Force quiting Erase & Format: Possible or not to interrupt?

Hard- & software.

Mac Mini M1, macOS Ventura


Action under way.

Been erasing and reformatting external Hard Drive.

Stupidly choosen most secure erase and format option. The seven pass proces. Apparantly taken hours and hours maybe more then one day or even longer.elated to this matter would be appreciated

I think I could perhaps force quit Disk Utility and start all over again with a quicker erase format option.


BUT

  • Can that be done? How to force quit? Many years ago I once did it, but on Ventura, no idea.
  • Or is it better just to wait out the whole looong procedure as there are serious problems to be expected, when doing this kind force quite.
  • Other ways to reduce waiting time without creating potential serious problems?
  • Any other advice related to this matter would be appreciated


Many thanks in advance!

Posted on Sep 14, 2023 3:14 AM

Reply
5 replies

Sep 14, 2023 4:18 AM in response to dialabrain

Hi dear dialabrain,


Thank you for your quick reply. Do you have any idea about possible, potential negative consequences of such an action? Interupting a rather “delicate” proces like reformating might result perhaps in unforseen problems for me, I am not a wizard with these kind of things. Only recently got myself the Mac Mini M1 and do not really feel at home so to say. Quite dome time ago that I worked with a Mac

Any other ways you know off?

Again, many thanks!

Sep 20, 2023 7:44 AM in response to EdmondVO

Update: Result of my actions, or rather non-action.


Sorry, that I am late to reply, but was called away because of serious family problems abroad. When I came back there the proces was already in its fifth phase. So I decide just to let it run its full corse to see how much time this way of erasing and formatting would really take. After all it was process in the background I could still do some file maintenance at the same time


Well the result is in: On my Mac Mini MI, so my case, it took about 53 hours total!

So if ever anyone else consider this way of erasing an reformatting this could be the time he would be looking at.

So be forwarned!


Also many thanks to Ronasara, who also chimes in to help out. It is always great that there are people willing to help a total stranger

Force quiting Erase & Format: Possible or not to interrupt?

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