Samsung - T5 1TB External USB SSD Drive Compatibility

I have been using several Samsung T5 drives as boot drives for years on two different iMacs. As was already mentioned, the first thing to do, is use Disk Utility to erase the T5. When Disk Utility opens, Select "View" then select "Show All Devices". In the Disk Utility side bar, select "Samsung Portable SSD T5 Media". Then select "Erase". In the dropdown name your drive. Then select "Scheme: GUID Partition Map and Format: APFS". Then select "Erase". Now download the macOS Big Sur installer from the App Store. When the macOS Big Sur installer opens, select your T5 as the destination for the installation.

If you wish to transfer all your data use Migration Assistant in the Applications/ Utilities Folder.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-big-sur/id1526878132?mt=12

did you erase and reformat the drive before use? or are you using any samsung software that came pre-loaded on the drive? it's not necessary to use samsung's software and it's been shown that their software doesn't play well with macOS. i have two separate samsung SSDs that i use as boot drives. one for catalina, and the other for beta software. i erased and re-formatted them as APFS with GUID partition map, and have not run into any issues booting into and using them. and, as an aside, i also used the process as laid out by Jack19's user tip to set them up.

Since the T5 drive became available, there have been constant posts in the support communities with issues that others have had with this drive. Not all of these posts are attributable to installing any Samsung drive software (which one should never do). So caveat emptor if you purchase it.

If it were me, I would be inclined to use the external Crucial X8 External drive (in a size that suits your requirements). This drive using USB-C 3.2 gen 2 can scoot along at 1000MB/s. I would also use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone your internal drive to this device, and then switch your startup drive to the Crucial device. Unless things have changed, the 30-day trial of the cloning software should allow you to perform that clone operation.

_Buster_ wrote:

Q: If the SSD_T5 is ever needed to Restore in a failed iMac situation ( using Time Machine) Will the Samsung Encryption of my Data, be a complication ? ( of course the correct Password is available to open the Encrypted Data on the SSD_T5).

Thanks

i would say, yes, that is highly likely. it is well known that Samsung software doesn't always "play nice" with macOS. it is often recommended here to use disk utility to Erase and reformat a storage device before using it with your mac. if you want / need the drive to be encrypted, you should use the mac's built in encryption tools to achieve that.

VikingOSX wrote:

Since the T5 drive became available, there have been constant posts in the support communities with issues that others have had with this drive. Not all of these posts are attributable to installing any Samsung drive software (which one should never do). So caveat emptor if you purchase it.

i just checked and my drives are USB-C T7 drives. are the issues you've mentioned just related to T5 drives or everything samsung? could that be why i've had no issues but the OP does?

Bsaw67 wrote:

Will the Samsung 1 TB T5 work ok with USB 3.0 port on my 2017 i-Mac.

my T7 came with 2 cables. a USB-C to USB-C, and a USB3.0 to USB-C. i'm thinking that's what will come with the T5 drive.

Will my TM Big Sur backups on USB with Journaled HFS+ file system be compatible with Migration Assistant?

yes. although a big sur TM should already be APFS unless it has backups from catalina and/or before.

I have tried both T5s and a T7 Touch and found both of them to be a nightmare. I have wiped the T5s, (in a similar manner to fuzzymo's steps) and found that they work better. I need to do the same for the T7 Touch (the fingerprint scanner is unreliable and macOS keeps losing the drive). I would simply avoid both models.

For what it's worth....

This is not my Experience with two Samsung SSD_T5 1TB Date of Mfg Oct 2020. (see member simmyd 16Dec post above).

Using the SSD_T5's for iMac Catalina dedicated Time Machine Back-Up STORAGE......they work perfectly.

Based on about two months experience. ( not Bootable use).

Me......I think they are quality devices and down the road when i need more STORAGE , i will consider the SSD_ T5's or maybe T7.

I do still have a Question that i will pose to the Community (unfortunately this is likely in the Wrong Subscription String but i don't know how to change it):

Q: If the SSD_T5 is ever needed to Restore in a failed iMac situation ( using Time Machine) Will the Samsung Encryption of my Data, be a complication ? ( of course the correct Password is available to open the Encrypted Data on the SSD_T5).

Thanks

Hello ,

so this is my first Post.... so go easy on me......

I'm reading about Samsung SSD compatibility problems and not to use Samsung Software ( i don't think that applies for use of Samsung SSD T5 for external BackUp Storage.)

I'm now using a Samsung Portable SSD T5 for iMac( late 2013), Running Catalina, Dedicated BackUp for iMac , Controlled by Time Machine. (replacement for an 8 year old Airport Time Capsule before it fails ). I'm actually using Two SSD T5's and i keep one stored Off Site.

I'm in-experienced in this area, but i have everything Running... Time Machine Runs the SSD_T5.

The worst thing is to think it's all done correctly and then if you need it ....Uh-Ohh there is an issue here back when you set this up.

I'm not using the SSD T5 as a Bootable Drive

The most important thing for me is BackUp Device Reliability & Security. Ability to set Strong Password with Encryption.

( I believe the SSD T5 has the Software & Chip for the 16 character Pswd & the AES 256 encryption as hardware inside the SSD T5.)

Here are the words Samsung uses for the SSD T5 ........

" Optional Password protection (AES256-bit Hardware Encryption). Password protection software compatible with multiple OSs."

I used the the Samsung SetUp _Mac & the Samsung Management Software ( Rename Drive , Set Password Y/N , Check for Firmware Updates. ) All worked great.

Time Machine decided that my choice of APFS format wouldn't work so it used Mac OS Extended Journaled.

I did not enable Time Machine encryption ( my thinking was my iMac would be encrypting my data that is about to be encrypted by the Samsung SSD T5.

Q1 : Can some one offer an Opinion about whether the SSD T5 Security when Enabled includes Samsung Encryption done by some Chip Inside the SSD T5 , controlled by the Password Key. All On-Board the Device.

Q2 : In the event that my iMac HD , fails, can the Samsung SSD_T5 , restore everything on a new iMac or Mac mini ( Applications and System Files are not excluded from my BackUp).

Q3 : I of course know about Properly Ejecting a Disk. The only issue i have is with an error message about Properly Ejecting the SSD T5 , and when i plug it back in , i get a Finder icon with a Message

"Disk was Not Ejected Properly. Eject "T5_SETUP" before disconnecting or turning it off "

This also happens when i Shut Down the iMac or Wake it up from a Sleep. The Password has to be re-entered when SSD is Unplugged or iMac is shut down.

I can live with it and my hope is when I replace my 2013 Mac and move to Big Sur and beyond this will not happen anymore .

Thanks in advance.

OK... I decided to do a test ...since i am at the beginning of my Samsung T5 replacing my Airport Time Capsule.

This ends up being more of an FYI ...hoping it helps other User's who have chosen Samsung as portable storage.

( I did get in touch with Samsung for input...and for what it's worth...they advise they are aware of some issues and are working on it. Maybe Samsung will do a Firmware SSD T5 update that will improve compatibility , when i migrate to a new Mac with Latest OSx )

Simple is better. Use Time Machine Encryption .

If i use the SSD T5 just as my iMac Dedicated Storage disk with no samsung encryption that should remove the potential for complications down the road if i ever have to use it to restore .

I disabled the Samsung SSD T5 Security feature .... used Disk Utilty to erase everything , checked the Partion was Single, ran First Aid ...All Good....now it's just a Disk....

Ejected and plugged it back in to USB just to ensure it's a Dumb Disk...all good.

Now i use TimeMachine to set it up as a iMac HDD Dedicated BackUp Disk & when asked if i want Time Machine to Encrypt the Data I Enable the encryption.

Do my first back-up and this took a long long time....like 6 hours for 250GB and yes my USB 3 port throttles things a bit.

Format Time Machines chooses is Mac OS extended Journaled Encrypted.....as expected.

Now after i let the first back-up take it's own sweet time i check it out .

It turns out Samsung SSD T5 somehow Flipped back to Samsung Security Enabled with my Password that still works .

So I'm Encrypting with Time Machine & with Samsung AES 256 ...double encryption, likely why it looks so long.

Not only that , everytime i shut down the iMac... i have to now enter two complex Passwords for the two Encryptions......No Thanks.

I erased it all and used the Samsung SSD T5 Built in security / encryption & Declined the Time Machine encryption offer.

Things seem to be working ok , and i will live with what i have and i do have confidence in the Data Backup on the SSD T5.

Confidence gained by drilling down into the SSD T5 BackUp and seeing the documents

There have been fewer posts about the T7, so perhaps that has something to do about it. Don't use Samsung drives here.

thanks. and i prefer seagate HDDs for my external storage needs. but when i was shopping for external SSDs for boot drives, the T7 drives were 40% off, so i figured what the heck. :)

I use Crucial 1 & 2 TB drives for external Time Machine backups, and these have been rock solid.

that's good to know. i'm thinking of replacing my HDD based TM with an SSD. i'll look into a Crucial SSD when the time comes. thanks again. :)