Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing storage from at least two different host computers features creating a first file having a first meta-data format and user data blocks in a mass storage medium using the first host computer and reading a logical to physical mapping of the user data blocks from the first file. A second file, having a second meta-data format, is created using a second host computer and the second file has blocks preallocated to be the same length as user data blocks of the first file. A logical to physical mapping of the preallocated user blocks is then obtained and the data blocks of the preallocated file are linked to the data blocks of the first file so that a reference to the preallocated blocks will provide an address at which the data requested can be read in the first file. In this manner, different meta-data blocks, corresponding to different filesystems, and/or operating systems, can be used in the respective first and second host computers.