New drive for SuperDuper - No APFS option

[ashleykaryl]

I have recently ordered a new Mac mini with the idea of putting the Mac Pro into semi-retirement and I decided to order three new external drives for mini.

There will be a 1TB SSD for general data, a 1TB USB 3 for SuperDuper and a 2TB USB 3 for Time Machine.

I first tried the SSD in disk utility and found no option in Mojave to format as APFS, so I tried on my daughter's MBP running Catalina and there it appeared as an option by right clicking on the drive with a warning that the the drive would not be able to run on an older system, so I left it for the moment. The same option in Mojave was greyed out.

I have yet to look at the drive destined for Time Machine, which will remain as Mac OS extended, however I have the same issue in Mojave of not being able to erase and convert this to APFS for SuperDuper. I have followed the thread at https://www.shirt-pocket.com/forums/...ead.php?t=5738, however it does not seem to work that way.

The mini is still being shipped, so no huge rush on this but I am a little perplexed, because I had no difficulty before converting drives to APFS, whether internal or external.

[dnanian]

First, I would use a 1TB SSD for SD - about $150 US for 1TB.

Second, Disk Utility can be confusing. But, to format as APFS:

1. Open Disk Utility
2. Choose "Show All Devices" from the View menu
3. Select the destination drive hardware (above the existing volume)
4. Click Erase
5. Choose the "GUID" partition scheme (2nd pop-up), THEN "APFS" formatting (1st pop-up) and name appropriately
6. Click Erase

That works in 10.13 and later. It definitely works.

[ashleykaryl]

I see where I was going wrong now. When you open it defaults to Master Boot Record as the scheme and that doesn't allow APFS as an option.

I assume you suggest using an SSD for SD because it could then serve as a fast start up drive, rather than USB 3.

[dnanian]

Fast startup and fast backup, plug it works better with APFS. I mean an external SSD - which would still be USB3/USBC...

[ashleykaryl]

Yes that all makes good sense. I guess I was just just trying to keep the costs down after all the other expenses without thinking it through enough. I imagine the SSD would likely be more reliable as well.

[dnanian]

Yes, I think it likely would, and their prices are down low enough that it makes sense for "reasonable" sizes.