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What SSD formatting to use?
May 24, 2021 07:43:27   #
f8lee Loc: New Mexico
 
Hi, all. So I bought a 2TB SSD (Crucial X8) that I intend to use with the M1 MacBook Pro I will be receiving this week as an external drive for my images. WIth my existing 27'" iMac I have a 2TB OWC RAID drive to hold the 47K files that take up about 1.4TB, but for the sake of both portability as well as improved speed decided the SSD would be a better alternative with the MacBook.

My question is, when I go to Disk Utility to erase the SSD, it shows as having the exFAT formatting but there are a number of options, including the new APFS that Apple recently introduced. The iMac is running Catalina but of course the MacBook with be on Big Sur, in case that makes a difference.

TIA for any thoughts on this one...


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May 24, 2021 09:31:25   #
Rongnongno Loc: FL
 
If you do not intend to share the drive with a Windows or Linux system, use MAC native formatting (APFS). Note that APFS is not backward compatible with older system or windows.

MOS works best with mechanical drives and works with older macs.

ExFAT works with both windows and Mac. (Avoid MS-DOS).

In short your choice depends on your willingness to share your drive with other systems.

The case-sensitive option can be a source of issues, avoid it if you do not need it.

Encryption will slow down the performance.

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May 24, 2021 09:42:51   #
f8lee Loc: New Mexico
 
Thanks, Ron - I was kind of leaning that way but it's still new to me - appreciate your insight. I won't be sharing that drive with other OSes so APFS makes sense.

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May 24, 2021 09:44:13   #
Rongnongno Loc: FL
 
f8lee wrote:
Thanks, Ron - I was kind of leaning that way but it's still new to me - appreciate your insight. I won't be sharing that drive with other OSes so APFS makes sense.

Just keep in mind that older mac will not be able to read the drive.

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May 24, 2021 09:45:10   #
f8lee Loc: New Mexico
 
Rongnongno wrote:
Just keep in mind that older mac will not be able to read the drive.


Got it - again not an issue in this situation, but thank you for that bit of knowledge as well

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Jul 16, 2021 21:54:49   #
SalvageDiver Loc: Huntington Beach CA
 
Rongnongno wrote:
If you do not intend to share the drive with a Windows or Linux system, use MAC native formatting (APFS). Note that APFS is not backward compatible with older system or windows.

MOS works best with mechanical drives and works with older macs.

ExFAT works with both windows and Mac. (Avoid MS-DOS).

In short your choice depends on your willingness to share your drive with other systems.

The case-sensitive option can be a source of issues, avoid it if you do not need it.

Encryption will slow down the performance.
If you do not intend to share the drive with a Win... (show quote)



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