Select the seagate drive on the left that shows the capacity 3. How to install and run mac os x from an external hard drive. You can partition your mac and boot macos catalina alongside mojave. After realizing that you can reformat wd hard drive to fat32 or exfat to make it compatible with mac os x and still can be used under windows, it is time to check out how to reformat wd hard drive for mac and pc in windows successfully.
Now in this interface, you will see a format option. Various versions of os x will give different selections. How to format a drive with the apfs file system on macos. Mac os x installation basics sata drive seagate support asean. Locate disk utility in applications utilities and open it. To format external hard drive for mac with time machine, you must follow the steps below. After you connect an external drive to your mac, open the applications folder from the finder window. Sep 06, 2019 the simplest way to install macos or os x on a new hard drive is by using internet recovery mode. Depending on how you started recovery mode, you may be presented with the option to start disk utility right away, as seen above. These are instructions on how to format a h ard drive using mac os x disk utility. How to format a hard drive for both windows and mac laptop mag. Disk utility is the perfect choice for creating a partition of your mac s hard drive.
Jan 31, 2016 this will demonstrate how to format a hard disk to be completely mac os x compatible, the entire process is handled through disk utility as demonstrated with an external hard drive attached to a. Clone bootable apple mac hard drive from disk utility mac os sierra 2017 duration. Erasing a disk or volume permanently deletes all of its files. This is the name that will show up under the drive icon on your desktop. Mac os x can only be installed on a hard drive formatted in mac os extended journaled, filesystem. The command line approach to disk erasure in macos is a bit different and it requires precise syntax to insure that you are erasing the proper disk. How to format a disk to ntfs using mac os x ask different. Yet when you connect a macformatted drive to windows, youll be informed that you need to format the disk in drive x.
If your mac is using apfs, select apfs from the format list. Apple system disk for mac free download and software. The usb drivers come with the fat format by default. So, whether you wish to format the internal hard drive, external drive, or a usb flash drive, the procedure is the same for all. For most reasons to erase, including when reformatting a disk or selling, giving away, or trading in your mac, you should erase your entire disk. You can still use either file system for your hard drives and attached storage devices, with both having their own pros and cons. This mode is only available on apple computers made after 2009 that were running os x lion or later. Os x can default read ntfs disks, but not write to them. If youve always wanted to partition your mac s hard drive so you can run a separate operating system including the launch of macos catalina in tandem with your current one, its surprisingly easy to do so thanks to apples builtin disk utility program. How to format hard drive for mac compatibly in os x disk. If you want to create multiple partitions on your external hard drive in fact, you should for better file organization, heres a stepbystep guide. File system formats available in disk utility on mac.
Verify that the correct hard drive is selected in the left column. How to format an external disk or a flash drive for mac. Feb 08, 2020 how to partition an external hard drive on mac. Apple file system format or the older mac os extended format, and it. How to wipe your mac and reinstall macos from scratch. The format apple support for mac owners for time machine is mac os extended journaled. But its a good idea to also create a third partition on your disk that both macos and windows 10 can use. So, if you want to use an external hard drive on both windows and mac, you need to format it to a filesystem that is compatible with windows pc and mac. Select mac os extended if you plan to use the drive as a media capture scratch drive. Jan 02, 2016 msdos fat is the most popular format amongst external hard disks, as its both readable and writable by nearly all operating systems, windows and os x included.
If you need to erase the disk manually, use the disk utility app to erase using the mac os extended journaled format. How to install macos or os x on a new hard drive for your mac. But luckily, there are file systems well supported by both mac and windows pc, and they are fat32 it might be called msdos on mac and exfat. Disk utility can erase disks, add volumes, check disks for errors, and more. Here are two ways offered and you can choose on based on your own situation. Format an external hard drive or usb flash drive for mac os x.
How to erase a disk for mac use disk utility to erase format a hard disk, ssd, flash drive, or other storage device. Jul 15, 2009 however, os x and windows both can read and write to a format called fat32, which used to be used for windows all the way back into the msdos days. Read only ntfs from native mac os x to readwrite format ntfs from mac os x, here are some alternatives. Note that when it finally boots into os x, that is the version running off your external drive. Smaller external hard drives, ssds, and usb flash keys format quickly, while a larger hard drive may take a while longer. Choose about this mac from the apple menu to determine your current os, then make a selection below. In disk utility, of os x utilities, select the partition in the lefthand column that you created in the previous step. Most external hard drives and usb drives are compatible for use on mac computers as long as you format the devices for use with mac os x. Step 1 open finder, applications, then go to utilities and disk utility. Msdos fat is the most popular format amongst external hard disks, as its both readable and writable by nearly all operating systems, windows and os x included. May 01, 2020 how to erase a disk for mac use disk utility to erase format a hard disk, ssd, flash drive, or other storage device. I need to reformated my wd 1tb external hard drive and was wondering what is the best file format to use ms dos fat32, mac os extended journalled etc all i store on it are all my videos, tv shows, and backups of all my work, documents etc, but i dont use it with time machine.
Formatting would erase data completely, make sure that you have a data backup. Hard drive format software for mac mac disk format software. Fat32 is the crossplatform format for windows and mac os x. Select erase and ensure that the format is mac os extended journaled.
Freeware version installation package dmg includes executable, being able to run on. How to format an external hard drive for mac and windows. Need to format an external hard drive for mac and windows. Launch disk utility and then click to select the external hard drive listed on the left.
Jan 15, 2020 learn how to use macos recovery to reinstall the mac operating system on your builtin drive or an external drive. If a wireless network is available, you can choose it from the wi. Backup disks you can use with time machine apple support. How to format or partition an external hard drive for mac. Step 1 open finder, applications, then go to utilities and disk utility step 2 follow the steps above to format the drive, and then you can use it with time machine on your mac system part 3. What disk utility looks like in lion through yosemite. Dec 29, 2015 give the drive a descriptive name and leave the default settings. Check the box to install mac os 9 disk driver if you need to use the drive on a computer booted from os 9. Click the erase button at the top of the disk utility window. Open disk utility applicationsutilities disk utilities 2.
Open the disk utility app and highlight your external hard drive. The format is good for handling the files between both os under 4gb size. Apfs, or apple file system, is one of the new features in macos. Quickly format an external hard drive for mac and windows pc. Just select the one you want to format and click on the erase tab. Then proceed to highlight your computers hard drive. Set the format to mac os extended journaled and the scheme to guid partition map. To format a usb flash drive to fat32 in mac os x follow these steps.
How to format external hard drives on a mac sweetwater. Jan 02, 2017 select the mac partition we created in windows 10, click erase on the menu bar, choose mac os extended journaled in the format list box, then click erase. While os x can read and write to fatbased filesystems, ntfs is read only on. Have you ever tried to format a disk in mac os x and disk utility wont unmount the hard drive for formatting. Apfs vs mac os extended which mac disk format is best. Sep 03, 2011 i need to reformated my wd 1tb external hard drive and was wondering what is the best file format to use ms dos fat32, mac os extended journalled etc all i store on it are all my videos, tv shows, and backups of all my work, documents etc, but i dont use it with time machine. How to format a hard drive for mac internal, external or flash. When the driver is installed, you format your ntfs disks with disk utility where you select windows nt filesystem as the format. But both of them cant format the hard drive which the mac os is installed on because the mac system doesnt allow other software to destroy the system. The simplest way to install macos or os x on a new hard drive is by using internet recovery mode.
Switch over to disk utility iirc, should be in one of the menus, see if the hdd device is there. Mac os x installation basics sata drive seagate support us. Dont click the format disk button or windows will erase the contents of the driveclick cancel. The command line approach to disk erasure in macos is a bit different and it requires precise syntax to insure that you are erasing the proper disk, making this method of erasing any disk. At this point, you can proceed to the next section to format your mac backup partition. If you want to be super security conscious, you can select the security options button. Use disk utility to erase format a hard disk, ssd, flash drive, or other. Formatting is a very simple procedure which is operated in a similar way for all sorts of storage media. How to format a hard drive for both windows and mac. In the volume format dropdown menu, select mac os extended journaled if you plan to place the mac tiger operating system on this drive to make it a bootable drive.
Choose another file system from the format box and click erase. Dec 26, 2017 to get started, click the disk utility option. Here are the following most common reasons why would you like to format an external disk or a flash drive for mac under mac os extended journaled. Some mac users may require the ability to erase a disk or erase a hard drive from the command line on mac os, a task which is typically performed through the disk utility application from the gui. Step one if your hard drive is an external drive, connect it to the computer. Highlight your drive and click partition in disk utility. Connect the usb fash drive to the mac os x computer. How to reinstall macos from macos recovery apple support. All data has to be put in a file format that the operating system can read off the hard drive.
Once you open the disk utility app, you can see all the drives on your mac are listed on the lefthand sidebar. Aug 30, 2016 some mac users may require the ability to erase a disk or erase a hard drive from the command line on mac os, a task which is typically performed through the disk utility application from the gui. This will demonstrate how to format a hard disk to be completely mac os x compatible, the entire process is handled through disk utility as demonstrated with an external hard drive attached to a. Usb drives can be formatted on your mac using the disk utility application. It can happen for external usb and firewire as well as internal disks. Partition a hard drive for macos time machine and windows 10.
How to format usb flash drive to fat32 in mac os x. Learn how to use macos recovery to reinstall the mac operating system on your builtin drive or an external drive. The videos below demonstrate the complete process of formatting an external hard drive for full mac os x compatibility, this uses the. Bonus tip data recovery from formatted hard drive on mac. Mac os x installation basics sata drive seagate support. There is no disk for me to select when it apple community. Preparing your backup disk for a backup of macos carbon copy. If you booted into recovery mode, select disk utility at the bottom of the. How to access mac osx extended formatted hard drive in. How to restore os x macbook pro in new hard drive youtube. For windows, it offers quick format feature when you rightclick the hard drive on the computer. Even though most people associate formatting with system installation, there are many other reasons why you might want to format your hard drive. But, if you plan on using an external drive with both macs and pcs, you should format the disk with the exfat file system instead.
Both windows and mac os offer builtin disk formatting tool. If your mac is from before 2009 or never had os x lion, click here to jump to the next section. This will completely wipe the drive, deleting all the files on it and converting it to whatever file system you choose. Disk utility on mac supports several file system formats. Format a hard drive using mac os x disk utility iclarified. How to format a startup drive for a mac if you want to format a drive that will be used as your mac s startup disk, the procedure is a little different from formatting it for use as a secondary. If the disk isnt using the correct format, time machine automatically prompts you to erase it when you connect it to your mac. Click on it to select, make sure the partition map scheme is guid partition table. Ntfs, fat, and all derivatives of fat are only for msbased operating systems. Select the partition tab on the right hand side of the disk utility window 4. While os x is installing, your computer will restart a couple of times.
Step 2 follow the steps above to format the drive, and then you can use it with time machine on your mac system. Before continuing, make sure that you have a backup of any files that you want to keep. Click the erase tab, choose a volume format from the dropdown menu and then type a. Youll use os x s disk utility app to format the drive.
If you are using a mac, you can run the builtin disk utility to quickly format a hard drive or external hard. File system formats available in disk utility on mac apple support. Apfs apple file system this is the new file system that apple bought to macs with high sierra and it will be the default if you are using that. How to reformat mac os x without a recovery disc or drive. The apple file system apfs is the file system used with mac devices running macos 10. See troubleshooting for more information on which format to select. For instructions on how to format a drive in mac os 10. Yet when you connect a mac formatted drive to windows, youll be informed that you need to format the disk in drive x. This may be apfs, or it may be mac os extended journaled depending on how the drive is currently formatted and.
Partition a hard drive for macos time machine and windows. Disk utility will automatically choose the format for you. How to format external hard drive mac 2 simple methods. Just launch the disk utility, rightclick or controlclick the drive containing your apfs partition, and select erase. How to force a hard drive to unmount for formatting in mac. Use disk utility to erase format a hard disk, flash drive, or other storage device for mac. Give the drive a descriptive name and leave the default settings. For apple mac users, the easier way to format usb flash drive to fat32 is using the disk utility. Apr 17, 2020 to format external hard drive for mac with time machine, you must follow the steps below.
By default, they format disks with the mac only os x extended file system. The two hard drive formatting software for mac can help you securely format hard drive or device under mac os. In this video we look at the process of formatting a hard drive, flash drive, or ssd on an apple computer. How to format external ssd for mac time machine mashtips. Both mac os x and windows allow users to format their hard drives using builtin utilities. When you make a partition, you will be presented with easy to understand pie chart of your hard disk space. How to create a partition on your mac to install macos. One of the major limitations of this format is that its not able to write files larger than 4gb, which can be quite a setback. The disk utility application is located in the utilities subfolder. Best format for an external hard disk apple community. It is a builtin app on all macs and straightforward to use.
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