GB available, which means it's still there.

Would someone HELP me?????  I'm not the best with computers (and apparently not the sharpest crayon in the box today) and I am really scared that I have just lost my entire iTunes library, all of my home movies, pictures, etc.!

Thank you for reading this and for any help/advise you can offer!

Title: Re: HELP Needed With External Hard Drive
Post by: patio on April 04, 2009, 02:28:52 PM

Formatting or "reformatting" destroys all data...sorry.

Title: Re: HELP Needed With External Hard Drive
Post by: katmat on April 07, 2009, 12:45:07 PM

Thanks for your response.  However, my data was not lost...I downloaded a program called Data Rescue II and it got back everything I had on the external hard drive. Whew!! :-*

Thanks again!

Title: Re: HELP Needed With External Hard Drive
Post by: Aegis on April 07, 2009, 01:42:02 PM

Proof, once again, that sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good!   ;)

(I oughta know...   ::))