Partition External SSD Drive

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Partition External SSD Drive

I purchased a Samsung T5 SSD 1T external drive to use as a time machine backup. I had planned on creating two partitions on the drive using one for TM and other to store files. Using disc utility I was only able to format the drive as Mac OS extended and not given the option partition or format as APFS. Did I get a defective drive, or is it not possible to partition a SSD on my MacBook?

Thank you.

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)

2.3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Feb 27, 2022 4:51 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

129,559 points

Feb 28, 2022 6:50 AM in response to Paul Stafford1

Apple has changed its recommended procedures when APFS starts to get involved:

Partition a physical disk in Disk Utility on Mac

Partitioning a disk divides it into individual sections known as containers.

However, with APFS, you shouldn’t partition your disk in most cases. Instead, create multiple APFS volumes within a single partition. With the flexible space management provided by APFS, you can even install another version of macOS on an APFS volume.

from:

Partition a physical disk in Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Feb 27, 2022 5:56 PM in response to Paul Stafford1

When setting up an external drive for time machine, it needs to be set up as a GUID with a Mac extended journaled partition.https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/macos-10-15-catalina-time-machine-backup-guide/#

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Answer 3

Feb 28, 2022 6:12 AM in response to my ginger

Thanks for the information. My primary issue with the Samsung T5 drive was not being able to partition it into two APFS volumes. I am running OS 11.6 Big Sur and have successfully set up TM on APFS partitions on other external HDD drives. So the question is, is it not possible to partition external SSD drives, or did I just get a bad one from Samsung.

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Answer 4

Feb 28, 2022 7:24 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you. Very helpful information. I will review how I set up the other external HDD drives. However, I still don't have the answer regarding the SSD drive. In disc utility the only format options were MacOS extended. No option to format as APFS. Either you can't format external SSD drives, or I got a bad drive from Samsung.

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Answer 5

Feb 28, 2022 7:53 AM in response to Paul Stafford1

If you set it for MacOS Extended, and Time Machine does not like it, Time Machine will ask your permission to update it to APFS or to re-initialize it.

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Partition External SSD Drive

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