Q: How to use a Seagate Backup Plus external drive with Time Machine on iMac with OS X 10.11.2

How can I use a 5.0 TB Seagate Backup Plus with Time Machine on my iMac running OS X 10.11.2? When I say I want to use the drive with Time Machine it says I have to erase the drive first. It then said the drive was not readable by this computer. Do I have to reformat the drive or can I use a Paragon software called NTFS for Mac and still use Time Machine?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 16, 2016 2:20 PM

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Q: How to use a Seagate Backup Plus external drive with Time Machine on iMac with OS X 10.11.2

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by Mobile Blues,

Mobile Blues Mar 16, 2016 5:23 PM in response to shorefl
Level 4 (1,820 points)

Mar 16, 2016 5:23 PM in response to shorefl

Read this Apple Knowledge Base article...
Backup disks you can use with Time Machine - Apple Support
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by woodmeister50,

woodmeister50 Mar 17, 2016 4:48 AM in response to shorefl
Level 5 (5,517 points)

Mac OS X

Mar 17, 2016 4:48 AM in response to shorefl

If you are using it for Time machine, reformat and partition to GUID and MacOS Extended Journaled.
It makes no sense to have any other configuration if being used with Time Machine.

If this needs to be used with Windows PCs, then it is unwise to even attempt to use it for
Time Machine and a different backup method should be used.

Also, do not install any Seagate utility and driver software that may be suggested. It is not
needed and will only cause issues later.
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Q: How to use a Seagate Backup Plus external drive with Time Machine on iMac with OS X 10.11.2

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by Mobile Blues,

by woodmeister50,

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