Formatting a Samsung Hard Drive

I recently bought a Samsung 1T hard drive, which I intend to use for external file storage like photos and video. It is formatted as FAT32. I'd like to format it as Mac OS Extended, but Disk Utility won't let me. It starts, but then I get an error message. For some reason, though, if I partition the drive, I can format all partitions as OS Extended. I'll mount this either with a USB connection or an NAS enclosure. My questions: How do I format the entire drive as OS Extended? Or can I use FAT32 without any problems? Thanks!

That is not entirely true. A PPC Mac can boot only from the APM partition scheme; an Intel Mac can boot from either APM or GPT. In fact, retail Leopard installer discs use APM -- if they did not, they would not work with PPC Macs. In this respect, APM is the 'universal' format for booting Mac OS X.
In most other respects, GPT is the better one, supporting many different volume schemes, including the ones that make 'dual booting' OS X & Windows possible on Intel Macs.

Similar Messages

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    ok - I understand.  I have managed so far to format the drive (on windows) to exFAT file system - which apparently works with both Windows and Mac - but you're  correct - it will not be included in time machine backup as I have checked the back up files and Samsung is not showing.  Reckon I'm onto having to buy yet another portable hard drive just for windows - or of course buy myself a new mac book!!  Can I ask you please - does the drive have to be clear of everything before I change the format - or can I change it with the files still in there?  Also, got any quick ways duplicating the files onto another External Hard drive (for use on the windows laptop)  At the moment the files are taking 2/3 hours + to copy over!  Thank you! 

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    Message was edited by: Barney-15E

  • How do i format an external hard drive for use on both windows and mac book air?

    how do i format an external hard drive for use on both windows pc and mac book air?

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    http://www.wdc.com/en/products/resources/DriveCompatibilityguide.asp

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    A HD formatted in EXFAT will transfer data between both PC and Mac.
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  • How do i format a new hard drive without using an external drive

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    Warning! This procedure will destroy all data on your Hard Disk Drive. Be sure you have an up-to-date, tested backup of at least your Users folder and any third party applications you do not want to re-install before attempting this procedure.
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    cornelius

  • I want to format my macintosh hard drive

    To format macbook pro hard drive, we need to press power button + option button when startup but when i do so I dont see recovery hd coming. instead i only see macintosh hd. im using OS X Yosemite 10.10.1

    BalaTheBalaji wrote:
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  • How can i format my external hard drive to write files from Mac without loosing the files that i alredy have on my external hard when i used it with windows?

    How can i format my external hard drive to write files from Mac without loosing the files that i alredy have on my external hard when i used it with windows?
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    Hi Allen,
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  • Formatting of External Hard Drive to be usable by both Windows and MBP?

    Hello, I would appreciate some advice regarding the formatting of hard drive here as I'm pretty new to the whole Apple/Macbook Pro scene!
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    Timemachine
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  • How can a format an external hard drive to Fat 32 format

    how can i format an external hard drive to a Fat 32

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  • If I have to format an external hard drive to make it Mac compatible, will it delete all the content in the external hard drive?

    If I have to format an external hard drive to make it Mac compatible, will it delete all the content in the external hard drive?

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