How to Mount BOOTCAMP NTFS Partition with Read-Write Access?

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When a BOOTCAMP NTFS disk with read-write access is mounted on a Mac, users can work with their Windows files without restarting. By default, macOS only lets you read from NTFS drives, which makes it hard to handle files. This article will show several ways to allow read-write access, such as using open-source programs like virtualization tools for macOS or third-party software like Donemax NTFS for Mac or Tuxera NTFS.

We will also look into manually enabling NTFS write support. This guide will help you get reliable read-write access, whether you use a paid or open-source option. That will improve your workflow and productivity. Before you make any changes to your system, you should always make a copy of your information.

How the NTFS File System Works?

Microsoft made the New Technology File System (NTFS) a private file system. It is the file system that comes with Windows and is known for being reliable, safe, and able to handle big files and disk volumes. NTFS is the best choice for Windows users because it has tools like disk quotas, shadow copies, and file-level encryption.

Why macOS doesn't use NTFS Write Access:

macOS supports NTFS natively as a read-only format so that users can see files on an NTFS drive. However, write access is not turned on by default because it could cause security and compatibility problems. Apple has decided not to allow NTFS write access natively, most likely to keep things simple and ensure the system works well.

Get your Mac Ready for NTFS Write Access

It is important to back up your data before you try anyway to enable NTFS write access. When you work with file systems at a low level, you might lose info if something goes wrong. To keep your files safe, use Time Machine or another backup tool.

Using NTFS for Mac Tools

NTFS for Mac tools can help you grant full read-write access to NTFS drives incuding BOOTCAMP partition on Mac. Here are two outstanding ones:

1. Donemax NTFS for Mac

Donemax NTFS for Mac is one of the best NTFS for Mac tools. It can securely and quickly mount any NTFS drive including Boot Camp partition. Then Mac users can write data to NTFS drives without any limitation.

Step 1. Download and install Donemax NTFS for Mac. It is compatible with macOS 10.13 or later, supports both Intel-based Macs and Apple silicon Macs.

Step 2. You just need to click the .dmg installation file, drag Donemax NTFS for Mac's icon to Applications. Then run the software from Launchpad.

Step 3. Select the NTFS drive, click on Enable Writable to allow your Mac to read-write the NTFS drive.

Step 4. If the drive or BOOTCAMP is not mounted, just click on Mount button.

2. Tuxera NTFS for Mac

Another paid option that lets you read and write to NTFS drives on macOS is Tuxera NTFS for Mac.

Step 1. Download the Mac Tuxera NTFS installation file from the website.

Step 2. Click the Install Tuxera button when the download is done. After that, click the "Open" button.

Step 3. Press the "Allow" button to set up Tuxera NTFS for Mac.

Step 4. Click "Continue" and follow the steps to finish the installation. It will also ask for the username and password for the Mac to move forward. Fill in the information to move on with the installation.

Step 5. Open up the tool. Then press the Lock button and type in your Mac's username and password.

Step 6. You can see where your external drive is by going to Volume Choices.

Step 7. You can quickly move your data to an external drive. To add the file to the external device, drag it from the home screen and drop it there.

Using virtualization tools on a Mac to write to NTFS

Step 1. Get the virtualization software you want, like VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop, and run it on your Mac.

Step 2. Start it up and load Windows ISO inside the virtualization software.

Step 3. Follow the virtualization software's directions to create a new virtual machine using the Windows installation image. This process includes setting up the virtual machine's settings, such as giving it RAM and disk space.

Step 4. After creating the virtual machine, follow the normal Windows installation steps. Then, open your Mac and launch Windows File Explorer. Your NTFS drive should appear connected so you can read and write like a Windows computer.

Turning on NTFS Writing in Terminal (Older Macs)

To use the write mode for NTFS files on your Mac for free, you can also turn it on in Terminal. This method, on the other hand, only works on older versions of Mac. If you have a later version of macOS, it won't work.

To allow NTFS writing on a Mac in Terminal, do the following:

Step 1. Open Terminal and connect your NTFS drive on your Mac.

Step 2. Type "sudo nano /etc/fstab" and hit "Enter."

Step 3. Type LABEL=NAME none ntfs rw, auto, nobrowse (which should be changed to the name of your NTFS disk). After that, press Enter and press Control + O to save it.

Step 4. Select "Go" in the Finder. Type /Volumes into the box that says "Go to the folder," then click "Go."

Step 5. That's where you'll find your read-write NTFS drive.

Mount the BOOTCAMP Partition on Mac with Read-Write Access

After using one of the above methods to enable NTFS write support, you can mount the BOOTCAMP partition to read and write to it.

• Start up your Mac again: To make sure the changes take, restart your Mac.
• Connect the NTFS Drive: You can connect your NTFS drive or get to your BOOTCAMP disk. It should be fixed so that you can read and write to it.
• Verify Write Access: To ensure that write access is turned on, open Finder, go to the NTFS partition and create a new file or folder.

How to Fix Most Common Issues?

NTFS Partition Not Mounting:

• Make sure you have loaded all the software and drivers that you need.
• Check the disk number to make sure you have the right one.
• If you make changes, restart your Mac.

Permission Issues:

• Make sure you run commands with sudo to get the right access.
• Make sure that the right people can access the mount point directory.

Data Loss or Corruption:

• Before you change file system settings, you should always make a copy of your data.
• For better stability and assistance, use software from a third party.
• If you have lost data, you can use data recovery software, such as Donemax Data Recovery to get the lost data back.

Best Practices for Using NTFS on Mac

• Ensure you back up your info often so you don't lose it.
• Trustworthy third-party software should be used for important jobs.
• Keep your software up to date to ensure it works with everything and is safe.
• Do not always use the experimental way of doing things by hand.

Conclusion:

Mounting a BOOTCAMP NTFS partition with read-write access on macOS can greatly improve your workflow by letting you deal with files without problems across operating systems. It doesn't matter if you choose a paid option like Donemax NTFS for Mac, Tuxera NTFS or an open-source one like NTFS-3G and FUSE for macOS.

With careful setup and configuration, you can get reliable read-write access. Data security should always come first, and you should back up your information regularly to ensure everything goes smoothly.

FAQs About Boot Camp NTFS Partition on Mac

1. What is BOOTCAMP partition?

When a Mac user needs to install Windows OS on a Mac, he or she needs a third-party tool, called Boot Camp Assistant. This tool will partition the Mac's internal disk, creating a partition named BOOTCAMP for installing Windows operating system.

2. Is it possible to reformat BOOTCAMP to APFS for installing Windows?

No, it is not supported. Windows operating system can only be installed on NTFS or ReFS volume, APFS is not supported.

3. How to mount BOOTCAMP NTFS partition on Mac?

Third-party tool, such as Donemax NTFS for Ma, can help quickly mount BOOTCAMP partition in read-write mode on Mac.

• Download and install Donemax NTFS for Mac.
• Open Donemax NTFS for Mac, select the NTFS BOOTCAMP partition, click on Enable Writable button.
• If the NTFS partition is not mounted, click on Mount button.

4. What is the best tool for mounting BOOTCAMP NTFS volume on Mac?

Here is the list of top 5 NTFS for Mac tools which can help in mounting NTFS BOOTCAMP Volume in read-write mode:

• Donemax NTFS for Mac
• Tuxera NTFS for Mac
• EaseUS NTFS for Mac
• DoYourData NTFS for Mac
• NTFS-3G