Reformatting a new external HDD for backing up and storing files

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Level 1

4 points

Reformatting a new external HDD for backing up and storing files

I bought a drive that was NTFS formatted. I wanted it to be more compatible. I formatted APFS. When I started the Time Machine backup Time Machine said it needed to be formatted properly in order to use it for Time Machine. I allowed it. It did the back up. it worked. But now I cannot save any files to my drive. And the sharing settings in Get Info will not allow any changes. It says it is write only.

My other Back up drive for Time Machine is formatted Mac Journaled - case - and journaled- it allows for Time Machine back ups and saving files to it.

Is this the fault of APFS? What do I need to do to get this compliant for both time machine and saving files?

Posted on Jul 28, 2024 12:43 PM

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Answer 1

den.thed

Level 10

83,758 points

Jul 28, 2024 1:13 PM in response to BM3Moss

It is a very bad idea to use one external drive for both. Why...? Because if and when the external drive fails, then you loose both the saved files and the Time Machine backups.

You should use that external drive exclusively for Time Machine and get another external drive for saving other files.

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Answer 2

Jul 28, 2024 2:31 PM in response to BM3Moss

Time machine has gotten smarter and more selective. When you say you give this drive to Time Machine today, it takes it ALL, and does not allow other files to be stored on it. it is now enforcing what we all have been preaching as "Best Practice".

What APFS format means is that this backup drive can not be read by MacOS older than Catalina. but backups and restores will be somewhat more efficient.

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