Samsung T5 refuses format to APFS

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Level 1

12 points

Samsung T5 refuses format to APFS

I just bought a Samsung T5 but it refuses to allow me to format it for APFS.

I followed the instructions in this thread to get the option in disk utility to format the drive. Did all this, but then once it was done, the drive has reverted to only showing the disk image with the propriety software download that comes with the drive when it's shipped (see screenshot below).

Does anyone know what's going on here? How can I have erased and formatted a 1TB drive, only for it to then go and show me a 45mb disk image? I'm not super tech-savvy so apologies if i'm missing something here, but I never had this issue with my WD Hd drives. Is it an SSD thing or a Samsung thing?

(NB. before any users recommend installing Samsung's own disk management software, there's a problem with their latest version that isn't compatible with Mac (see this thread).

I just want a SSD harddrive that is APFS formatted with encyrption as a backup and boot drive. I am wondering if this is even possible with the T5 or whether I need to return it and get something from WD or Seagate or sth.

Posted on Aug 6, 2019 2:24 PM

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Answer 1

fuzzymo

Level 4

2,042 points

Aug 6, 2019 5:03 PM in response to hia03jsm

I am hoping you did not set a security password in the "T5_ SETUP". Open Disk Utility, Make sure "View" is set to "Show All Devices". In your Disk Utility screenshot, click on "Samsung Portabl..." (as shown in your screenshot). That is the main device. Click on "Erase " in the top tool bar. In the dropdown window, First select Scheme: GUID Partition Map, then Format: APFS. click on "Erase" at the bottom right of the dropdown window. Let Disk Utility finish, and you should be good to go.

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Answer 2

Sep 16, 2019 9:29 PM in response to hia03jsm

I'm not sure if it is a related problem. I couldn't figure out how to format my 2tb T5 drive to APFS, as that option was not listed under the 'format' pull-down. It turned out I had to select GUID as the partition map, not 'Apple Partition Map'.

Once I selected GUID, then lots more format options became visible in the pull-down.

Formatting to APFS was then completed successfully.

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Answer 3

hia03jsm Author

Level 1

12 points

Aug 7, 2019 2:28 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

When you first plug in the device, it only provides you with a disk image showing 'T5_Setup' (see screenshot). As the .txt file says, this is a read-only partition. OK, I thought. A bit annoying, but i'll just install the Samsung software, access the drive fully (as a 1TB thing) and then format it as APFS.

I did all this, following the instructions you all mention (clicking on the 'main' drive in disk utility, rather than its image [you can't format the image to APFS anyway]).

But once the drive was formatted with GUID Partition map, I restarted my computer and it has returned to the 'start'. The only way to access the drive is to install Samsung's software, put in the password and THEN it allows access to the 1TB drive. This seems to be the case even after I format the drive, which I really don't understand because I thought reformatting would wipe everything.

This is my first experience with Samsung and, tbh, i'm frustrated they are making it so difficult to just use the **** drive without their software.

a di

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Answer 4

fuzzymo

Level 4

2,042 points

Aug 7, 2019 4:18 AM in response to hia03jsm

As I said a I have two T5's. I have never used the Samsung Portable SSD software. As soon as I take the T5 out of the box, I plug it in, open Disk Utility then erase and reformat it.

Setting the security password is what makes your T5 inaccessible. You will have to reenter your security password every time you restart your computer with the T5 connected, and every time you reconnect your T5 to your computer. You can disable the security password if you wish.

You can also use the APFS (encrypted) format is you want instead of using the Samsung encryption.

https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/support/faqs-portable/

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