- Install Windows Program On Mac
- Using A Mac In A Windows Environment
- Running Mac On Windows Pc
- Free Programs For Mac Computers
Windows can’t normally read Mac-formatted drives, and will offer to erase them instead. But third-party tools fill the gap and provide access to drives formatted with Apple’s HFS+ file system on Windows. This also allows you to restore Time Machine backups on Windows.
If you know you’re going to use a drive on both Mac and Windows, you should use the exFAT file system, which is compatible with both. But if you didn’t foresee that, you may have formatted your drive with Apple’s HFS Plus, which Windows can’t read by default. In fact, some manufacturers sell “Mac” drives pre-formatted with this Mac-only file system.
Don’t Format the Drive! (Yet)
Whether it’s for a phone, desktop, or the cloud, Visual Studio makes it easier to build great software on PC and Mac. Your subscription includes virtually all Microsoft software, plus Azure credits, Pluralsight courses, technical support and more. Your subscription will not be renewed until you activate it. The dock in Mac OS X is intuitive, customizable, and aesthetically pleasing, which is a stark difference from its clunky Windows alternative. In fact, in Windows, it takes both the Start menu and taskbar to accomplish what Apple's dock does—but it doesn't have to be like that.
When you connect a Mac-formatted drive to Windows, you’ll be informed that “you need to format the disk in drive X: before you can use it.” Don’t click the “Format disk” button or Windows will erase the contents of the drive–click “Cancel”!
This message appears because Windows doesn’t understand Apple’s HFS+ file system. That’s fine, because other applications do. Just don’t format the drive until you get the important files off the drive.
Of course, if the drive doesn’t have any important files on it, you can go ahead and format it. But be absolutely sure there’s nothing you need before you do.
Option One: HFSExplorer Is Free and Basic
RELATED:How to Restore Files From a Time Machine Backup on Windows
If you only need to get a couple files off the drive, we recommend HFSExplorer. It’s the only completely free way to access a Mac-formatted drive. It does require Java, however, so you’ll have to install that first. Then, install HFSExplorer like you would any other Windows program.
HFSExplorer isn’t fancy, though, and doesn’t have a lot of features. You can’t use it to write to Mac-formatted drives, and it doesn’t install a file system driver that integrates into File Explorer. But you can open HFSExplorer, read a Mac-formatted drive, and copy the files to your Windows PC without paying a dime. It can also mount Mac .dmg disk images to get at the files inside them.
This application’s read-only nature isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It ensures that no bug in the third-party driver can damage your Mac-formatted drive and the files on it. You can set read-only mode in other applications, too–but, if you’re not going to use their write support, there’s less reason to pay for them.
To use HFSExplorer, connect your Mac-formatted drive to your Windows PC and launch HFSExplorer. Click the “File” menu and select “Load File System From Device.” It will automatically locate the connected drive, and you can load it. You’ll see the contents of the HFS+ drive in the graphical window. Just select the files or folders you want, click “Extract,” and choose a folder. They’ll be copied to the location you choose on your PC.
Option Two: Paragon HFS+ is $20, But Offers Write Access and Better Integration
Paragon’s HFS+ for Windows is a bit fancier, but it’ll cost you. This tool installs a file system driver that allows you to access a Mac-formatted drive like any other drive in File Explorer, or any other Windows application with an open or save dialog. It boasts improved speed, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it were faster than HFSExplorer. And, unlike HFSExplorer, it offers full read/write access to Mac-formatted drives, so you can write to them from within Windows. Just install it, and Mac drives will show up like any other drive.
If you need to work with Mac-formatted drives on a regular basis and you want the operating system integration, speed, and write access, Paragon HFS+ is a great choice and will be worth it for you. But, if you just need to get some files off a Mac-formatted drive occasionally, this is overkill and you can save $20 by sticking with HFSExplorer.
Program for older mac to make rough edges around a photo. As parts of the edge are erased, the light gray image below it is revealed, creating the illusion that the photo itself has worn off around the edges and only the back layer of the paper remains: Erasing the edges of the image on the top layer reveals the light gray area on 'Layer 1' below it. In this Photo Effects tutorial, learn how to take the normally sharp, straight edges of an image and make them look all worn, torn and faded, as if the photo is much older than it really is. Now updated for Photoshop CC and CS6.
Paragon does offer a 10-day free trial of HFS+ for Windows, so you can give it a try and see if it works for you. And, if you just need to get files off of a Mac-formatted drive once, you can just use the trial and be done with the application by the time it expires.
Option Three: Mediafour MacDrive Costs $50 to $70, But Includes More Features
Mediafour’s MacDrive is similar to Paragon’s HFS+ for Windows, but with more features and polish. It’s noticeably more expensive than Paragon HFS+ too, at $50 for the Standard version and $70 for the Pro version.
For most people, this software won’t really be worth it. But it offers a few unique features, like support for Mac-formatted RAID disks. It also offers a graphical interface with support for verifying, repairing, and formatting Mac-formatted drives. Paragon’s HFS+ gets out of your way and doesn’t provide a graphical interface–it just enables access to HFS+ drives in File Explorer and other applications.
If you need all these tools, go for it–this is the most full-featured solution for working with Mac-formatted drives on Windows. But you probably don’t need all these tools.
Mediafour does offer a 5-day free trial of MacDrive–both the Standard and Pro versions–so you can give it a try and see if those features are worth it for you.
Option Four: Format the Drive as exFAT–But Warning, This Will Erase Your Data!
RELATED:What’s the Difference Between FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS?
Once you’ve gotten all the data off the Mac-formatted drive, you’ll probably want to format it with the exFAT file system. Both Windows and Mac OS X have full read-write support for exFAT drives without any additional third-party software. FAT32 has some serious limitations–individual files can only be up to 4GB in size each, for example–but exFAT doesn’t.
Rather than use a Mac-formatted drive, you should get the important files off of it and use exFAT-formatted drives for moving data between Macs and PCs.
To format the drive in Windows, right-click it in the File Explorer window and select “Format.” Choose the “exFAT” file system in the list and click “Start.” Remember, this will erase all the files on the drive! Be absolutely sure you have your files off the drive and that you’ve selected the correct drive you want to format!
When you’re done, the drive should work on both Windows PCs and Macs with no problem.
By the way, this works great for Windows users too–Macs can’t natively write to the Windows NTFS file system, although they can read files from NTFS drives. So no matter what your primary platform, exFAT is probably the way to go.
READ NEXT- › How to Use Pipes on Linux
- › Why Does USB Have to Be So Complicated?
- › What Should You Do If You Receive a Phishing Email?
- › Why Do You Have to Log In to Your Home PC, Anyway?
- › The Best New Features in Android 10, Available Now
Related Articles
- 1 Play a VMDK File
- 2 Make an ISO Disk Image of a Microsoft Office Disk
- 3 Burn Dell Utilities CD
- 4 Browse ISO Files
Apple offers a variety of apps that can be quite alluring to Windows PC users, and you don’t have to buy a brand new machine to try them. Using a program called VirtualBox, you can run Apple’s OS X on your Intel-based PC. This will be a complete version of OS X, allowing you to run Apple-specific software like Mac apps and programs.
Initial Installations and Downloads
1.Download and install VirtualBox and the VirtualBox Extension Pack (link available in Resources).
2.Download the Hackboot 1 and Hackboot 2 ISO files (link available in Resources). These ISOs will be used to start the OS X installer and the operating system itself, respectively.
4.Name the new virtual machine and set the Operating System box to Mac OS X and the Version box to “Mac OS X Server (64 bit).”
5.Use the slider to allocate RAM to your virtual machine; at least 4GB of RAM is a recommended.
6.Click “Next” and select “Create New Disk.” The program will return to its main menu.
7.Right-click the named OS X virtual machine and click “Settings.”
8.Uncheck the box next to 'Enable EFI' in the System tab. EFI is an alternative to BIOS but Windows machines are unable to use EFI to boot in VirtualBox as of August 2013.
Now that you already know about the best Bitcoin mining hardware, we’re going to talk about Bitcoin mining software. What is Bitcoin Mining Software? Bitcoin mining hardware handles the actual Bitcoin mining process, but: Bitcoin mining software is equally as important. Bitcoin and Litecoin mining with Asteroid for Mac Asteroid is a Bitcoin and Litecoin mining client for OS X that uses cgminer and a full suite of OS X technologies. Best ltc program miner for mac. The 1st and best native Mac OS X Bitcoin/Litecoin mining app with the most features, inc. Cgminer, bfgminer and cpuminer as well as API output monitoring for local or networked miners.
9.Navigate to the Storage tab and click on the CD icon called Empty. Select “Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file” and select the Hackboot 1 ISO. This sets your virtual machine to boot from Hackboot 1 the first time it starts up.
Installing OS X
1.Select your OS X virtual machine in the VirtualBox main menu.
2.Click “Start” in the toolbar and then click the CD icon at the bottom of your screen.
3.Click “Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file” and select the ISO disc image of the Mountain Lion version of OS X.
4.Click on the main screen and press “F5” to refresh the program. An icon in the middle of your screen will now be labeled as “OS X Install DVD.”
5.Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard to bring up the OS X Installation screen.
6.Select your language and agree to the operating system’s terms. You will be taken to an installation page that gives you no hard drive installation option.
7.Click “Utilities” and then click “Disk Utility…” in the VirtualBox toolbar labeled OS X Installer.
8.Click on the VirtualBox hard drive, navigate to the Erase tab and click “Erase” to clean the virtual hard drive and allow OS X to be installed. None of your data will be lost by erasing the drive.
9.Close the Disk Utility window and click on the hard drive icon now in the middle of your screen.
Install Windows Program On Mac
![Run Run](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126436479/169934207.png)
Using A Mac In A Windows Environment
10.Follow the on-screen steps to finish the OS X installation.
11.Click the CD icon at the bottom of your screen when the installation finishes and you see a black screen with white text. Select the Hackboot 2 ISO so your virtual machine will properly boot when you restart it.
Audio recording program for mac. Sep 08, 2010 Question: Q: Best Screen Recording Software for Mac? Looking for recommendations on a good computer screen recording program, as I'm trying to make a tutorial video, and need to be able to record what I am doing on my computer screen.
13.Select the Apple icon and press “Enter” on your keyboard.
14.Follow the final on-screen instructions to setup Mac OS X. You can now use this virtual operating system to run any Mac programs on your Windows PC.
Things Needed
- A 64-bit Windows PC with 4GB of available RAM
- An ISO disc image of OS X Mountain Lion
Tip
Running Mac On Windows Pc
- Since multiple downloads are required, it is best to keep a record of where each is located to make the installation process easier.
Warning
- You must allocate a minimum of 2GB of RAM to your virtual machine -- though at least 4GB is recommended -- but the majority of your RAM should remain allocated to your Windows installation in order to properly run VirtualBox and all of your other software.
References (3)
Free Programs For Mac Computers
Resources (2)
About the Author
Geoff Whiting is a writer and copy editor who has specialized in business technology, consumer electronics and research reports since 2007. He has written for national magazines like 'American Shipper' and 'BIC Magazine,' has written daily news articles for FierceMarkets, and has crafted research reports for Rider Research, Intel and Spotify.
Cite this Article Choose Citation Style
Whiting, Geoff. 'How to Run Mac Programs on a Windows PC.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/run-mac-programs-windows-pc-72291.html. Accessed 07 September 2019.
Whiting, Geoff. (n.d.). How to Run Mac Programs on a Windows PC. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/run-mac-programs-windows-pc-72291.html
Whiting, Geoff. 'How to Run Mac Programs on a Windows PC' accessed September 07, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/run-mac-programs-windows-pc-72291.html
Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.