File format of external SSD?

[Martin-123]

Hi All,
I have a MacBook Pro with an internal SSD formatted in "APFS"
I have an external Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD formatted in "ExFAT" to be used as a backup.
Before I connect and load photos from my R5 should I reformat the Sandisk? If so, to what format and (briefly, for a layman), why?
Many thanks.

 

[ShipleyNW]

I don't know anything about APFS. My first thought was that exFAT is pretty universal and can be read by most operating systems. To make sure I googled "APFS vs exFAT" and this was the first thing that came up.

Nowadays FAT32 has been left in the dust and exFAT support is pretty wide among all operative systems. This is the only choice for a cross-compatible roaming storage, since it can be read natively by Windows, Linux (Kernel 5.4 onwards) and macOS (since 10.12), meaning, it doesn’t require special drivers or software. It just works.

Basically, if you're ever going to unplug that external drive and use it on a Windows or Linux box, use exFAT. If it's 100% going to live on your MacBook, APFS is fine.

Before you load a zillion image files to the exFAT-formatted external drive, do some testing with a few files to make sure they work with the native OS and your post processing applications. If the test succeeds, I'd say continue on with exFAT.

They go on to explain the various file formats and why you might want to use one instead of the other:

APFS or HFS or NTFS or exFAT on my external drive

FAT32 no more

darkghosthunter.medium.com

 

[flowrider]

You should reformat it to APFS if Mac only use. That is the native latest file format used by Apple, replacing HFS+. APFS is designed to offer improved performance, data integrity, and storage for Mac only use. ExFAT is a file format developed by Microsoft. However, if your external drive is ever to be used on a Windows computer, you'll want to retain the ExFAT because it is recognized by both Windows and MacOS.

 

[Martin-123]

You should reformat it to APFS if Mac only use. That is the native latest file format used by Apple, replacing HFS+. APFS is designed to offer improved performance, data integrity, and storage for Mac only use. ExFAT is a file format developed by Microsoft. However, if your external drive is ever to be used on a Windows computer, you'll want to retain the ExFAT because it is recognized by both Windows and MacOS.

Thank you flowrider.

 

[Martin-123]

Thank you ShipleyNW

 

[Only RF]

Mac user as well running Sequoia. I have 3 powered external drives and 2 portable drives. All formatted in "APFS".

 

[Only RF]

I should have added. Powered drives are spinners and potables are SSD.

 

[Martin-123]

Thank you Only RF.

 

[Bryan Conner]

I should have added. Powered drives are spinners and potables are SSD.

So SSD drives are drinkable?

 

[RedCobra]

Hi All,
I have a MacBook Pro with an internal SSD formatted in "APFS"
I have an external Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD formatted in "ExFAT" to be used as a backup.
Before I connect and load photos from my R5 should I reformat the Sandisk? If so, to what format and (briefly, for a layman), why?
Many thanks.

I have the SanDisk Extreme SSD formatted in ExFat and move it back and forth between a Wintel system and a Mac System with no issues. It contains photos from two diff cameras, and some data. I basically stick this portable drive into any and all computers and it works just fine. I do the same with Samsung outboards, and even memory sticks.

 

[Dave Williams]

Stick with ExFat !

 

[Only RF]

I should point out my USB drives and anything I share are formatted with ExFat.

 

[KD_Reno]

Hi All,
I have a MacBook Pro with an internal SSD formatted in "APFS"
I have an external Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD formatted in "ExFAT" to be used as a backup.
Before I connect and load photos from my R5 should I reformat the Sandisk? If so, to what format and (briefly, for a layman), why?
Many thanks.

You mentioned using it as a backup, which I assume means the whole system drive. What software are you using? Apple recommends APFS for Time Machine,and might require it for later versions of the MacOS. I'm not sure. And Mike Bombich recommends it for Carbon Copy Cloner. It's a more efficient format for SSDs under MacOS, and offers some advantages for things like versioning. If it's your system backup you shouldn't be connecting it to another computer, unless it's to restore to a new Mac. So sharing shouldn't be a consideration.