A drive can be used on any type of computer - PC or Mac. But in order for the computer and drive to communicate with one another, the drive has to be formatted with the correct file system. This article explains about file systems and provides instruction to format a drive on Windows and Mac. Format and external hard drive on Mac Open Disk Utility on your macOS, press cmd + spacebar keys and type Disk Utility in the spotlight search. On the Disk Utility interface, select an external drive click on the Erase button from top of the window (make sure. Now enter the name.
Nov 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
There are lots of people who mistakenly think that the USB drives and hard drives format don't really matter. But the reality is quite different. Whether it is a hard drive or USB or internal drive, Mac uses different format support. So, you can't simply use the same drive with both Windows and Mac. As a result, you will need to format the hard drive for Mac. Using the Mac preferred file system is important otherwise the files will be of no use to you.
In this article, we are going to discuss how to format a hard drive for Mac and some related terms too.
Part 1. Situations When Formatting a Hard Drive on Mac:
Before you get deep, you must understand what is the drive formatting. Some people confuse the term with reformatting. Basically, formatting is the process of preparing the storage devices such as hard disk drive, solid-state drive, USB flash drive, or any other for initial use.
The basic operation is termed as low-level formatting which means erasing the existing data on the disk. But it leaves the track to recover the data using the recovery tool.
There is another term related to disk formatting and it is called reformatting. It is called high-level formatting as it is used to prepare the disk for different file system formats. It is usually done during the OS installation or adding a new disk. Reformatting is done to free the storage space from the previous content stored in it.
You can consider disk formatting in macOS in various circumstances. Whether your system has corrupted data, damaged software, impending system upgrade, storage is full, or it is running slow, formatting will fix a lot of issues. Take a look at the scenarios given below and you will be sure that disk formatting will help you.
- If you want to quickly erase all content from the drive permanently without leaving a trace of data on it.
- If you want to change the format of the disk such as PC format like FAT or exFAT to Mac format.
- If you see the message that the disk is not readable by Mac.
- If you want to resolve a disk issue that can't be fixed by the Repair feature of Disk Utility.
- If the macOS installer can't see the disk or unable to install it.
- In case the macOS installer says that the drive can't be installed because it is a part of Apple RAID.
Under all these situations, formatting is most likely to fix your problems and you will be able to use the drive on Mac.
Part 2. How to Format a Hard Drive on Mac:
Formatting is a very simple procedure that 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. Before you erase a disk, make sure that you have a backup of the files you want to keep.
Step 1: Connect the USB drive or external drive to Mac and launch the Disk Utility from Applications.
Step 2: From the left side panel, pick the volume or the drive that you want to format and switch to the Erase tab.
Step 3: As you click on the Erase button, you will see several fields in the section. Enter the given information-
- Name- Enter a name for the disk such as Macintosh HD/SSD/USB Drive or anything else you want.
- Format- You have to choose a Mac supported format from the list. The most recommended format is APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). There are numerous other formats too which will be displayed in the drop-down menu. You can select any format as per your requirement.
- The scheme- If this option is available, then you should choose the GUID Partition Map from the option.
Step 4: After specifying the fields, click on the Erase button at the bottom of the window and Disk Utility will format the drive.
Once the formatting is complete, you can use the disk for a backup drive, sharing, time machine backup, or any other requirement. In case if the drive doesn't appear in the Disk Utility interface, you will have to disconnect all the extra and non-essential devices connected to Mac. Make sure that the External drive is on and connected properly. Restart your Mac and then carry out the task.
Part 3. How to Perform Mac Data Recovery After Format:
There are situations when Mac users don't get the chance to create a backup of their data and forced to format the hard drive. But you don't need to panic. You can get your hands on Recoverit data recovery for Mac. If you have mistakenly formatted the data that you still need, Recoverit is the best chance you have to get the files back. It is a complete data recovery solution that is capable of recovering all kinds of files with wide format support of 1000+.
You can download the software from the official website and install it immediately on Mac. Once the setup is complete, follow the steps below to recover formatted drive files.
Step 1: Specify Location:
Run the program and specify a location from the main drive. If data is lost from an external drive or USB flash drive, then you'll have to connect the drive with the system and then specify the location.
Click on the Start button to initiate the scanning process. Mac and dev.
Step 2: Scan Results:
Depending on the data that is lost or deleted, scanning will take some time. As the process finishes, the files will be displayed on the screen according to their respective format.
You can decide whether you want to look for files according to file type or file path. You can also stop the scanning process in between if the results are displayed before the scanning finishes.
Step 3: Preview and Recover Formatted Data:
As soon as the data is displayed on the screen, you can have a preview of the files. Select as many files as you want and have a preview of the files. Tap on the Recover button to save the files on your system.
As you are retrieving the files, keep in mind not to save the files in the previous location. Depending on the amount of recovery, it will take a while and ultimately you'll have your files back. If the normal scan doesn't work for you, Recoverit also has a deep scan mode to look deeper for the deleted and lost files.
Part 4. Different Formats of Hard Drive for Mac:
Mac Hard drives have wide support for formats but there are two major formats that are preferably used by the Mac users. It also depends on the macOS version you are using. The key point to consider is that the drives formatted with the newer versions won't be recognized by the older devices. So, when you are formatting a USB drive, it will be ideal to choose the right format which is Mac OS Extended.
The supported Mac formats for the drive are explained below:
APFS:
The APFS format is optimal for Solid State Drive such as flash drives. Hence, if you are formatting a flash drive, you should definitely choose the APFS format. Along with the flash drives, this format is also faster and more reliable for Mac hard drives.
Mac OS Extended:
Talking about Mac OS Extended, it is perfectly suitable if you want to use a drive for backup. The Time Machine feature of Mac still doesn't have support for APFS disk. In case you select this format, Time Machine will prompt you to reformat the drive.
When you are formatting disk on Mac, keep some things in mind. Never ever change the inbuilt format of a Mac drive.
Part 5. Tips for Formatting a Hard Drive on Mac:
Even though formatting doesn't seem like a big deal, still it can be very helpful. So, you must stay active and keep all things in mind. Here are some tips that might help you when you are about to format a Mac hard drive.
- Disk Utility in macOS Sierra and later chooses a compatible format for you automatically. But you should know the default format for your drive. It is advised not to change the default format of a Mac hard drive under any circumstances.
- You can check the format of a drive inside the Disk Utility Menu bar. Just click on the Get Info option and you'll know the current format a drive is using to store files. Open the System information and select the storage. In the right-side panel, you will see the respective format for each volume on your Mac.
- If you want to erase your disk before you install the latest High Sierra on your Mac for the first time, then opt-out for the Mac OS Extended format. During the installation of OS, the macOS installer will automatically decide whether to use APFS or Mac OS Extended for the disk.
- You can also use the FAT32 format on Mac for USB drives if you wish to use it on both Mac and Windows. The FAT32 format can be read and written on both OS and hence it is the most versatile format for use.
- If you wish to transfer big files from Windows to Mac, you'll still have an alternative, i.e. exFAT. This format doesn't have a file limit but it can only be read on Mac OS X Snow Leopard or later.
So, before you pick out the format, look out for the advantages and the disadvantages of the formats to choose the optimal format for Mac. The Windows supported format is usually listed as an MS-DOS format in the list of formats.
Wrapping It Up:
As you can see, now you know how to format hard drive/ USB flash drive/ internal drive/external drive on Mac. So, from now on whenever someone is in need, you can help them. And formatting doesn't always finish without complications. So, if you lost some important files while formatting the drive, you can use Recoverit data recovery software for Mac to restore them in the original condition. Recommend the software to your friends and family and let them know that there is a master tool for recovery for both Mac and Windows OS in the market.
Jpeg viewer mac. Apr 17,2020 • Filed to: Hard Drive Recovery • Proven solutions
'I have been using a Toshiba Hard Drive from a long time, and now I'm planning to use it with my Mac. How can I format my Toshiba Hard Drive for Mac?'
A Hard Drive when being used on a particular OS contains the Drivers and Dictionaries of that OS, and it also runs the File System best suited for the same OS. Thus, when you are planning to use the same Hard Drive on any other OS, particularly MacOS, it is always suggested to format your Hard Drive for Mac. Formatting your Toshiba Hard Drive for Mac is important, as it makes the Hard Drive best suitable for the Mac by formatting it with the OS-specific File System and Drivers. And it also wipes out all the bugs and harmful files that might harm your Mac. Go through this article and find out the easiest way to format your Toshiba Drive for Mac.
Part 1. Why Should you Backup Your Toshiba Hard Drive before Formatting it for Mac?
Whenever you are planning to format your Toshiba Hard Drive for Mac, it's always suggested to take a backup of the Drive you are going to format. It's necessary and good for your data because the process of formatting your Toshiba Hard Drive to be used on Mac also includes erasing of all the data from the Drive. Thus, if you take a Backup of all your data before formatting your Toshiba Hard Drive, then it will be super easy for you to restore all the lost data.
So, let's suppose you are using the Drive on your Windows but you now need to format it to use it on Mac. Let's take a backup of the Drive on the Windows.
On your Windows home screen search for 'Control panel', and then on the Control Panel window, navigate to 'Control Panel > System and Security > Backup & Restore (Windows 7)'. Now, on the 'Backup & Restore (Windows 7)' window, click on the 'Set up Backup' option under the 'Backup' section. Follow the wizard by choosing your Destination Drive and customizing the Backup.
As soon as you complete the process, Windows will start to take a backup, and once done, you can proceed with the process of formatting your Toshiba Drive for Mac.
Part 2. How to Format your Toshiba Hard Drive for Mac? The Easiest Method
It's very easy to format your Toshiba Hard Drive for Mac. All you need to do is to follow some easy steps on your Mac. Once you format your Drive for Mac, it becomes totally compatible to be used with your Mac and Time Machine. All the Drivers and the dictionary of other Devices will get wiped and the new dictionaries of your macOS will get installed.
Follow the steps to format your Toshiba Hard Drive for Mac
Step 1 Connect your Toshiba Hard Drive to your Mac using a compatible medium and make sure the connection remains uninterrupted.
Step 2 Now, go to the 'Applications' folder on your Mac, and launch the 'Disk Utility' from the 'Utilities' folder.
Step 3 On the Disk Utility window, you will see two panels. Look for your Drive listed on the left panel, and then select the Drive. On the Main panel, go to the 'Erase' tab squeezed between First Aid and Partition.
Step 4 On the Erase tab, you will see two options i.e. Format and Name. Now, choose 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled)' option from the drop-down menu in front of the Format option, and change or edit the Name if you wish to.
Step 5 Once done, simply click on the 'Erase' tab, confirm the action by choosing 'Erase' again on the next dialogue box. This will format your Toshiba Drive for Mac.
Once you successfully format your Toshiba Drive using this method, your Drive will work best with your Mac.
Part 3. Recover the Lost Data from Toshiba Hard Drive after Formatting – Use Recoverit (IS) Tool
Formatting a Hard Drive means all the data of the Drive will get erased from it permanently. If in case, you forgot to take a backup of your Drive before formatting it, or you accidentally format your Drive, then all of your data will get lost permanently, and you will not be able to restore it from anywhere. If the data lost from your Hard Drive was very important, then it can land you in big trouble.
Recoverit (IS) Tool is the solution to your problem. You can recover all of your lost data from the formatted Toshiba Drive with the help of Recoverit (IS) Tool. You can use Recoverit (IS) tool to recover all kinds of data that is lost during formatting of your Toshiba Drive. iSkysoft is one of the highest-rated and most reliable recovery tools in the market, and it is also one of the most affordable tools among all.
Recoverit (IS)
Best Features of Recoverit (IS) Tool
- You can recover deleted files from all kind of Drives like HDD, SSD, Floppy Disk, USB Drive, SD Card, and also from your Toshiba Hard Drive.
- You can recover files lost from Drive due to many reasons like Malware attack, Accidental Delete, Intentional Delete, System Crash, and also from the formatted drives.
- You can recover more than 1000 file types.
- You can run the recovery tool on Windows and macOS as well.
- You can recover data from PC, Mac, Android, Drives, Camera, CD, etc.
- It allows you to recover data stored on your Drive even from a crashed window.
User Guide to Recover Data on Formatted Toshiba Hard Drive
Step 1 To recover deleted data from your Toshiba Drive, you need to first download the Recoverit (IS) Tool compatible with your System. Once downloaded, install it and complete the registration process. If your Toshiba Drive from which you want to recover data is an external Drive, then you will need to connect it to your System before starting the recovery process.
Step 2 Launch the Recoverit (IS) Tool and select the Drive from which you want to recover data on the Drive Selection window. If your Drive is an External Drive, then you will find it in 'External Storage Devices' section. If your Drive is an Internal Drive, then you will find it in 'Storage Drives' section. Select the Drive and click 'Start'.
Step 3 The tool will start scanning your Toshiba Drive for all the deleted files. Meanwhile, you can Pause and Resume the scanning process at any time. Once scanned, you will see all the scanned files listed. Search for the files that you want to recover. You can also preview the files with the help of 'Preview' button.
Format External Hard Drive Mac
Step 4 Select all the files that you want to recover from your Toshiba Drive, and click on the 'Recover' button. This will restore all the deleted files to the selected location on your System. You can then access all the recovered files from the location.
Conclusion:
Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro
It is very important to format your Toshiba Drive for macOS. It is important for your old Hard Drives, as well as your brand-new Hard Drives. When formatted for Mac, the Toshiba Hard Drives gives their best performance. But you always need to remember that taking a backup of your Drive is equally important as formatting it for Mac. Or else, you will have to perform a recovery of your Drive using Recoverit (IS) Tool.
