How to Format a Hard Drive for a Mac

We've talked about the importance of backing up your data locally in addition to online solutions like iCloud, Dropbox and Google Drive. Today I'm going to show you how to format any hard drive so you can use it to back up your Mac as well as answer a lot of questions my clients have asked me when going through this process.

Here are the drives that I recommend:

DROBO SOLUTION PACKAGES:

DROBO MINI
and one of the solutions below

DROBO GEN 3 Solutions (less expensive & uses USB 3.0 connection)

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[twominutetips]

Many thanks. I just got the Seagate 4 TB to store my channel vids and pics. I'm not using time machine yet as I want to just use it as storage for these items. Its still a bit daunting for someone who typed in the stone age on an underwood, but with your help I got through it and am dragging and dropping just great. Many thanks again David - you are a great help to the over 21 set as well.

[GrommieWolf]

I just added a new SeaGate HD and am so thankful I knew where to go to find out how to format it! (I forget EVERY TIME) The instructions were NOT in the SC HD box for sure!! Thank you so much. You are my FAV instructor.

[mooncraker]

I bought my first Mac after a month of going through nearly every video available from this channel. So thank you very much.

[SVInLikeFlynn]

Looking forward to the Drobo tutorial. I have a FW 800 Drobo that I use to back up video files using Time Machine and it works fine till one of the drives starts to go bad. It gets real sluggish (Drobo also near full capacity) with never ending backups until I replace the bad drive. It then does it's "massage" backup which takes over 24 hours. When it's done, it works great again with lots of extra capacity. I've gone through this process twice over the last 5 years and notice after each event, all my old backups on a Time Machine were gone. I also use a second regular hard drive to back up too which I keep offsite.

[GiselleY]

I was this close to return the hard drive but thanks to your video, could save lots of hassle. Thanks!

[annmarie]

I feel confident with this video versus some others. Thanks.

[Jesucristoestodo]

Just purchased a new HGST? Hard drive 8TB for $150 cash...warranty until 2021...I have the new 4.2 iMac-going to follow your instructions exactly...hope it all comes together...8TB should be enough for A WHILE!

[imaginemakecreate]

OMG, this video has truly helped me format my external hard drive to my MacBook Pro! Thank you for sharing! 👍

[princeice]

Thanks for making it simple to use and understand. I’m sharing this with a friend who just couldn’t understand

[philliamproject]

Fantastic help you explained this better than any other video I've watched in the last week, Thank you Sir! I am more than happy to subscribe :)

[keysla]

Great information for the digitally challenged!

[checkpoint]

thanx for your tutorials especially the free ones your a great speaker and easy to follow thanx ! Why does MacBooks carry such little hard drive space or ssd space I don’t get it also no cd-dvd drive now no way to load music from my own cd’s anymore

[irenestuttard]

Its ok, after fiddling I have found all my photos which have been backed up. Thanks for your video lessons. I have recommended you to my friends David.

[DrEdinaMBayne]

Presents with such clarity and seems like you have fun doing it. However, I had to replay several times when it came to renaming and selecting the guid map stuff. It wasn't obvious that what showed up automatically was what you were suggesting that I choose. Other than that it was a great experience.

[alexlinares]

You’re the best man! Easy to understand thanks you have a new follower.

[roycox]

David, this is a very hel;pful class, and I learned how to format an external WD 5TB drive. The Mac OS that you were using was El Capitan (very dated) and the Big Sri windows have changed. This up data would be helpful. Also the video is badly out of focus and it is hard to read the menu options. Cheers and keep up the good work.... Roy

[ankitvijaay]

I knew everything in this video still I watched it, so awesome 😍

[jameslaws]

The best refresher course, quick and to the point

[wisfilmpastor]

Lots of digital love! This video with additional topics mentioned was an answer to my prayers.

[siamodyssey]

Just purchased a Samsung Portable SSD T1 not as backup but just to place videos on it. Very quick even on my 2009 MacBook Pro. It is fast enough to run the videos right from the drive.