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Level 1

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Time Machine-Compatible Disk Formats

Time Machine Question - from total Mac NEWB:

I've completed by first Time Machine backup (to Time Capsule). No issues. Next I want to INCLUDE an external USB 3.0 drive to the backup set. This drive is used for archival storage for my Windows Virtual Machine's data files (work stuff, sharing w/PC Laptop). I have this disk formatted as exFat, so no problems reading from Win or Mac.

Complication: Apparently Time Machine does not support exFat formatted drives. I can see the external drive from Time Machine Preferences, but I cannot select it.

What format should I use to simultaneously support: Mac, Win, Time Machine??

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), Time Machine, Time Capsule

Posted on Aug 12, 2012 4:37 PM

19 replies

Mar 7, 2013 6:30 AM in response to markp99

Just had the same problem. From my Macbook Pro went to Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility and set up two partitions on my external drive (1TB WD MyBook), 1 partition of 750GB formatted in exFAT so readable and writable by Mac & Windows, for photos and other data, another partition of just under 400GB formatted in Mac format for use by Time Machine for back ups. So far seems to be working fine...(touch wood).

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 7, 2013 7:01 AM in response to buro46_Pete

I'd check that exFAT partition on a Windows PC. Everytime I have used a Mac to format a partition exFAT when connecting that drive to a Windows PC Windows report the drive as Unformatted and need to be Initialized.

If formatted exFAT on a Windows PC it then could be read and written to on either Mac or Windows.

buro46_Pete wrote:

Just had the same problem. From my Macbook Pro went to Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility and set up two partitions on my external drive (1TB WD MyBook), 1 partition of 750GB formatted in exFAT so readable and writable by Mac & Windows, for photos and other data, another partition of just under 400GB formatted in Mac format for use by Time Machine for back ups. So far seems to be working fine...(touch wood).

Mar 7, 2013 7:26 AM in response to Shootist007

Macbook TimeMachine just finished backing up OK to the Mac partition on the external drive. Now plugged into the PC, only the exFat partition appears (as expected) as available. Copying 394 GB of photos to it - so far so good! Will know in about 5 hours time when it is finished if it worked or not!

I read somewhere that it used to be a problem until quite recently that a drive formatted in exFat on a Mac couldn't be read/written by Windows but vice versa, exFat formatted on a PC was read/writeable by a Mac. This problem has now evidently been overcome.

When I have funds available I shall set up a NAS drive but until then I'm banking on this method working!

Shootist007

Level 6

16,703 points

Mar 7, 2013 8:54 AM in response to buro46_Pete

Glad to hear Apple straightened this out.

Time Machine-Compatible Disk Formats