External Harddrive Question

[MacBookpro2011]

I have a WD My Passport Ultra that I use for doing backups via Time Machine on my MacBook Pro OS X EI Capitan Ver 10.11.6 It has been a few years since originally setting it up. I would like to be able to delete a folder (move to trash) or two on the drive but I get this message when doing attempting. Is there a way for me to modify the settings/setup to allow me the ability to remove some of the folders. When I select Get Info, see other screen shot that show show it is setup. Thanks for any info.

 

[barbu]

i haven’t used it in a while, can you perhaps do this from the Time Machine interface?

 

[JohnMaldaner]

I can’t get my WD Passport for MAC to perform a backup with Time Machine. So, I’m curious to see the replies you get!

 

[barbu]

I can’t get my WD Passport for MAC to perform a backup with Time Machine. So, I’m curious to see the replies you get!

Have you formatted it for your Mac?

 

[MacBookpro2011]

I formatted a few years ago when purchased on my MacBook Pro so I am guessing it was done correctly but maybe it wasn't. It shows above the Sharing and Permissions section that it is Formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

 

[MacBookpro2011]

i haven’t used it in a while, can you perhaps do this from the Time Machine interface?

You nailed it, it works in Time Machine, thanks for the help. I have a few older files that I want to get rid of and it worked perfectly. Good to know this for the future.

 

[JohnMaldaner]

Have you formatted it for your Mac?

Yes It’s my second drive from them. Their tech team couldn’t get the first one to work. I got this one and it has worked a half dozen times in the past six months. Very unpredictable as to when it will back up. I’m looking for something else entirely. I don’t want to lose my photo library, especially. This has been frustrating.

 

[jz0309]

Yes It’s my second drive from them. Their tech team couldn’t get the first one to work. I got this one and it has worked a half dozen times in the past six months. Very unpredictable as to when it will back up. I’m looking for something else entirely. I don’t want to lose my photo library, especially. This has been frustrating.

What OS?
I gave up on TM after moving to Big Sur, several threads in the Big Sur sub forum about it… I now use Carbon Copy Cloner and am very happy with it, others use Super Duper…

 

[barbu]

Yes It’s my second drive from them. Their tech team couldn’t get the first one to work. I got this one and it has worked a half dozen times in the past six months. Very unpredictable as to when it will back up. I’m looking for something else entirely. I don’t want to lose my photo library, especially. This has been frustrating.

Perhaps iCloud Photo Library would be a better tool? Much safer than a hard drive in your home.

 

[JohnMaldaner]

What OS?
I gave up on TM after moving to Big Sur, several threads in the Big Sur sub forum about it… I now use Carbon Copy Cloner and am very happy with it, others use Super Duper…

MAC OS Catalina 10.15.7

So, you’re suggesting I could get this HD to work if I switched to Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper? I may well look into that. Honestly, I find myself using the MAC less and less these days. But, I do use it. It could be that a third party backup utility would be the best solution.

 

[jz0309]

MAC OS Catalina 10.15.7

So, you’re suggesting I could get this HD to work if I switched to Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper? I may well look into that. Honestly, I find myself using the MAC less and less these days. But, I do use it. It could be that a third party backup utility would be the best solution.

CCC has a 30 day free trial, usage is pretty simple…
I would first erase the drive and reformat it with MacOS extended journaled.
I skipped Catalina, went straight to Big Sur on my iMac and it reformatted the external HDD with APFS when Time Machine was running for the 1st time, I think there was an issue with that but…

Give CCC a try, doesn’t cost you anything other than some time…

also, you should always have more than 1 backup…

 

[JohnMaldaner]

CCC has a 30 day free trial, usage is pretty simple…
I would first erase the drive and reformat it with MacOS extended journaled.
I skipped Catalina, went straight to Big Sur on my iMac and it reformatted the external HDD with APFS when Time Machine was running for the 1st time, I think there was an issue with that but…

Give CCC a try, doesn’t cost you anything other than some time…

also, you should always have more than 1 backup…

That is exactly what I’m doing right now! First thing it did was reformat to APFS. That process snagged up. But, I uncounted and remounted the HD and then it worked great. It’s been going through the first backup ever since. This does take a long time because we’re doing this over USB. But, it is working!! Once it is done, I will schedule a backup for weekly. If it actually does that, I will be the CCC. I’m hopeful. Thank you for this suggestion!

 

[jz0309]

That is exactly what I’m doing right now! First thing it did was reformat to APFS. That process snagged up. But, I uncounted and remounted the HD and then it worked great. It’s been going through the first backup ever since. This does take a long time because we’re doing this over USB. But, it is working!! Once it is done, I will schedule a backup for weekly. If it actually does that, I will be the CCC. I’m hopeful. Thank you for this suggestion!

A lot can happen in a week… I do daily backups to SSD and weekly to HDDs, but if you’re happy with weekly…
I seem to recall the first backup of my photos drive of around 700GB taking about 6hrs to the HDD…

 

[JohnMaldaner]

A lot can happen in a week… I do daily backups to SSD and weekly to HDDs, but if you’re happy with weekly…
I seem to recall the first backup of my photos drive of around 700GB taking about 6hrs to the HDD…

Thanks!

Hey, one follow-up question regarding Time Machine. I disabled the auto-backup function. But, I still get an annoying message box popping up regularly telling me that the destination drive has been changed and asking me if I want to continue to backup. Fortunately, the choice not to backup is highlighted, so saying No is simple. But, how can I get Time Machine to stop asking me if I want to use it?

I thought disabling auto-backup would turn TM off. Apparently, not.

 

[jz0309]

Thanks!

Hey, one follow-up question regarding Time Machine. I disabled the auto-backup function. But, I still get an annoying message box popping up regularly telling me that the destination drive has been changed and asking me if I want to continue to backup. Fortunately, the choice not to backup is highlighted, so saying No is simple. But, how can I get Time Machine to stop asking me if I want to use it?

I thought disabling auto-backup would turn TM off. Apparently, not.

this is what my TM settings look like and I do not get any notifications:

 

[JohnMaldaner]

This is my settings screen.

 

[JohnMaldaner]

The next time the message screen comes up I will take a screen shot of it. One thing that had to happen before CCC could create a copy of my HD was reformatting My Passport to APFS. I believe this message screen that keeps coming up is referring to this change in My Passport. That could be a key to understanding how to get rid of the screen.

 

[jz0309]

The next time the message screen comes up I will take a screen shot of it. One thing that had to happen before CCC could create a copy of my HD was reformatting My Passport to APFS. I believe this message screen that keeps coming up is referring to this change in My Passport. That could be a key to understanding how to get rid of the screen.

so, I do not have that HDD connected to my iMac, so, is your current name for the HDD the same as it was when you used TM? that could be why it is asking you to use it?

 

[JohnMaldaner]

so, I do not have that HDD connected to my iMac, so, is your current name for the HDD the same as it was when you used TM? that could be why it is asking you to use it?

Yes, it is. I didn’t even think to rename it or that I could rename it.

 

[jz0309]

Yes, it is. I didn’t even think to rename it or that I could rename it.

I'd rename it, just make sure that your CCC tasks reflect the new name

 

[JohnMaldaner]

OK, I just renamed the back up HD and made sure CCC noted the change. Here is the repeating message box I have been getting.

It will be interesting to see what happens now that "My Passport for Mac" has been renamed.

 

[JohnMaldaner]

UPDATE: I purchased CCC. It is working well. A couple of times I got an error message, but it was simple to resolve. I’m happy with it. Thank you for the suggestion!

Off-topic note: mine is a late-2012 MAC. The difference in access times between it and any mobile device is just astounding. I’m wondering if the new M1 MACs are faster, noticeably faster?