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- Formatting Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine
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- Formatting Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine
Updated on January 7th, 2019
This article shows you how to format an external hard drive via different methods, and you can follow these methods to format external hard drive for PC, Mac or Linux.
How to Format a Hard Drive on Mac: Formatting is a very simple procedure which is operated in a similar way for all sorts of storage media. So, whether you wish to format the internal hard drive, external drive, or a USB flash drive, the procedure is the same for all. Here is the step by step guide you need to follow to format the hard disk on Mac. First, back up the data on the Mac-formatted drive if you have anything important on it. This process won’t actually convert the file system. Instead, we’ll just be wiping the drive and starting over from scratch. Any files on the drive will be erased. If you have a Mac lying around, you can plug the drive into a Mac and back up the files.
External hard drive is popular storage device and it can be used to store all kinds of digital information such as images, documents, apps, emails, etc. You can connect external hard drive to computer via USB cable and then transfer data with internal hard drive. Regardless of the brand or model, the first thing you may need to do after purchasing an external hard drive might be partitioning and formatting it. Bittorrent for mac os x torrent.
Formatting external disk can be done via various methods and it can be formatted to a range of file system so that you can use the disk under different operating system platforms. The formatting process removes all data on the partition and thus causes data loss. You should create a backup for important data before formatting if the disk contains significant files.
A brand-new external hard drive is usually partitioned into s single partition with NTFS file system. Still many users would like to format the external hard drives and people do that due to various reasons:
- Format external hard drive to required file system. The brand-new disk you purchase might not be formatted to the file system type you need. To change file system type, formatting should be done.
- To quickly remove content from external hard drive. Quick formatting is able to format a partition within seconds, and all data on the volume will be deleted. This is a good solution to delete data and free up disk space.
- To optimization performance for disk. Formatting can clear data fragmentation quickly and easily.
- Remove virus or malware. Since external hard drive might be used on many computers, it tends to infect virus. Many users would format it to clear virus and avoid more damages.
- To fix file system errors. Sometimes external hard drive may become RAW or reports errors like “The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable”, you can fix these errors by formatting the volume after file recovery.
Hard Drive For Macbook
Step 1: Connect your external hard drive with your computer and open Windows Explorer to check if it can be recognized.
Note: if you have stored data to the drive, please back it up before formatting the disk.
Step 2: Right-click on the external hard disk and select “Format” option from context menu.
Step 3: On the formatting window, select Quick Format option, choose file system format, and click Start. Also you can enter a name for the drive under Volume Label.
Step 4: System prompts formatting removes all data and asks confirmation for the action. Click OK and formatting starts.
This method formats external hard drive using Windows built-in utility Disk Management. If your external hard drive does not show up in Windows Explorer, you can follow this instruction to complete the formatting.
Step 1: Access Windows 10 Disk Management by right-clicking Start menu and selecting “Disk Management” item from the list.
Step 2: Locate the external hard drive in Disk Management and check its status.
If there is not partition on the disk or the disk is marked with Not Initialized, you cannot format it directly.
The next step assumes the external hard drive is full of unallocated space and shows how to format it.
Step 3: Right-click on unallocated disk space and select New Simple Volume from the context menu.
Step 4: You can see the “Welcome to the New Simple Volume Wizard” now. Click Next button to proceed.
Step 5: The wizard will ask you to select set partition size, drive letter, file system, format method, etc. step by step. You can follow suggested option to complete the process.
Halo 4 mac free download. Want to use external hard drive under both Windows PC and Mac? In this case, you should consider the hurdle that these operating systems support different filesystems. The default file system in Windows is NTFS, while Mac OS users HFS. The filesystem that is compatible with Windows and Mac is exFAT and FAT32.
exFAT VS FAT32, which one should be chosen for Max and PC? It is recommended to use exFAT by many experts, because FAT32 has a maximum 4GB file size limit and exFAT does not has such limitation, and exFAT also performs better than FAT32. FAT32 is also a good choice if you do not store files whose single size does not exceed 4GB.
FAT32 and exFAT file system is supported by Windows though, they are originally designed for removable storage devices like USB flash drive, SD card. When you try to format an external hard drive which has very large capacity in Windows, FAT32 or exFAT may not be available. Also, some users may encounter error “The volume is too big for FAT32”. In this section, we’ll use a free Windows partition manager to complete the formatting task.
Eassos PartitionGuru is free Windows partition manager and it supports various file systems such as FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, Ext2, Ext3, Ext4, etc. and the formatting process is very simple.
Step 1: Install and launch Eassos PartitionGuru from your computer and find the external disk you want to format.
Step 2: Right-click on the partition to be formatted and select “Format Current Partition” option from context menu.
Step 3: Select Filesystem type from the drop-down list and click Format button.
Step 4: Click Yes button when Eassos PartitionGuru asks confirmation for the operation.
This part of this guide applies to format external or portable hard drive to Ext2, Ext3 or Ext4 file system under Windows 10/8/7, so that the drive can be used under Linux.
Step 1: Connect the portable drive to computer and launch Eassos PartitionGuru. Then you can see the drive is displayed in the software.
Step 2: Select the partition you want to format to Linux file system, and click “Format” button from toolbar.
Step 3: The Format window pops up and you can select Linux filesystem from Ext4, Ext3 and Ext3 from drop-down list. Then click Format button.
Step 4: Click Yes button to continue and formatting will be completed within a couple of seconds.
Looking for simple straight forward helpon how to format your Seagate hard drive for your Mac?
Because you just want to get your Mac’sbackup done.
Or you need your drive to free up space onyour Mac.
Or download that mass of photos becauseyou don’t want to pay for any more cloud storage. Then you can have your photosat home. Without the worry of someone breaking into your cloud storage.
Read on for your simple, easy to followinstructions.
Want a high level view? Here is whatyou’re going to do when you format your Seagate External hard drive for yourMac.
1. Log in.Plug your Seagate drive into your Mac.
2. Spotlightsearch Disk Utility. Press return.
3. Pickyour Seagate drive under External on the left.
4. Click onErase at the top.
5. Giveyour Seagate drive a name. Pick your Format from the menu.
6. PickGUID Partition Map for Scheme.
https://pjyblbo.weebly.com/blog/trillian-for-mac. 7. ClickErase bottom Right to Format.
How to Format a Seagate Hard Drive for Mac
Just one moment.
Before you go ahead and format your Seagate externalhard drive on your MacBook or iMac. Ask yourself if there any files on thereyou want.
Because formatting means you won’t be able to get toany of those files on the drive once you have formatted it.
If you know there are files on your Seagate externaldrive then copy them somewhere safe first. Then you can go ahead and format.
An example of the kind of files you may have on your Seagate drive are the ones Seagate put on there when you buy.
They are the files that allow you to register your Seagate external hard drive for warranty. And download some of Seagate Technology’s own software tools.
The Simple and Easy Steps to Formatting your SeagateDrive on Your Mac
1. Log into your Mac. And Plug in your Seagate Drive.
Your Seagate external hard drive unless it’s one of Seagate‘s desktop drives. https://associationplay.weebly.com/blog/galaxy-on-fire-2-download-mac. Takes it’s juice, its power from your Mac, along its USB cable.
And that means you’ll need enough battery power inyour MacBook Pro or Air to drive the Seagate drive.
Even if you think your Mac has enough battery power. Plug your Mac in. Because you won’t want your Mac’s battery running out of power. And doing that part way through formatting your Seagate drive.
Formatting a desktop Seagate external drive? Then plugin its power cable to power it up.
Depending on the Seagate drive you have you may needan adaptor cable to plug into your Mac’s USB port.
Not sure what you might need? Then go over to my document here that walks you through the different generations of Macs. Their USB ports and the type of USB adaptor you need to look for.
When you’re plugged in and powered up your Mac willshow the Seagate’s drive icon on your desktop.
If for some reason you can’t see it. Take a look atyour finder window preferences.
How to delete stubborn apps on mac. Open a finder window. And go to your preferences.
Formatting Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine
Make sure the boxes show ‘Hard Disks’ and ‘ExternalDisks’ on your desktop are checked.
2. Spotlight Search Disk Utility.
You’ve free software on your Mac. It’s part of your Mac’s operating system. And that software will format your Seagate drive for you. That software is called Disk Utility. Download audacity file as mp3 on mac.
You find it by doing a Spotlight search.
Click on the Spotlight icon at the top of your Mac’sdesktop screen.
Then type in ‘Disk Utility’ and press the return key.
Double click on Disk Utility to start up the program.
3. Pick your Seagate Drive Under External.
Once Disk Utility has started up you’ll see its pop upwindow.
On the left hand side of the pop up window you’ll seea list.
Disk Utility shows you in this list your attachedinternal and external drives.
Your Seagate external drive will be listed under‘External’.
Click on your Seagate drive in the list. The yellow arrow on the photo below shows youwhere.
It’s important that you pick your Seagate drive at theright level. Or your formatting may not work.
You may need to expand the list to see the levels. Youdo that by clicking on the down arrow to the left of the drive icon on thelist.
No List? Nothing under external? You’ll need to changeyour view.
At the top left of your Disk Utility pop up window you’llsee View.
Open up the view menu. On the view menu pick to toshow all devices. That will show thedrive and the volume.
4. Click on Erase at the Top.
At the top of your Disk Utility pop up window you’llfind the Erase button. Click on that.
Only click on the Erase button after you’ve clicked onyour Seagate drive at the top level.
This will take you to the next pop up window. There you’ll set up how you want to format your Seagate hard drive for your Mac.
5. Give your Seagate hard drive a Name
Now you put in the details for your drive’s format.
Choose and put in a name on the menu where it saysName.
This is the name your Mac will show on your desktopunder the drive’s icon.
Next pick the format.
You have a few options here.
Then pick Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
This is the format you choose when you want to to copyand paste your files. Or drag and drop your files to your Seagate hard drive.
This is the format your Mac wants to use when you do a Time Machine Backup.
Then pick ExFAT. You can drag and drop your files. Copy and paste your files.
But you can’t use an ExFAT formatted external harddrive for a Time Machine backup.
Don’t choose FAT32 unless you have to. It’s an oldMSDOS file system.
FAT32 is less robust and has file size restrictions.You wouldn’t choose it unless you had to. Say if you were using your Seagate hard drive for a device that willonly talk to FAT32.
The new Apple file system is for Solid State Drives. It can’t be used for a Time Machine backup. But you could choose it if you were formatting a Seagate SSD drive.
Pick your Format option.
You choose from a list that you open up using theup/down arrows at the end of the Format field.
6. Pick GUID Partition Map for Scheme
The next option you choose when formatting your Seagate hard drive for Mac is Scheme.
Pick GUID Partition Map.
This is the scheme your Mac likes to use. It doesn’t matter if you’ve picked Mac OS Extended (Journaled) or an ExFAT format or APFS. You Pick GUID Partition Map.
7. Click Erase Bottom Right
Apple Drive Format
Set your formatting options. And when you click on theErase button at the bottom right of the window you’ll kick off the formatting.
In a few moments the formatting of your SeagateExternal Hard drive on your Mac will be all done.
When Disk Utility is finished you can get rid of yourDisk Utility window.
And in a few moments your Mac will show your Seagate external hard drive on your Mac’s desktop.
Eject your Seagate Hard Drive When You’re Finished
After you have copied what you want to your Seagatedrive. Or used it for a Time Machine backup. Be sure to Eject your Seagatedrive before you pull your USB cable.
Your Mac keeps stuff in its memory while you’re usingyour Seagate drive. Ejecting tells yourMac to copy everything in memory down to your Seagate.
And then it’s safe to plug out your USB cable.
You Eject the drive my hovering your cursor over thedrive icon on your Mac’s desktop. Right click. And choose Eject from the menuthat comes up.
In a couple of moments your Seagate’s drive Icon goesfrom your desktop and you take out the drive’s USB Cable.
And that’s it you’ve learnt how to format a Seagatehard drive for Mac.
YouTube Video Showing Formatting a SeagateHard Drive for Mac
Would you like to see a video showing youhow to format your Seagate drive? Take a look at this video. In total it’snearly 13 minutes.
But if you’re only formatting your Seagatedrive for Mac, you’ll see all you need to know in the first 3 minutes.
Seagate External hard Drive How to Setup on Mac
Video Credit: Tech & Design