External drive is greyed out in Time machine options to exclude from backup.

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Level 1

16 points

External drive is greyed out in Time machine options to exclude from backup.

I wanted to release some HDD space on my MacBook Pro (mid 2010) so purchased a Lacie 1TB External drive to store my photo's on. I have copied 'Photos' across, but wanted to ensure that the Lacie was being backed up to my LAN 'Mybook' backup disk before deleting them form my MacBook HDD.

Apple by default excludes external drives for back up but I understand that Time machine options allow removal from the 'excluded' items to enable an external drive to be included!

However, although I can see my Lacie external drive in the options listed, it is greyed out and therefore will not allow me to exclude the drive, resulting being unable to backup it up!

I'm looking for a solution to 'ungrey' my Lacie external drive in options, or at least understand why it is greyed out.

Thanks

MacBook

Posted on Dec 9, 2018 2:44 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 13, 2018 11:47 AM in response to Dob1811

Time Machine depends on the MacOS 'File System Event Store' -- a list of what folders have changed recently. Non-Mac drives do not have that, and therefore Time Machine can not determine what needs to be backed up in a reasonable amount of time (less than about four hours). Non-Mac format drives are not supported by Time Machine.

You may need to ERASE that drive completely (by hardware-name), and give it the default GUID partition Map and HFS+ Volume before proceeding.

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Answer 2

Dob1811 Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 13, 2018 11:10 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

The Drive is a 1TB LaCie mobile drive Model AR25U32 for Mac purchased last week from the Apple store. I followed the setup procedure as instructed and in attempt to resolve my issue have since tried reformatting using Macs Disk Utility as ExFAT. Drive still greyed out!

I can see the drive in Finder and also in the Lacie's Desk Top Manager.

Many thanks

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Answer 3

Dob1811 Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 11, 2018 12:51 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Guys, thanks for your comments regarding my back up problem with a newly purchased external drive. Perhaps I should have mentioned that I use a WD 'Mybook live' linked to my LAN to backup the family's Macs which has been working fine for 3 or 4 years. I hope the attached will help better describe my issue with my new LaCie drive. As I understand it, it is normal for a external drive to appear in the 'options' to exclude, and various advice indicates I should highlight and delete it which allows the drive to be 'included in the back up process. However, as I hope that you can see, I can't highlight it (it's greyed out) and I don't know why...

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Answer 4

Dob1811 Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 13, 2018 12:08 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant - Thanks, that seems to have done it. I only had two other options in terms of reformatting, I have chosen 'Mac OS Extended' which seems to have worked. Certainly, the drive is no longer greyed out, I will check later after I have reloaded my photo's onto it and hopefully see that Time Machine is now backing it up....Seems strange that Mac gives you the option of formatting a drive which it's own back up system doesn't recognise!

Anyway, thanks very much for your interest and hopefully the resolution.

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Answer 5

jeremy_v

Community Specialist

Dec 10, 2018 9:12 AM in response to Dob1811

Hello Dob1811,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities! I understand that you are unable to make a Time Machine backup to your Lacie external drive. It's important you're able to backup and preserve your data. You've come to the right place for a resolution.

The following support article provides some troubleshooting steps to try for this behavior:

If you can't back up or restore your Mac using Time Machine - Apple Support

Specifically, be sure to follow the steps in this section:

Check your drives

If you're using a drive connected to a port on your Mac or AirPort Extreme Base Station, make sure that the drive is turned on.

If you're using a USB hub or a similar device, try connecting the drive directly to your Mac or base station.

If you're backing up to an external third-party drive, check with the drive manufacturer to make sure the drive's firmware is up to date.

If you're backing up to an external drive, check the formatting of the drive. Time Machine requires that an external drive be formatted like a Mac startup disk: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with a GUID Partition Table (GPT). If you select a differently formatted drive for use with Time Machine, your Mac automatically prompts you to erase it for Time Machine.

Reformatting a disk erases all data stored on the disk, so you might want to move important files to another disk first.

If your drive is already formatted correctly, turn off Time Machine, then check it for problems:

To check the drive of an AirPort Time Capsule, follow the steps to verify an AirPort Time Capsule drive.

To check an external drive connected to your Mac, open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder of your Applications folder. Then use the First Aid feature in Disk Utility to verify your disk. Do this for your startup disk as well.

You can turn Time Machine back on after your drives are verified or repaired successfully.

Take care!

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Answer 6

Dec 10, 2018 9:46 AM in response to Dob1811

I think jeremy-v tip about Drive format may be key.

Many vendors "do you a favor" by supplying drivers that can simulate a MacOS Volume on a non-Mac drive. It turns out when you go to use the drive, they did you no favors at all.

You may need to ERASE that drive completely (by hardware-name), and give it the default GUID partition Map and HFS+ Volume before proceeding.

Time Machine depends on the MacOS 'File System Event Store' -- a list of what folders have changed recently. Non-Mac drives do not have that, and therefore Time Machine can not determine what needs to be backed up in a reasonable amount of time (less than about four hours). Non-Mac drives are not supported by Time Machine.

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Answer 7

Dec 11, 2018 3:12 PM in response to Dob1811

what model drive, exactly?

did you install any Utilities with this drive?

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External drive is greyed out in Time machine options to exclude from backup.

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