How would you format an external drive?

[NJRonbo]

Guys,

Just got a 512GB SSD drive to run my iTunes off of.

What would be the best way to format this drive? Extended Mac Journal or the new Apple File system?

I have never formatted a drive with the new AFS and was wondering if it was the right thing to do?

Thanks in advance

 

[Fishrrman]

I suggest plain old "HFS+" (Mac OS extended with journaling enabled).

It's tried-and-true, and will work with any Mac.

 

[chscag]

I agree. Formatting to APFS for an external SSD offers no advantage and may even incur errors when saving. HFS+ is the way to go right now for external media.

 

[NJRonbo]

Hey guys!

I had to wait for these replies and in the meantime, I took a chance and formatted my Crucial SSD to APFS.

The only advantage I saw was that the transfer rate was 3x faster than what it usually is when moving over 160GB of files. It took only 20 minutes. I have seen it take well over an hour in other cases.

 

[SaSaSushi]

The only advantage I saw was that the transfer rate was 3x faster than what it usually is when moving over 160GB of files. It took only 20 minutes. I have seen it take well over an hour in other cases.

Is that all?

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

HFS+ is also faster than APFS, despite you not needing that extra oompf for an iTunes library of course.

 

[NJRonbo]

HFS+ is also faster than APFS, despite you not needing that extra oompf for an iTunes library of course.

Thanks for the intelligent reply. I will probably re-format in HFS+

 

[SaSaSushi]

Thanks for the intelligent reply. I will probably re-format in HFS+

Perhaps I misunderstood your previous post, although it seemed to be written in English.

I happen to agree that APFS should not be used for external drives, SSD or otherwise but did you not write that your transfer speeds tripled?

 

[NJRonbo]

Perhaps I misunderstood your previous post, although it seemed to be written in English.

I happen to agree that APFS should not be used for external drives, SSD or otherwise but did you not write that your transfer speeds tripled?

Yes, my post was in English -- the native language here in the United States.

Your response was anything but polite.

Yes, noticed increased speed with APFS. However, if I can get the same with HFS+.....

 

[SaSaSushi]

Yes, my post was in English -- the native language here in the United States.

It's the native language for me here in Japan as well considering I'm from New Jersey.

Your response was anything but polite.

Take it easy. I meant no insult. It just seemed that a tripling of your performance is not something one would refer to as the only advantage.

Yes, noticed increased speed with APFS. However, if I can get the same with HFS+.....

Well, again, I'm not saying there should be a major speed advantage in formatting an external SSD as APFS but wasn't yours formatted HFS+ previously, when it was 3 times slower?
[doublepost=1518608128][/doublepost]And, as mentioned above, the speed is not a major concern in your application anyway.

An external USB3 HDD is more than enough for iTunes storage.

 

[NJRonbo]

By HFS+ you mean Mac OS Journaled? That is the only way I know of it.

Thanks for the help, SaSaSushi (from a fellow NJ guy)

 

[SaSaSushi]

Yep, MacOS Extended (Journaled) is indeed HFS+.

Thanks for the help, SaSaSushi (from a fellow NJ guy)

Not sure I was actually that much help but my pleasure.

Please post back if you do experience a slowdown after reformatting to HFS+ because you shouldn't.

By the way, is that SSD in a USB enclosure?

 

[NJRonbo]

Yep, MacOS Extended (Journaled) is indeed HFS+.



Not sure I was actually that much help but my pleasure.

Please post back if you do experience a slowdown after reformatting to HFS+ because you shouldn't.

By the way, is that SSD in a USB enclosure?

Yup. Bought a USB enclosure for it.