Used NTFS-3G for Mac? Share your experience and help other users.
Key Details of NTFS-3G
- Read and write NTFS files on your Mac
- Last updated on
- There have been 2 updates
- Virus scan status:
Clean (it’s extremely likely that this software program is clean)
Editors’ Review
NTFS-3G for Mac adds drivers to your OS X installation that allow you to read and write to NTFS-formatted thumb and external hard drives as if you're using a Windows machine. The software comes free of charge and features several advanced options such as caching and filename normalization. Overall, it performs well, with speeds approaching those you would get in Windows
It deals with files and folders just like standard rules expect. You can create, delete, and modify files and folders easily. NTFS-3G supports special types of files such as links, sockets, and devices, which comes in handy for systems like Interix or WSL. It also takes care of file ownership and permissions according to standard rules, ensuring they are compatible with Windows systems.
NTFS-3G supports advanced permission settings through POSIX ACLs. This keeps permissions consistent across different systems. It also recognizes junction points and symbolic links from Windows, which helps a lot in managing files and folders more smoothly.
There are also additional capabilities in NTFS-3G that help with more detailed data management. It gives you access to NTFS internal data through extended attributes. This makes it easier to manage specific NTFS data like file compression and allows users to handle compression settings right from their non-Windows systems. It includes plugins for special file formats, helping access unique data stored on NTFS file systems, such as deduplicated files. NTFS-3G offers tools for detailed permission management like ntfssecaudit and ntfsusermap. These tools are very helpful for administrators who need to maintain system security. The software has recovery tools like ntfsrecover that help users safely recover data after a device has been unplugged incorrectly.
Pros
- Quick: We transferred a 700MB file in 45 seconds on a Mac, and the same file in 42 seconds using the Mac's Bootcamp installation of Windows.
- Neat preference pane: NTFS-3G for Mac provides a clean and accessible preference pane for your NTFS-3G driver. With it you can turn on file system caching as well as configure global and volume options, including filename normalization, debug logging, and unclean volume recovery.
- Easy installation: If you don't already have the MacFUSE and FUSE for OS X frameworks on your machine, which are necessary in order to run the app, they will be automatically installed. During the installation process you will be asked for your administrator password and to choose whether to use UBLIO caching.
Cons
- UBLIO caching: While it increases performance, it may damage the NTFS disk in case of a system crash or if the drive is not disconnected properly.
- Reboot required: Your NTFS drives won't be recognized by Finder unless you reboot your system.
- Slow file transfers: File transfers are noticeably slow. There are also instances of copying failures.
- Deletions are final: You have to remember that once you use this application, the files you delete no longer go to the Trash. Recovering them may not be possible.
Bottom Line
If you often come across NTFS thumb drives, or have a Windows installation on your Mac that you'd like to access, NTFS-3G for Mac is just the right app for you. It works great out of the box, but if you're looking for further customization, you can go to System Preferences, where you have options like filename normalization, filesystem caching, debug logging, and more.
What’s new in version 2010.5.22
- Fixed build to create usermap and secaudit.
- Fix: Tuxera NTFS for Mac could hijack non-NTFS volumes in extremely rare cases, leaving them unmountable until Tuxera NTFS for Mac was disabled.
- Preference pane bugfix: The Tuxera NTFS for Mac preference pane will no longer leave zombie processes behind.
Used NTFS-3G for Mac? Share your experience and help other users.
