EXFAT Internal Drive Shared Between Mac & Windows - Different Files Showing

[adamshumpisxxx]

I have a 1TB internal HDD which I formatted to EXFAT / GPT to share between Mac and Windows. The problem is when I add, remove, move or generally change around files on one OS it doesn't reflect on the other. Oddly enough whatever changes I make on each respective OS, those changes stay consistent on that OS only. To clarify:

Say I'm on the Mac side and I have folder A, B and C. If I make a folder D and delete B and then go over to Windows I see A, B and C. The B folder still exists and the D folder doesn't.

It's like the HDD is keeping two simultaneous records for each individual OS using the same space. This can't be right. The only way I can temporarily "correct" the issue (sort of) is if I change something on the Mac side and then boot into Windows I can make Windows "snap out of it" by going to Disk Management, taking the drive Offline and then bringing it back Online.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on? I use EXFAT on an external drive and I never have this issue (probably due to Windows method of disconnecting and reconnecting external drives). I have no idea what to do. The HDD is in perfect health as per HDD Regenerator and CrystalDiskInfo. Thanks in advance for any help on this matter!

 

[P1LGRIM]

exFAT is a file system developed for flash drives and has little or no resilience which means that the slightest error can result in the loss of all of your data. Sharing the drive between operating systems multiplies the risk of corruption.
If you value your data do not use exFAT.

 

[adamshumpisxxx]

exFAT is a file system developed for flash drives and has little or no resilience which means that the slightest error can result in the loss of all of your data. Sharing the drive between operating systems multiplies the risk of corruption.
If you value your data do not use exFAT.

I would love to use another file system but I am unaware of one that both OSes can natively read and write too. In the semi-distant past, I used to use NTFS-3G (coming from a more Linux heavy experience background) on the Mac side of things but that always eventually ended in data corruption. Paragon HFS+ has been said to do the same thing but on the Windows side but I have no personal experience with it. I've heard about Tuxera for Mac but I wonder if it's just based on NTFS-3G anyway and therefor susceptible to the same aforementioned flaw.

This is my daily driver that I dual boot Mac (for everything except gaming) and Windows (only for gaming). What would you recommend as a safe solution to reading and writing across both OSes?

 

[P1LGRIM]

What would you recommend as a safe solution to reading and writing across both OSes?

Some form of Client-Server arrangement - I use a NAS box but I find that I use other operating systems less frequently these days.

 

[adamshumpisxxx]

Some form of Client-Server arrangement - I use a NAS box but I find that I use other operating systems less frequently these days.

That was my next option I've been rattling around in my head if I couldn't figure this out otherwise. I'd really prefer an internal option though as I move this thing around maybe every other week. I built her small for portability. Unfortunately, the only OS that can go anywhere is my Mac side as Windows is basically necessary for gaming.

I would ask if there has been any trustworthy developments in this area since I last tangled with it but if you yourself completely opt out with a NAS option then I assume you don't find anything else reliable enough. Well, that kind of sucks! I'll keep the thread open hoping to catch a Hail Mary pass but I won't hold my breath. Thanks anyways!

 

[P1LGRIM]

I cannot offer a perfect solution for you but I can from personal experience warn you against exFAT.

 

[adamshumpisxxx]

I cannot offer a perfect solution for you but I can from personal experience warn you against exFAT.

That's the best I can ask for. I appreciate it.

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Hi both. This is an interesting topic. Using exFAT has caught me out in the past.

Going back to the original scenario:

You will find files and folders do "disappear" from one side or the other. Copy a file from Mac to exFAT and view the directory in Windows and it's often just not there...

But actually it is. So before you copy again or format or delete or anything - in Windows, Right-Click on the drive, chose 'Properties' then 'Tools' and do a 'Check'. Windows may tell you it doesn't need to. Do the check anyway. The files should magically re-appear. Occasionally this won't work but in most cases I've found it does.

From a Mac, use DiskUtil to "Repair" a drive and hopefully you will have similar results and get your data back.

Just don't use third-party disk-format drivers. In my experience they have the ability to wreck a complete OS because they have write-access to data and sectors they have incomplete knowledge of.

 

[adamshumpisxxx]

Hi both. This is an interesting topic. Using exFAT has caught me out in the past.

Going back to the original scenario:

You will find files and folders do "disappear" from one side or the other. Copy a file from Mac to exFAT and view the directory in Windows and it's often just not there...

But actually it is. So before you copy again or format or delete or anything - in Windows, Right-Click on the drive, chose 'Properties' then 'Tools' and do a 'Check'. Windows may tell you it doesn't need to. Do the check anyway. The files should magically re-appear. Occasionally this won't work but in most cases I've found it does.

From a Mac, use DiskUtil to "Repair" a drive and hopefully you will have similar results and get your data back.

Just don't use third-party disk-format drivers. In my experience they have the ability to wreck a complete OS because they have write-access to data and sectors they have incomplete knowledge of.

Thank you for the alternative suggestion. I can get both sides to see the same thing with the hodgepodge “fix” I mentioned above. It’s just not ideal. I wish we had a ubiquitous modern day journaled file system I could use...Still holding out for that Hail Mary, haha!