Forums | MacLife

ame · 2007-12-11 2:39 pm

we got our hard drive today to back up all our stuff. It says that in order to use it on a mac, you have to format the drive as a "journalled HFS+ Volume".

So...how do I do that?

rufio · 2007-12-11 2:45 pm

Go to Applications>Disk Utilities

Then with the hard drive attached/plugged in, you will see it in the source panel on the left side. Once you select the volume or drive, you will see a set of options in the main section of the window. If you go to "Erase," you can reformat the drive to your specifications.

Journaled HFS+ Volume is probably the same thing as Mac OS X Extended (Journaled), the most compatible Macintosh drive format, but I might be wrong on that.

ame · 2007-12-11 2:47 pm

Thanks!

Can anyone confirm the HFS+ vs Extended thing?

We apparently don't have another power st rip so Im going to have to do this tomorrow. Figures.

Tickle-Me-Eric · 2007-12-11 2:47 pm

Actually Disk Utility is in the Utilities Folder, which is in the Applications Folder... Other than that, yeah, what Rufio Said...

manwe · 2007-12-11 3:01 pm

HFS+ == OS Extended.

You can either reformat with or without journaling, it's recommended that you use journaling. You can read more about it here if you care:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107249

ame · 2007-12-11 3:05 pm

Ok--found a power strip, I am inthe process of doing this reformat right now. It only gives me the option of Extended with Journaling so I went that route.

ScifiterX · 2007-12-11 3:06 pm

You are correct but a HFS+ volume is only required if you want to boot from the disk. Macs can use HFS+ (Mac OS Extended), HFS (Mac OS Standard), or FAT (MS-DOS) as storage drive without problems. HFS+ has advantages like allowing for OS X booting, larger partitions, journaling (which increases reliability), and case sensitivity (which allows the OS to distinguish from a file named Apple.jpg & a file named apple.jpg but can break certain apps). FAT allows for PC compatibility and booting.

manwe · 2007-12-11 3:07 pm

There's no reason to not use journaling; the extra bit of safety over the tiny dent in performance is the best route to go for most users.

Just thought I'd throw out the option.

ame · 2007-12-11 3:10 pm

Thanks guys, and thanks Scifiter for explaining that.

We won't be booting from this drive (godwilling), it will be a backup and act as more storage for our "server" since we pretty much need a TON of space for day to day stuff.

I named it our backup and did the erase, and hopefully now all will work ok.

ame · 2007-12-11 3:27 pm

I am setting up its "total backup" program now, so that I can schedule a total server backup at least every friday night.

Alien · 2007-12-11 3:32 pm

ScifiterX wrote:
You are correct but a HFS+ volume is only required if you want to boot from the disk. Macs can use HFS+ (Mac OS Extended), HFS (Mac OS Standard), or FAT (MS-DOS) as storage drive without problems. HFS+ has advantages like allowing for OS X booting, larger partitions, journaling (which increases reliability), and case sensitivity (which allows the OS to distinguish from a file named Apple.jpg & a file named apple.jpg but can break certain apps). FAT allows for PC compatibility and booting.

HFS+ isn't case sensitive.

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ScifiterX · 2007-12-11 3:46 pm

Not by default (then it's only case aware) but does allow for case sensitivity, which is what I said. (I had choosen my words carefully, Alien.)

Disk utilities volume format options are Mac OS Extended (Journaled), Mac OS Extended, Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive), Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled), Mac OS Standard, & MS-DOS (FAT).

MacAddict4Life · 2007-12-11 6:17 pm

We lost UFS?

ScifiterX · 2007-12-11 6:36 pm

Apparently. It's not Leopard compatible. I also remember it tending to break a lot of applications (more than simply activating case sensitivity on HFS+ did).

Tickle-Me-Eric · 2007-12-12 3:43 pm

By the way, for you newer people just figuring out formatting and so on: Keep in mind that some things (namely CS3) aren't compatible with the Case Sensitive Journaled, so unless you have a reason to use it; I'd steer clear. Just stick with Journaled.

(I'm sure some of you know what to use Case Sensitive for, but for the newer users I figured this might save you a OS reinstall or two wink )

Forums | MacLife

#1 2007-12-11 2:39 pm

External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#2 2007-12-11 2:45 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#3 2007-12-11 2:47 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#4 2007-12-11 2:47 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#5 2007-12-11 3:01 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#6 2007-12-11 3:05 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#7 2007-12-11 3:06 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#8 2007-12-11 3:07 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#9 2007-12-11 3:10 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#10 2007-12-11 3:27 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#11 2007-12-11 3:32 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

ScifiterX wrote:

#12 2007-12-11 3:46 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#13 2007-12-11 6:17 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#14 2007-12-11 6:36 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

#15 2007-12-12 3:43 pm

Re: External Hard Drive--reformatting?

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