Time Machine Cannot Backup FAT32

[kevhui]

I have a FAT32 partition in a Firewire drive but Time Machine does not allow me to select to backup this partition. Is it a limitation or I just don't know how to do it?

 

[mackindergarten]

Hi,

because of the way TM works, it can only backup to HFS+ (Mac OS Extended Journaled).

You can use Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.app) to format the drive as HFS+ so you can use it with TM.

Hope this was helpful.
/Rupert

 

[kevhui]

Thank you.

Mmm I was thinking to have the FAT32 partition to store files (such as photos and songs) for common access from Windows XP and Mac, and use Time Machine to backup. It seems there is no way out :-(

Anyway thanks a lot for your help.

 

[mreg376]

Thank you.

Mmm I was thinking to have the FAT32 partition to store files (such as photos and songs) for common access from Windows XP and Mac, and use Time Machine to backup. It seems there is no way out :-(

Anyway thanks a lot for your help.

Why can't you format it as a Mac drive, which Time Machine can back up, and share it through networking?

 

[brand]

\because of the way TM works, it can only backup to HFS+ (Mac OS Extended Journaled).

You can use Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.app) to format the drive as HFS+ so you can use it with TM.

If you reread the original post he is inquiring about backing up a FAT32 drive to TM drive, not using a FAT32 drive as a TM drive.

 

[mreg376]

If you reread the original post he is inquiring about backing up a FAT32 drive to TM drive, not using a FAT32 drive as a TM drive.

I know. He wants Time Machine to backup a FAT32 partition. I assume he doesn't care so much about the fact that it's FAT32 but rather is concerned with backing up the content of that drive. So if he moves the content somewhere else temporarily (if he can) then reformats the drive as HFS+, then moves the content back, Time Machine should be able to include that drive in its automatic backup.

 

[bluesyboy115]

This terminal command will allow Time Machine to backup to unsupported drives:

defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1

I know this thread hasn't been touched in a while.

I haven't tried backing up an unsupported drive using Time Machine after putting in that command. It's worth a shot.