What Filesystem Format is the Default on MacOS?

[britechguy]

I know this is a dirt simple question, but I'm feeling lazy and thought I'd ask anyway.

I know that the Mac can handle exFAT drives, but doubt that this is the native filesystem format. I've got another call from a Mac user who wants files copied from old hardware and it triggered me to think about this.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Was: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HFS_Plus
But I'm pretty sure now it's: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_File_System

But modern MacOS can read older MacOS file formats, so as long as the disk is connected it should work.

 

[Diggs]

I've got another call from a Mac user who wants files copied from old hardware

Then drop it on a Linux computer. Any Linux distro will read every file format I believe.

 

[Markverhyden]

The current file system on all new Apple computers is APFS. Before that it was HFS+. Of course there's encrypted versions. Since the two formats are not related you can't install one on the other without repartitioning, aka formating, the drive or converting via CLI.

To transfer from the old Mac, if it's still booting, to new Mac is boot the old one into Target Disk Mode, power it on holding down the T key. You'll also need compatible USB, etc cabling since that connection has no networking layer. If it's been encrypted you'll be prompted to enter the password for the old machine. If the old one is still booting I always use a network connection. In fact there a transfer utility in the Utility folder. But may not work if there's a big gap in age between the two OS versions.

For Mac's with Apple silicon - https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mac-help/mchlb37e8ca7/13.0/mac/13.0

For Mac's with only Intel - https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mac-help/mchlp1443/mac

 

[timeshifter]

Generally speaking APFS is for SSD, HFS+ is for spinning drives.

 

[britechguy]

It is my understanding that 2 old Macs are involved, each as a source machine, and I have not yet determined whether the ultimate target is another Mac or a PC.

I think I will do my "standard operating procedure" in this situation and that's using an exFAT formatted drive as the transfer medium. That way it will not matter what the target machine happens to be.

The client states they bought a pre-formatted drive (I also have my own) but my guess is that they got one pre-formatted as NTFS. If that's the case I'll quick format it to whatever filesystem is appropriate for "the ultimate destination" on to which the extracted files from the old Macs are to be copied.

 

[britechguy]

Additional data: The ultimate destination is a brand new Mac, but that Mac has not been purchased yet. The client is trying to have all her proverbial ducks in a row by the time it arrived.

This is a photo of the model plate of the external backup drive she has, which she says is not working:


I've instructed her to acquire a new backup drive before our appointment. It doesn't matter to me whether it's already formatted with Mac's filesystem or not. If it were to be, I'd use it in its "out of the box" state. If it's not, I'll reformat it.

Both the old machines are reported as booting up fine, so it's a simple "copy it over" exercise once we have a drive to copy it to.

 

[timeshifter]

The best way IMHO to set up a new Mac is to use the Migration Assistant. Everything will be where they're used to seeing it, like Fabs but on steroids. Make a Time Machine backup of the previous Mac and then plug that up during the initial setup of the new Mac.

 

[britechguy]

@timeshifter,

Thanks for the suggestion. The impression I get from the client is that they are actually trying to start with a clean slate as far as the Mac ecosystem on the as-yet-to-be-acquired system. But if that changes, I'll keep this in mind.

The explicit request is porting over photos from the two old machines. Nothing else has been mentioned at all.

 

[NviGate Systems]

Keep in mind the photos might be in iPhoto or whatever equivalent was in use. So they may not be loose files but a huge database. Dealing with iPhoto, especially from two Macs will require some extra time and attention. I haven't used it in years, but it was a pain. You can still get original files, but they are not stored in an easy to access way.

Also, see https://www.seagate.com/ca/en/manua...h both Windows and,format your drive in exFAT. explains some basics, worth a read.

 

[timeshifter]

Keep in mind the photos might be in iPhoto or whatever equivalent was in use. So they may not be loose files but a huge database. Dealing with iPhoto, especially from two Macs will require some extra time and attention.

"Photos" is the app for photos on the Mac and took the place of iPhoto a long time ago. Another reason to use Migration Assistant or at least keep all the work native to the Mac. If you start moving things out of their native environment you're just making it harder for you and the user.

iCloud, an iPhone and so on all use an app for photos called Photos. So if they've got one Apple ID for everything you may be able to just be sure it's all synced with iCloud.

 

[britechguy]

I'll have to check with the client again. It may be worth putting this off until after they have the new Mac in hand.

Every time I have to deal with Macs I find more and more reasons to dislike Apple. Everything is made more difficult and convoluted by their walled gardens within the big Walled Garden.

 

[britechguy]

By the way, a big thanks to all who've responded. The kind of information shared on this topic is why I sometimes resort to asking "dirt simple questions" because the extended conversation reveals much more. And, boy, has it in this case!

 

[Markverhyden]

I'll have to check with the client again. It may be worth putting this off until after they have the new Mac in hand.

Every time I have to deal with Macs I find more and more reasons to dislike Apple. Everything is made more difficult and convoluted by their walled gardens within the big Walled Garden.

The migration assistant can be the cat's meow if used in the proper environment. Ask the client to provide you with screen shots of the two old Macs "About This Mac". Click on the Apple in the upper left corner > About This Mac. Just a word of wisdom though. Don't do it over wireless. If they have huge picture or music store you could die of old age before it finishes.

 

[britechguy]

Thanks Mark. I have the client sending me snapshots of the two About This Mac dialogs.

It was my understanding that Migration Assistant was only possible via direct "machine to machine" connection via ethernet, and heaven knows I have enough spare ethernet cables at my disposal! I wasn't intending to "go WiFi" no matter what.

 

[timeshifter]

I almost always do it via Time Machine backups. Plug in a new drive to the old Mac, make a Time Machine backup. Fire up the new Mac and plug that drive in. Can’t get much faster.

 

[Markverhyden]

Thanks Mark. I have the client sending me snapshots of the two About This Mac dialogs.

It was my understanding that Migration Assistant was only possible via direct "machine to machine" connection via ethernet, and heaven knows I have enough spare ethernet cables at my disposal! I wasn't intending to "go WiFi" no matter what.

You can use the in place network, getting the IP's via DHCP. macOS automatically runs Bonjour for all their auto discovery. As @timeshifter mentioned you can use Time Machine backups as well but that takes trice as long. You have to make a full backup if you haven't already then do the migrations. As we all know end users aren't exactly AR about their backups to begin with.

 

[britechguy]

@Markverhyden

It's clear to me that this client has not taken any time machine backups in some time, since the drive she has on which they would have been taken is one she's reporting is no longer working. I have her purchasing a "honkin' big" external USB backup drive that should easily handle backing up both of the old machines prior to trying to do migrations from each to the new one.

I'm just wondering what will happen if any "collisions" occur when doing migration from the second in line of the old two.

As you might be able to tell from the never-ending saga with the Muratec printer and the Macs, I am not at all predisposed to believe that all this will "go off without a hitch."

 

[timeshifter]

I'm just wondering what will happen if any "collisions" occur when doing migration from the second in line of the old two.

It will wipe out the first. May want to migrate from the most current or most frequently used computer, then do a manual copying of the relevant files from the second computer.

 

[britechguy]

It will wipe out the first.

Thanks for this info and the good advice.