NTFS - external drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kev
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Kev

Hi everyone,

Using NTFS on a large external drive seems a given these days (the parts
for my first will be here soon). I do use NTFS for one partition on my
internal drive and have access control set up. Works like a charm. But I
have never thought about whether or not something like this would work
externally.

Assuming it did work, if the drive were plugged into another computer
(including OSX) would it be accessable? Im thinking that since it normally
depends on a proper login, what happens on a computer where there isnt one
(so it doesnt work) or when access is needed (so it does)? Pardon if I did
not describe the question so that it makes sense.

Yes... Im Googling too ;o)
 
Kev said:
Hi everyone,

Using NTFS on a large external drive seems a given these days (the parts
for my first will be here soon). I do use NTFS for one partition on my
internal drive and have access control set up. Works like a charm. But I
have never thought about whether or not something like this would work
externally.

Assuming it did work, if the drive were plugged into another computer
(including OSX) would it be accessable? Im thinking that since it normally
depends on a proper login, what happens on a computer where there isnt one
(so it doesnt work) or when access is needed (so it does)? Pardon if I did
not describe the question so that it makes sense.

Yes... Im Googling too ;o)
Click to expand...

you can read and write to the drive from any NT based machine such as NT4,
win2k or XP

a win9x machine will not "see" an NTFS partition

i am not a MAC person...but from what i've heard OS-X should be able to read
the drive...
just not write to it (double check me on that)
 
Plugging the external drive into an OS X machine you'll see it just
fine as NTFS.
Click to expand...

thank you both....

what if the drive has permissions set.... if that is even possible. does it
prompt for one? It doesnt do this for them on internal drive. you either
have access or you dont.
 
I don't think that happens with OS X simply because it is an external drive
and so the permissions do not get associated with one particular user. It's
as if you are using a USB thumb drive and you copied an Appleworks file to
it from one user. You can take that copied file and open it on another
computer without a problem of permissions.
 
In message <[email protected]> Kev
thank you both....

what if the drive has permissions set.... if that is even possible. does it
prompt for one? It doesnt do this for them on internal drive. you either
have access or you dont.
Click to expand...

Permissions will generally only be honoured by the machine (or any
machine on the same NT/AD domain).

Permissions are relatively pointless on a removeable drive though, all
that is required to bypass NTFS permissions is administrator access on
the machine in which the drive is currently installed. In other words,
NTFS permissions rely on physical security to be effective.

If you need to come something private, NTFSv5 offers encryption which
cannot be trivially bypassed simply by removing the drive.
 
Permissions will generally only be honoured by the machine (or any
machine on the same NT/AD domain).

Permissions are relatively pointless on a removeable drive though, all
that is required to bypass NTFS permissions is administrator access on
the machine in which the drive is currently installed. In other words,
NTFS permissions rely on physical security to be effective.

If you need to come something private, NTFSv5 offers encryption which
cannot be trivially bypassed simply by removing the drive.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Didnt think about admin access somewhere else.
 
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