Format WD My Passport for Mac 10 Quick Steps. These instructions are for the release of Mac OS Sierra. For earlier releases of the Mac OS the instructions are the same except the screens may look slightly different. One thing before I take you through the steps of how to format your WD My Passport for Mac. Hi, I recently bought a WD Passport Essential to back up my Macbook. When I plugged in the WD Passport, my Mac asked if I want to use this storage device for my Time Machine.
Hi, everyone, I just bought a new WD My Passport for Mac 1 TB. I am going to use it to run Time Machine and then drag and drop pertinent files that I need. From there, I am doing a clean install of Mountain Lion.
I have a 2012 MacBook Pro. I just have a few questions. I read that there are big issues with this and Mavericks/Yosemite. If I ever upgrade, am I am going to lose everything or has that since been resolved? How do I install it? When I read the manual, I am not sure if I am supposed to install the software (because of issues with point 1), just plug & play, how to do Time Machine, and so on. I have another My Passport from a few years back, but don't remember how to set it up.
If someone can dumb it down for me, I'd really appreciate it. I am looking to do a Time Machine, then drag over various documents, my Music folder, iPhoto Library, Mail exports, and a few other things. There is more to your question that I did not completely address. I am looking to do a Time Machine, then drag over various documents, my Music folder, iPhoto Library, Mail exports, and a few other things. After you perform the Time Machine backup, erase your Mac, and reinstall OS X, don't plan on dragging and dropping anything from the Time Machine backup volume. Time Machine isn't designed to work that way.
If you do simply want to copy files and folders to the backup device, and drag them back after you erase the source volume, that's OK too. You don't need to use Time Machine for that purpose. For Time Machine, follow these instructions:. Create a backup of your existing system, and verify that it is complete. To do that read.
Ideally, create two or more backups using different methods, such as one Time Machine and one 'clone', for redundancy. Neither method is particularly advantageous over the other for this purpose. Erase the Mac using, and selecting Disk Utility to erase the Mac. That action will be followed by selecting Reinstall Mac OS X. After that, you will be prompted to migrate your essential documents including photos, music, work products and other essential files from the Time Machine backup. To erase and install Mountain Lion read: To migrate your essential documents read: and follow the procedure under Transfer info from a Time Machine backup or other storage device.
The procedure is identical for Mountain Lion. When doing so, select your previous User account but do not select 'Applications', 'Computer and Network Settings' or 'Other files and folders'. De-select those choices. Subsequent to using Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant you will need to reinstall the essential software you may require. Install software only from their original or otherwise authorized sources, and omit all non-essential software. Printer queues, network settings and other preferences found in System Preferences will need to be re-created as well.
The indented one. It's not an absolute requirement, but I suggest using a simpler name than ' My Passport for Mac'. It's childish and insipid and illustrates the same Western Digital cluelessness that resulted in them distributing software on their drives that caused the problem you originally expressed concern about. It goes without saying it's yours and it's your Mac. Give it a name that makes sense to you, like 'Backup' or something equally descriptive.
Another reason is that space characters in a Time Machine backup destination name caused problems in the distant past. That's no longer a concern but why ask for trouble. Don't install any software that exists on the WD My Passport. The first thing you should do with any hard disk dedicated to Time Machine usage is to erase it. That will obviate any concerns with incompatible or poorly written third party software. You will lose nothing, other than whatever exists on the brand new hard disk drive, which should be regarded as trash and disposed of accordingly. Using Time Machine really couldn't be simpler.
For step by step instructions read. There are only two steps and one of them is optional. The important part is to erase the disk first, using Disk Utility, as described in the last paragraph under 'Use Time Machine with external drives'. Time Machine will back up everything on your drive unless you go into its Preferences and Exclude folders. Just back up everything and you won't have to worry about manually copying files. I know of no issues with Mavericks or Yosemite. I have the same WD drive as you and it's connected to a Mac Mini running OS X Server 2.2.5.
Each Mac running OS X Mountain Lion or Mavericks or Yosemite are backed up to the drive under THAT Mac's machine name. So no conflicts and each client Mac can extract/restore any file they need from the WD drive. To use Time Machine, just launch it from System Preferences and select the back up drive from a list of available back up drives. You can exclude any folder you want. If the Exclude list is empty, all files will be backed up. You can add additional files to the WD drive outside of your Time Machine back up folder.
But why would you when you're backing everything up? Thanks for your reply - I don't think I was completely clear so I will explain again.
Once I clean install Mountain Lion, I am NOT bringing back my Time Machine from here. I am doing it as a safety, first, then clean installing Mountain Lion and bringing back ONLY the folders that I need (writing, iPhoto library, iTunes, and a few miscellany). I have used Time Machine for years, and when my 2008 MacBook crashed, I brought everything over to the 2012 and wish I hadn't, so I just want to start anew. I hope that makes sense! So, on the same drive, I am going to do Time Machine of the old version (just in case), drag and drop the needed files, then drag those back to the fresh clean MacBook. I just want to have the old version just in case.
And then eventually it will be overrun with a new Time Machine down the line, and by then, I probably wouldn't be worrying about any of the old stuff! There is more to your question that I did not completely address. I am looking to do a Time Machine, then drag over various documents, my Music folder, iPhoto Library, Mail exports, and a few other things. After you perform the Time Machine backup, erase your Mac, and reinstall OS X, don't plan on dragging and dropping anything from the Time Machine backup volume.
Time Machine isn't designed to work that way. If you do simply want to copy files and folders to the backup device, and drag them back after you erase the source volume, that's OK too.
You don't need to use Time Machine for that purpose. For Time Machine, follow these instructions:. Create a backup of your existing system, and verify that it is complete. To do that read. Ideally, create two or more backups using different methods, such as one Time Machine and one 'clone', for redundancy.
Neither method is particularly advantageous over the other for this purpose. Erase the Mac using, and selecting Disk Utility to erase the Mac. That action will be followed by selecting Reinstall Mac OS X.
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125653444/275894536.jpg)
After that, you will be prompted to migrate your essential documents including photos, music, work products and other essential files from the Time Machine backup. To erase and install Mountain Lion read: To migrate your essential documents read: and follow the procedure under Transfer info from a Time Machine backup or other storage device. The procedure is identical for Mountain Lion. When doing so, select your previous User account but do not select 'Applications', 'Computer and Network Settings' or 'Other files and folders'. De-select those choices.
Subsequent to using Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant you will need to reinstall the essential software you may require. Install software only from their original or otherwise authorized sources, and omit all non-essential software. Printer queues, network settings and other preferences found in System Preferences will need to be re-created as well. Thank you so much for the details. I am not reinstalling Mountain Lion on my own (I'd be too nervous), but am bringing it to the Genius Bar.
As for everything else, though, my plan was to do Time Machine as a safety, just in case I realize I forgot something imperative, but really, start completely fresh and just load in the things I use regularly: Office documents (drag/drop documents, reinstall Office), Mail (import Mailboxes, setup my email addresses), reinstall Chrome, drag/drop iPhoto Library, drag/drop Music folder, and reinstall printer drivers. I don't think there is anything I am forgetting. ICal/Notes, those are in iCloud. I will somehow figure out Stickies. Is there a reason I would want to do it the other way? I wanted a clean slate, so that was my reasoning for this, and I don't mind having to set up a few things again, I just don't want to forget anything. Edited to add: I know I can't drag/drop from Time Machine.
I meant, I was going to do Time Machine and ALSO drag/drop what I need into my External Hard drive. I did on another WD, but just to have two copies, just in case. That is why I am setting up this second one. The indented one. It's not an absolute requirement, but I suggest using a simpler name than ' My Passport for Mac'. It's childish and insipid and illustrates the same Western Digital cluelessness that resulted in them distributing software on their drives that caused the problem you originally expressed concern about.
![Wd my passport for mac user manual Wd my passport for mac user manual](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125653444/443159572.png)
It goes without saying it's yours and it's your Mac. Give it a name that makes sense to you, like 'Backup' or something equally descriptive. Another reason is that space characters in a Time Machine backup destination name caused problems in the distant past. That's no longer a concern but why ask for trouble. Sure, ask away. Thank you for your kind words. I'm not always available but I check this site every few days, if not more frequently.
I rely upon email notifications when someone replies to a thread, but there were delays of several hours today, and there are rare occasions in which that feature doesn't work. So, there might be a delay. There are plenty of other knowledgeable participants on this site though, and some of them are literate. There are many backup strategies, and Time Machine is only one option. The most important factor in a backup strategy is to have one. If you can imagine a circumstance in which your Mac becomes lost, stolen, or completely broken, and the prospect of that event doesn't result in sheer panic, then you're probably OK. Thank you again.
It's really nice there are people like you willing to give their time to help others. An update: My Passport (not named that!) is backing up via Time Machine as we speak. Next step is to copy the files that I need over to the hard drive. I already have on another hard drive, but I figure it is better to be safe than sorry. My question for you is basically if there is anything I should try to think about or remember to bring over. Apple Footer.
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