You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Time Machine Asking to Erase External HD

I have a Mac mini (with M1 chip) running the latest macOS Big Sur 11.2.3. I also have an external USB 8TB hard drive formatted as HFS+ (Mac OS Extended, Journaled).

I'm not sure why, but Time Machine is asking to erase the entire drive to use it as a Time Machine backup. The problem is, I have files on the drive that I would like to keep. I've used Time Machine in the past with hard drives that have other data on the drives. I'm not sure why this is any different.

Mac mini, macOS 11.2

Posted on Apr 16, 2021 2:12 PM

Top-ranking reply

PRP_53

Level 10

91,741 points

Posted on Apr 16, 2021 2:15 PM

The new Requirements in Big Sur for Time machine is for the TM Drive be formatted as APFS. Would suggest that until you decide to either get another USB Drive to move the Important Fills off the drive or use the New Drive for TM

View in context

Time Machine Asking to Erase External HD

Similar questions