Data Exchange with other platforms

With HDDRIVER you exchange data between an Atari and other platforms without any additional software. Exchanging data between the Atari and other platforms has never been this easy! The following table provides an overview on the compatibility settings when partitioning. Further below there are details on the most important platforms.

Platform Possible Settings Recommended Setting Remark
Windows TOS/Windows, MBR or GPT TOS/Windows, GPT Multiple partitions on removable media/memory cards require Windows 10
macOS TOS/Windows, MBR or GPT TOS/Windows, GPT
Linux TOS or TOS/Windows, GPT TOS, GPT Linux supports GPT TOS partitions up to 256 MiB without special settings
FreeBSD TOS or TOS/Windows, GPT TOS, GPT
NetBSD TOS/Windows, MBR TOS/Windows, MBR

GPT partitions guarantee highest compatibility and a future-proof data exchange. TOS/Windows compatible MBR partitions are not supported anymore by Linux, other platforms might follow. Therefore, in HDDRUTIL the GPT scheme is the default setting when creating TOS/Windows compatible partitions.

Data Exchange with Windows

Data exchange with Windows

The screenshot shows files included in the HDDRIVER distribution on a Windows PC. The medium is a memory card with 4 TOS/Windows compatible partitions. Note that on removable media Windows 7 and older only support a single partition.

Data Exchange with macOS

Data exchange with macOS

A TOS/Windows compatible memory card with 4 partitions on a Mac. All partitions are usable for exchanging data.

Data Exchange with Linux

Data exchange with Linux

Linux does not support anymore TOS/Windows compatible partitions in the Master Boot Record (MBR). A GUID partition table (GPT) resolves this problem. With a GPT the Linux kernel supports TOS partitions of up to 256 MiB without special tools or kernel configuration. Because of Linux limitations bigger TOS partitions are not possible.