- #How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive portable#
- #How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive software#
- #How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive mac#
- #How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive windows#
#How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive windows#
It’s possible, but tricky, to change the size of a partition later on in Windows and macOS we recommend backing up the data on your drive before attempting the task, since it’s possible to wipe your drive doing this. Make sure to leave plenty of room for future backups on both partitions. Now your computer will see your single drive as multiple, smaller drives. First, partition the drive using Disk Utility with macOS, and (using our walkthrough below) format one part as HFS+ and the other as FAT32 then, plug the drive into Windows and reformat the FAT32 portion as NTFS.
- If you want to use a single external hard drive to back up both File History and Time Machine, you can partition it so that some of the drive is NTFS and some is HFS+.
- exFAT works on both macOS and Windows, and it doesn’t have the file size limit that FAT32 does, so you’ll be able to back up movies and other large files.
#How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive mac#
If you need to transfer files larger than 4 GB between Mac and Windows computers, exFAT (extended File Allocation Table) is the best option, although it doesn’t work with File History or Time Machine.Unfortunately, it isn’t any good for storing movies and other large files: FAT32 has a size limit of 4 GB per file, so your files have to be small. FAT32 was introduced in Windows 95 in 1997, but it remains useful because nearly every system can use it. FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32) is an older file system that both Windows machines and Macs still support.Like NTFS, the HFS+ file system has file and partition size limits that are much bigger and more suitable for modern use than those of FAT32. A drive formatted this way will not mount on a Windows computer without additional software. If you plan to use your drive for Time Machine backups on a Mac, and you use only macOS, use HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus, or macOS Extended).Many backup archives and video files are larger than 4 GB. NTFS has huge file and partition size limits that you won’t hit that makes it a better choice than FAT32, which has a 4 GB size limit per file. macOS and Linux, however, can only read files stored on such a drive they cannot write to an NTFS-formatted drive. NTFS is native to Windows, and most hard drives are preformatted for this file system. If you plan to use your drive for File History backups on a Windows computer, and you use only Windows, stick to NTFS (New Technology File System).So what do those four file systems mean, and which one is right for you?
Non-Linux computers can use four main file systems: NTFS, HFS+, FAT32, and exFAT. If you use a Mac, the likelihood that you’ll have to reformat the drive is higher. If you use Windows, chances are good that you won’t need to reformat your external hard drive-unless you buy it secondhand, or you plan on switching between operating systems, your drive should come ready to use.
#How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive portable#
The drive comes with its own two-year warranty, but the Geek Squad cover is a pretty cost effective way of ensuring you get a speedy replacement in the event of hardware failure.If you buy an external drive-such as one of our recommended desktop hard drives, portable hard drives, or USB 3.0 flash drives-you may need to reformat it to work with your operating system of choice, since different operating systems use different file systems to process data.Īlthough it’s true that any drive is compatible with both Windows and macOS, most drives come preformatted for Windows out of the box. You can also use it to manage your drive settings, like reformatting and LED control.įor the record, you can also add two years of Best Buy's Geek Squad replacement cover for $19.99.
#How to reformat wd easystore 4tb external hard drive software#
WD claims the included WD Discovery software makes it easy to back up your photos, videos and documents. That limits its portability appeal, even if that's expected for a this type of device. In other words, you need to plug it into the wall, not just a USB port. It's worth noting that like most, if not all, external storage based on 3.5-inch mechanical drives, a dedicated power adapter (supplied) is required. The WD Easystore 14TB hooks up via a standard USB 3.0 Type-A interface. But a 14TB external SSD would be megabucks, especially if you're looking for one of the best portable SSDs. Random access performance will be in the single-digit MBps at best, as it is for pretty much all mechanical hard drives, and there's a great difference in the performance of a hard drive versus an SSD.