The ext2 and ext3 filesystems are very popular in the Linux world, often I receive data on pen drives formatted with this type of filesystems.

Snow Leopard doesn't have native support for these two filesystems, but it is very simple to add the management of them. It is a two step procedure:

 

  • Install MacFUSE

MacFUSE is a small software that extends the capability of Mac OS X, giving to the OS the ability to use third party filesystems.

Go to http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/downloads/list and download the latest release of MacFuse.

Now install the package.

 

 

  • Install FUSE-Ext2

FUSE-Ext2 is a software that provides support for the ext2 and ext3  file systems.

 

Goto http://sourceforge.net/projects/fuse-ext3, download the latest release and install the package.

 

Open the System Preferences, you should see something like the following:

 

 

 

That's all. Plug your ext2 pen drive and everything will work fine.

 

 

NB: If you aren't able to write on the pen drive you shall modify a configuration file, as administrator open /System/Library/Filesystems/fuse-ext2.fs/fuse-ext2.util

search for the following string:

OPTIONS="auto_xattr,defer_permissions"

 

and at the end add rw+ to obtain the following:

OPTIONS="auto_xattr,defer_permissions,rw+"

 

Save the changes.

 

Now you should able to write on the ext2/3 filesystems.

 

 

Gg1