How do I add external HDD to Time Machine when TM can’t find the drive. Disk Utility can find it and shows it being Mac compatible.
MacBook Pro (M2 Max, 2023)
Time Machine is picky. A "Mac Compatible" drive does not mean that it will work with Time Machine.
Connect the external drive directly to your Mac
The drive icon will show up on the Mac's desktop
Right-Click on the drive icon
Select Get Info
Look for Format in the next window
Time Machine requires a hard drive that has been formatted in Mac OS (Exended) Journaled.
Is that the current format for the external hard drive?
Time Machine is picky. A "Mac Compatible" drive does not mean that it will work with Time Machine.
Connect the external drive directly to your Mac
The drive icon will show up on the Mac's desktop
Right-Click on the drive icon
Select Get Info
Look for Format in the next window
Time Machine requires a hard drive that has been formatted in Mac OS (Exended) Journaled.
Is that the current format for the external hard drive?
Mine started doing that when I changed the name of my Time Capsule in the Airport Utility. I had to go back into "Time Machine" in system settings and delete the existing backup drive and then re-add it, now everything works just fine.
Different scenario here, you can't compare apples to oranges.
The OP is adding a new external drive that claims to be "Mac compatible". The drive could be formatted in FAT32 or exFAT for example....which is Mac compatible.....but it won't work with Time Machine.
The Time Capsule disk can only be formatted one way......Mac OS Extended (Journaled). To change this format, one would have to pull the drive from the Time Capsule to reformat, then reinstall the drive again. Of course, the Time Capsule will not work with Time Machine, if you do this.
Time Machine cannot find the backup disk. Backup disk is recognized by the system and listed in the directory.
