External Hard Drive Format

infinitab · infinitab #1 (**permalink**)

02-14-2010, 12:14 PM

Hi,

I am planning on re-formatting my external hard drive (used to be FAT32) and I am wondering what options I should choice in disk utility. I am planning on storing media on the hard drive and I don't need it to work natively with Windows.

From my research online, these are the options I came up with: Mac OS Extended (no journaling) and GUID Partition Table scheme.

I chose no journaling because I am not going to be using the drive as a start-up disk. Are those good choices?

Thanks!

MYmacROX · MYmacROX #2 (**permalink**)

02-14-2010, 12:17 PM

Are you going to read/view the data with a windows machine?
Do you plan to use Time Machine to do your Mac backups?
Have you considered partitioning the external and having a Mac side and a Windows side? - useful if you don't need to access any of the data on your win machine with your Mac and vice-versa

infinitab · infinitab #3 (**permalink**)

02-14-2010, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MYmacROX

Are you going to read/view the data with a windows machine?
Do you plan to use Time Machine to do your Mac backups?
Have you considered partitioning the external and having a Mac side and a Windows side? - useful if you don't need to access any of the data on your win machine with your Mac and vice-versa

I am not planning on using it at all with a windows machine and I am not planning on using it for Time Machine.

martyp · martyp #4 (**permalink**)

02-14-2010, 12:28 PM

I use; GUID partitioning table and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) if Windows support is not an issue.

This will work with Time Machine (should you change your mind) and work flawlessly under OS X.

infinitab · infinitab #5 (**permalink**)

02-14-2010, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyp

I use; GUID partitioning table and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) if Windows support is not an issue.

This will work with Time Machine (should you change your mind) and work flawlessly under OS X.

Thanks! I'll go with that.

martyp · martyp #6 (**permalink**)

02-14-2010, 03:00 PM

No problem at all, happy to help.

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infinitab #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 14, 2010 Posts: 5	02-14-2010, 12:14 PM Hi, I am planning on re-formatting my external hard drive (used to be FAT32) and I am wondering what options I should choice in disk utility. I am planning on storing media on the hard drive and I don't need it to work natively with Windows. From my research online, these are the options I came up with: Mac OS Extended (no journaling) and GUID Partition Table scheme. I chose no journaling because I am not going to be using the drive as a start-up disk. Are those good choices? Thanks!
	QUOTE Thanks

MYmacROX #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2009 Posts: 3,329 Mac Specs: 2008 15" MBP ML, 2012 21.5" iMac ML	02-14-2010, 12:17 PM Are you going to read/view the data with a windows machine? Do you plan to use Time Machine to do your Mac backups? Have you considered partitioning the external and having a Mac side and a Windows side? - useful if you don't need to access any of the data on your win machine with your Mac and vice-versa
	QUOTE Thanks

martyp #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 14, 2008 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 639 Mac Specs: 27" iMac, 3.4GHz i7, 20Gb, 3TB HDD, OS X 10.8	02-14-2010, 12:28 PM I use; GUID partitioning table and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) if Windows support is not an issue. This will work with Time Machine (should you change your mind) and work flawlessly under OS X.
	QUOTE Thanks

martyp #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 14, 2008 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 639 Mac Specs: 27" iMac, 3.4GHz i7, 20Gb, 3TB HDD, OS X 10.8	02-14-2010, 03:00 PM No problem at all, happy to help.
	QUOTE Thanks

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