External Hard Drive with Windows Data included in Time Machine Backup

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External Hard Drive with Windows Data included in Time Machine Backup

I have data from an old PC that I am not going to replace loaded onto a NTFS formatted drive. It's just documents and things I can pick up maintaining and using on my Mac. I want this data backed up though and I haven't enough room on my Mac hard drive to copy it all over.

How can leave it all on this external drive (or I suppose on 'AN' external drive) but have it backed up. In a way, this can be looked at as me just extending the size of my Macs hard drive.

Does that make sense?

At the moment, because of how it's formatted, Time Machine won't let me take it out of the exclude list. And, I don't believe my PC will be able to access a drive formatted the way Time Machines wants it ... see?

Please advise.

Thanks!

iMac 24″

Posted on Jan 22, 2025 3:17 PM

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Answer 1

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dialabrain

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128,261 points

Jan 22, 2025 3:24 PM in response to dcrisafi

It would probably make your life easier if you purchased an inexpensive SSD, formatted it for the Mac, copied all the files over from the NTFS drive. Then Time Machine could back up the new drive.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

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128,261 points

Jan 22, 2025 4:38 PM in response to dcrisafi

Yes, you can do the transfer through the Mac. You didn't mention how large the PC drive is but you can get a 1TB SSD for under $100 and a 2TB SSD for under $150.

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Answer 3

dcrisafi Author

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Jan 22, 2025 4:26 PM in response to dialabrain

Makes sense. I mean, I can do the transfer on the Mac, I suppose, right? Just plug the new one in also and copy from one to the other??

No need to recopy from the PC?

Assuming so, yes, that actually does seem the most simple. I was trying to avoid having to purchase another drive, but these are handy to have lying around.

Thanks

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