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Keep getting an error message that reads: "The backup disk is not in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format, which is required." Can't figure out how to change the format. Any answers appreciated. Thanks- Joe
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.15
Copy these important documents first to another external drive or to your internal hard drive. Then, you can reformat your external drive and make TimeMachine backups. You can include an external drive in a TimeMachine backup
Copy these important documents first to another external drive or to your internal hard drive. Then, you can reformat your external drive and make TimeMachine backups. You can include an external drive in a TimeMachine backup
Oh my! I've got a ton of very important documents on my Western Digital external hard drive that I am using for my Time Machine backup disk. Are you aware of an alternative to erasing the drive and starting over?
I personally do not use Time Machine, but I am sure that if you reformat the backup disk to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format as requested, while you will loose the existing Time Machine data, you can reset Time Machine to do a new format. Then it will continue to update any files which have been changed as normal. So, nothing is really lost. Your backed up data is simply replaced with a new back up.
I understood that you are using the same external drive as a TimeMachine backup-disk AND as a storage medium for other and important docs. If I didn't understand you correctly, you can ignore my answer
Hi Joe,
Mulberry58 has given good advice. Any crucial files should be stored elsewhere whilst you sort out your new external drive.
Your new external drive may be from a PC or formatted for PC.
You will have to make it readable for Apple.
Any data that is on it will be erased as part of this process.
It is pretty straightforward. You use an Application called 'Disk Utility' which is on your Mac system. Found in Finder - then select Go and then drop down to Utilities. Open it up and if your new external disc is connected, disc utility will see it. Select your external disc, select Erase. In the drop down menus give it a name and select MacOS extended (Journaled).
See how you go. Hope this helps Joe. Post again and I'll check back if I can be any more help.
Use Disk Utility to change the drive's format.
Erase and reformat a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support
After following mjulberry58's instructions to preserve any files currently on the hard drive launch Disk Utility and erase/format the drive as shown in this screenshot:
Thanks for your prompt response.
You're welcome. Glad you could solve your problem
Thank you, sir.
Time Machine Format
