APFS or HFS+ for my backup drive? Using a 2015 MBP.

[bigpoppamac31]

So I just got a new external backup drive from OWC. It's an SSD drive. A Mercury Extreme Pro 6G. When I first set it up it asks me to choose a format. Either APFS or HFS+. My internal SSD is in APFS but I"m still curious because of how old my MBP is. Which is the overall better option?

 

[chrfr]

So I just got a new external backup drive from OWC. It's an SSD drive. A Mercury Extreme Pro 6G. When I first set it up it asks me to choose a format. Either APFS or HFS+. My internal SSD is in APFS but I"m still curious because of how old my MBP is. Which is the overall better option?

If you're running Monterey, the default disk format for a Time Machine disk is APFS, so just use that.

 

[HDFan]

Best format for SSDs is normally APFS.

 

[bigpoppamac31]

If you're running Monterey, the default disk format for a Time Machine disk is APFS, so just use that.

Well I use Carbon Copy Cloner but okay I'll use that. I know that HFS+ is the older format. I was just asking to make sure because my Mac is an older model.

 

[bigpoppamac31]

Also do I risk wrecking the OWC drive if I use Disk Utility to format the drive?

 

[Sciuriware]

Also do I risk wrecking the OWC drive if I use Disk Utility to format the drive?

Disk Utility is recommended, even by CCC.
;JOOP!

 

[Nermal]

Well I use Carbon Copy Cloner but okay I'll use that. I know that HFS+ is the older format. I was just asking to make sure because my Mac is an older model.

I've never used CCC myself but I believe that it makes a direct copy of the disk, format and all. In other words, since you're backing up an APFS drive, your backup will also be APFS.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong

 

[bigpoppamac31]

Disk Utility is recommended, even by CCC.
;JOOP!

Well OWC provides a setup utility on the drive.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I've never used CCC myself but I believe that it makes a direct copy of the disk, format and all. In other words, since you're backing up an APFS drive, your backup will also be APFS.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong

You are wrong .

Actually the answer is more complicated. The default mode for CCC is to copy only the -Data volume. This mode it will not change the format of the destination drive.

If you use the Legacy Bootable Backup Assistant mode to attempt to produce a bootable clone it has to use the proprietary Apple ASR tool to copy the System Volume. This is like the block level total disk copy you were thinking of. This only works onto a freshly formatted drive. If you use LBBA the first thing you are asked is "OK to format destination" which it will then do. From the link below this will be APFS.

NB I use the word "attempt" above because of this article about bootable clones by Mike Bombich of CCC.

 

[Madhatter32]

If you are backing up to a SSD drive the best practice (and performance) would be to use APFS on the external. The answer is more complicated if you are backing up to a HDD.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

I may have missed it, but WHAT VERSION of the OS are you using?

 

[bigpoppamac31]

OP:

I may have missed it, but WHAT VERSION of the OS are you using?

MacOS Monterey 12.6.1

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:
"MacOS Monterey 12.6.1"

If it's a backup created by time machine, doesn't it now require APFS?

Actually, the same for backups created with either SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner ...