How To Reformat Hard Drive For Mac

How to Format an External Drive in OS X. Connect the drive to the Mac. Open Disk Utility. The easiest way to do that is hit CMD and the spacebar at the same time and type in Disk Utility to find the program. Select the drive you want to format. 1 - purchase a second hard drive, format the new hard drive in HFS+, transfer the files from the NTFS drive into the new HFS+ external, and then format the old NTFS drive to HFS+, ExFAT, or FAT32. Also, if your current hard drive is more than 5 years old, it probably is nearing the end of its service life and needs to be replaced. This article demonstrates you how to reformat WD hard drive for Mac in Windows if you need to use NTFS formatted WD hard drive with Mac. AOMEI Partition Assistant Complete yet easy to use hard disk partition manager software to resize, move, merge, copy partitions, migrate OS, convert MBR/GPT disk without data loss. It's in the lower-right corner of the pop-up window. Disk Utility will start formatting the drive. A progress bar will appear at the top of the window to track the format process. Depending on the size of the hard drive and the speed of your Mac, allow several minutes for the process to complete.

1. How To Format Mac Drive
2. Reformatting External Drive For Mac
3. How To Format Hard Drive For Mac
4. How To Format Hard Drive For Mac Without Erasing
5. How To Format Hard Drive For Mac 2018
6. How To Reformat Hard Drive For Mac Os X

Summary: This is a guide to fix external hard drive corrupted issue for you, and it talks about how to recover data from a corrupted external drive and iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery, the best corrupted external hard drive data recovery software. Virtualbox mac os.

Hello, I have a problem with my external hard drive. When I plug it into my Mac, it takes too long to acknowledge the drive and files can't be opened at all. I tried to reformat my external hard drive but it says reformat unsuccessful. Any suggestion on how to fix corrupted external hard drives on Mac?

External hard drives are usually used to back up a large amount of data or to extend the capacity of our computers. Most of the time, your Mac computer will recognize the external hard drive once you plug it into the USB port, and the external hard drive will be automatically mounted so that you can access data on this drive. Sometimes, however, things will not proceed smoothly without a hitch. Your external hard drives may just corrupt on your Mac computer, being unrecognizable or inaccessible. Once that happens, you will lose access to the files stored on the corrupted external hard drive. It's such an annoyance especially when you don't have a copy of data backup while data on this external hard drive is especially important to you.

Don't worry. Let's check out the crux of external hard drive corruption and learn how to fix or repair corrupted external hard drives on Mac in case of losing any significant data.

Why you external hard drives is corrupted?

There are various reasons leading to external hard drives corruption, including drives sharing among different platforms, faulty connection, unsafe ejection, interruption during transferring files, hardware malfunction and virus infection, etc. Don't know which is the troublemaker of your external hard drive corruption? Just check the following fixes one by one and you will work it out.

How to fix/repair corrupted external hard drives on Mac?

Solution 1: Check if your drive is properly plugged in

Even though it sounds foolish, it could troubleshoot your corrupted external hard drive. Simply plug your external hard drive slowly or quickly into the USB port and see if you can access this drive.

Solution 2: Check if it is a faulty connection

Since the external hard drive is connected through the USB cable and port, it could be corrupted due to a wobbly connection. You can just connect your external hard drive to another USB port or USB cable.

Solution 3: Fix/repair the corrupted external hard drive with Disk Utility

If the connection is not supposed to be blamed and you sure your external hard drive has no hardware problems, it could be a minor file system corruption which could be fixed through Disk Utility. Disk Utility is a built-in utility on Mac to verify and fix basic external hard drives errors, such as multiple apps quit unexpectedly on Mac computer, a file is corrupted, an external device is corrupted or doesn't work properly, or your computer won't start up, etc.

1. Go to Utilities > Disk Utility.

2. Select the corrupted external hard drive from the sidebar.

3. Click First Aid on the top of Disk Utility window. It may take a while to fix the errors.

Solution 4: Fix/repair the corrupted external hard drive by reformatting

If Disk Utility failed to fix the corrupted external hard drive for you, the file system of your external hard drive could be seriously corrupted and need to be reformatted with a new file system. In some ways, reformatting is able to fix your external drive corruption issue but from another perspective, reformatting will erase the disk and you will lose your important data. Fortunately, there is a tool called iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery that can recover your data firstly before you reformat this corrupted external hard drive. It's a risk-free way to fix the corrupted external hard drive and you don't have to worry about data loss any more.

iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery is free and reliable Mac data recovery software that can recover data from corrupted external hard drives and recover data from formatted/unreadable/unrecognizable external hard drives. Moreover, this useful tool can undelete files from Trash, recover lost/deleted APFS partition and recover lost data from hard drives, USB flash drive, memory cards, pen drives, etc. It is compatible with macOS 10.15/10.14/10.13/10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11/10.10/10.9/10.8/10.7.

Follow the steps below to fix the corrupted external hard drive.

Step 1: Recover data from the corrupted external hard drive with iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery.

1. Download and install iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery on your Mac computer.

2. Connect the corrupted external hard drive to your Mac and launch iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery.

3. Select the corrupted drive and click 'Next' to scan for all the lost files.

4. Double-click to preview the scanning results and choose files you want to get back.

5. Click 'Recover' and save them to another well-functioned drive.

6. Check the recovered files and make sure all the lost files have been restored successfully.

Step 2: Fix the corrupted external hard drive by reformatting.

After successfully recovering data from the corrupted external hard drive, you can fix it by reformatting now.

1. Launch Disk Utility.

2. Select the corrupted external hard drive from the sidebar of the window.

3. Click the Erase button on the top of Disk Utility window.

4. Complete related information (name, format, scheme, etc.), and then click the Erase button.

Conclusion

To avoid losing data from corrupted external hard drive, you'd better do yourself a huge favor and make sure your backup strategy is up and running and foolproof. A little pain now will save you a world of hurt in the future. If you have already lost data because of external hard drive corruption, without wishing to pour salt in the wound, recover the lost data with iBoysoft Mac Data Recovery software for good.

Oct 29,2019 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

There are various reasons why people would try to format Mac. Maybe you are selling it or maybe you just want to empty up space. Whatever the reason is, the in-built Disk Utility is the only thing you need to carry out the task. But if you intend to use it afterward, you must gather up some additional information about the Mac file format too.

The biggest decision you have to make before you format Mac is to choose the right file format. Once you pick the right format for your needs, you can move on to how to format a Mac guide. Go through this article and you will know everything you should regarding formatting Mac safely.

Part 1. Overview of Formatting Mac

Formatting means deleting, erasing, or wiping out the existing data from a drive. This is done to make space for new data on the storage media. Formatting means erasing data on a drive while keeping the same format. You must have come across forums where people ask how to format NTFS on Mac. Typically, reformatting involves changing the NTFS or exFAT format to MacOS Extended format or APFS format as they are more compatible with Apple systems.

1. Reasons for Formatting Your Mac

The reasons which lead to formatting the Mac hard drive are listed below:

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• When you are giving your Mac away.
• If you want to change the format of the disk such from Windows to Mac format.
• When the drive can’t be read by Mac.
• When you are trying to resolve a disk error or working issue which can’t be repaired.
• If the macOS installer doesn’t see the disk or can’t install it properly.
• If the macOS installer states that you can’t install the volume as it is a part of Apple RAID.

2. Benefits of Mac Formatting

Despite the reason for formatting, there are various benefits of carrying out the task too. The advantages of formatting the Mac hard drive include:

• It will prevent unexpected system crash and extend the file of storage media.
• It will improve hard drive performance.
• It will prevent data theft as all the important data is deleted without leaving a trace.
• Formatting also fixes glitches and software conflicts in the system.

When you are about to format Mac hard drive, it is vital that you have a complete understanding of the Mac file system format too.

3. When to Format or Reformat Mac?

Under normal situations, you only format Mac as the intention is to wipe away the data and files from Mac. It is a low-level formatting process which only involves erasing the data on the system. It doesn’t overwrite the existing data or remove it completely. The traces of the data are still left even after formatting.

But when you change a file format system of a drive, it is called reformatting. The process is accompanied by the deletion of data on the drive as the format changes, the files saved on the drive becomes irrelevant. As you reformat MacBook Pro or any other version, a partition map is created on the selected drive and an appropriate file system is applied which works with Mac such as OS X Extended (Journaled) file system. It is considered as a high-level formatting process.

So, you only need to decide whether you want to use the drive for other data or simply want to free up space on the drive. Once you understand the difference, it will be easier to decide whether you prefer to reformat Mac or simple formatting.

Part 2. How to Format Mac in 3 Ways?

We have gathered up a list of methods on how to reformat/format Mac without any hassle. You can use any of the listed methods according to your requirements.

1. Reinstall Your Mac OS:

It is very well-known that reinstalling the Operating System deletes every data and setting on the system. Luckily, you can install the Mac OS from the Apple server or the recovery partition in your drive whenever you want. This will format HDD on Mac and you will be able to use it as new.

How To Format Mac Drive

1. Reboot your Mac and while it is starting up the press and hold the Command + R keys until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
2. A macOS Utilities window will pop-up on the screen and you will see several options on the screen. You obviously want to format Mac HDD; therefore, you will have to choose the Disk Utility option first.
3. When the Disk Utility Window opens up, click on the Erase tab and make sure that the format is compatible with the system. Then hit the Erase button at the bottom and wait while the drive is cleaned.
4. Now quit Disk Utility and get back to the OS X Utilities screen. Click on the Reinstall macOS option and install the OS from Apple server or a bootable disk you have.
5. Enter the Apple ID is required and wait while the OS is reinstalled on your system.

Now, you can set up Mac once again as you want. The main advantage of using this method is that you can wipe the drive securely and restore the original version of macOS from the internet. Plus, you get to install the latest compatible macOS on your system.

2. Erase Mac Hard Drive

When you erase a hard drive, you basically format NTFS on Mac and change the format to a compatible one like AFPS or Mac OS X Extended (Journaled).

1. Reboot the Mac and press Command + R keys during startup until you hear a chime. Wait as the OS X Utilities window appears on the screen.
2. Switch to the Erase tab and select the volume which you want to erase. If you have no partition, then select the main hard drive.
3. Choose the format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and ensure that the GUID Partition Map Scheme is used.
4. You can choose whether you want fastest erase or most secure erase under the Erase Free Space option. Drag the slider according to your preference and hit the Ok button.
5. Finally click on the Erase button and the Disk Utility will erase the entire drive in a while.

When you use this method to format Mac, so are only erasing the data and files on the system without making any changes in the OS.

3. Wipe Mac SSD

When you are trying to wipe the Mac Solid State Drive, you need to remember that the Mac SSD is the best-integrated circuit you can get your hands on. As it uses flash memory, the information is retained on the drive more firmly than other Storage Media. Therefore, you will have to use the Cryptographic-Erase instead of standard erase for Mac SSD to format Mac disc.

1. While rebooting your Mac, press and hold the Command + R keys to enter the Recovery mode. You will see an Apple icon or hear a chime when you enter the Recovery mode.
Related: Go there and get more approaches to booting Mac into Recovery Mode.
2. When the OS X Utilities window appears on the screen, choose the Disk Utility option.
3. In the Disk Utility window, specify the drive that you want to delete and click on the Erase option.
4. Select the Mac OS Extended (Encrypted) format under the format list. Then press the Erase button and set a password for the encrypted partition. Make sure that you use an easy password for as you are most likely to need it soon enough.
5. Let the drive get erased and turn into an encrypted format. Once the process finishes, again access the Disk Utility and change the format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
6. When you press the Erase button, open the Security option in the pop-up window and you will see the secure erase option. The level of erase determines the security, i.e. 35 Pass Erase is the most secure option.
7. Finally, press the Ok button and proceed with the wiping process.

The main advantage of using this method is that will blank the slate securely. There will be no data left on the SSD whatsoever.

Video Tutorial on How to Format a USB Flash Drive on Mac

Reformatting External Drive For Mac

Part 3. How to Recover Formatted Data on Mac?

When you are trying to format Mac windows, it is obvious that you are going to lose some important files. But there is no need to panic; we can deal with loss using Recoverit Data Recovery softwarefor Mac. This tool is specially designed to retrieve the lost data on your system.

Recoverit - The Best Mac Formatted Recovery Software

• Recover various data on Mac or Mac-connected devices.
• Scan and preview the files before you recover the data.

After you learn how to format Mac, it is important that you know how you can get the files back on your Mac. Here is the guide you need to follow:

Step 1: Select a location

Run the program and specify a location from where the files were deleted. In case you don’t know where the files were located, choose the “I can’t find my partition” and hit the Start button.

Step 2: Scan the location

The software will scan the drive and display the results on the screen sorted out according to their format. You can also pause the scan at any time.

Step 3: Preview and Recover

How To Format Hard Drive For Mac

Select the files that you want to recover and have a preview of the files. You can perform a selective recovery of the files, select as many as you want and hit the Recover button at the bottom of the interface.

In this way, you can easily get your documents that were disappeared back on Mac. In case if the quick scan was not able to fulfill your requirements, then you can do a deep scan as well. Recoverit would extract data from your Mac’s storage. While the deep scan would take more time than the first scan, the results would also be far better.

How To Format Hard Drive For Mac Without Erasing

Part 4. Tips for Formatting a Mac

How To Format Hard Drive For Mac 2018

The long-time users know that NTFS or exFAT format on Mac are not compatible. These formats are more suitable for Windows users. Hence, unless you want to transfer the files from Windows to Mac, it is advised to not use these formats on Mac. Here are some other tips related to formatting Mac that will come in handy:

• The Erase option in the Disk Utility with OS X El Capitan and later performs formatting of a drive and erasing of volume under the same name. So, you can use the Erase command for both tasks.
• Make sure that you create a backup of the data already present on the drive as you might end up losing it permanently.
• Choose between the format APFS or Mac OS Extended format carefully.
• To find out the current format of the drive, you can look into the System Information. The file system column on the Storage sidebar displays the current file format.
• It is advised not to change the built-in APFS-format into Mac OS Extended under any situation.

How To Reformat Hard Drive For Mac Os X

Conclusion

In this article, you almost learned everything on how to format HDD on Mac. You can choose the method as per your requirements. And if somehow you end up losing some important files, Recoverit is here to help you as it can recover data from formatted hard drive. So, if your friends, family, or close ones need help with formatting Mac, forward the guide to help them.

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