Using a FAT32-formatted drive as backup disk with Time Machine

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Level 1

10 points

Using a FAT32-formatted drive as backup disk with Time Machine

For strange and perverse reasons of my own, I'd like to use a FAT32-formatted external hard drive with Time Machine. Is this possible?

MacBook Pro 2.16 GHz Intel Duo Core, Mac OS X (10.4.10), 2 GB of RAM, X1600 256mb, 120 GB 5400 RPM harddrive,

Posted on Nov 8, 2007 6:19 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Tom Bilbro

Level 1

56 points

Nov 8, 2007 6:41 PM in response to Ayjona

According to Leopard help the backup disk must be in Mac OS Extended (journaled) format with ACLs enabled.

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Answer 2

AxL

Level 6

11,435 points

Nov 8, 2007 6:48 PM in response to Ayjona

No, Time Machine needs a HFS+ formatted drive for its backup folder:
Mac OS Extended or Mac OS Extended Journaled.

_A solution_ if you still want to use the same drive for TM backup and for some Windows files:
Partition the drive before you start using it.
1) Format it (using Disk Utility) as Mac OS Extended
2) Make two partitions.
3) Now you can format Partition2 as FAT32, so you have then two different volumes with each its own format.

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Answer 3

Ayjona Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 8, 2007 7:28 PM in response to AxL

Actually, that is not possible to do. I don't know if it is just my disc, but I cannot format the external drive in mac OSX Extended, partition it, and then format one partition in FAT32 in Disc Utility.

(Though I suppose I could make a free space partition and format that partition as FAT32 in windows.)

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Answer 4

AxL

Level 6

11,435 points

Nov 8, 2007 8:01 PM in response to Ayjona

That's what I have on one of my external HDs
(I use it for my Boot Camp Windows backups).

Now whether I Windows-formatted it using DU or from Windows or whatever, I don't remember, but it is possible.

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Answer 5

Joyce

Level 2

160 points

Nov 9, 2007 8:19 PM in response to Ayjona

I can add a really strange anomaly. Time Machine kicked in to do a backup to an external MyBook while I was working at my computer. I continued to work on files from another external drive, a MiniMaxtor 100Gb. Now I can't mount the MiniMaxtor at all on any of my Macs. (I tried four different ones, even one still running Tiger) It mounts perfectly on my son's Windows machine. Help!

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