Macos – Install NTFS-3G with read-write on OS X Lion using MacPorts

macosntfs-3gosx lion

I have a nicely working MacPorts on Lion. When I run

sudo port install ntfs-3g

it does compile without errors. However, when I attach a NTFS-formatted external drive, it's read only. And there is no Preferences icon for NTFS-3G, like there was in my Snow Leopard install. Is the NTFS-3G driver active? How can I find out and fix this?

UPDATE: MacFUSE got installed along with NTFS-3G as a dependency and I did reboot after installing. The ntfs-3g command is available at the command line but I would really like all NTFS drives to be mounted using it automatically and with read-write support.

Best Answer

Check this, it details how to make ntfs-3g work through through MacPorts, and also how to make it work through an older version of NTFS-3G with a patched version of MacFuse:

http://fernandofig.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/ntfs-write-support-on-osx-lion-with-ntfs-3g-f/

The reason you couldn't make ntfs-3g work through MacPorts is that ntfs-3g still depends on MacFuse by default. Uninstall the ntfs-3g and macfuse ports, then install fuse4x, and then ntfs-3g. Like this:

sudo port uninstall macfuse ntfs-3g
sudo port clean --all macfuse ntfs-3g
sudo port install fuse4x
sudo port install ntfs-3g

You'll have to use some specific options for mounting, check the post above.

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