Because there not a slot for one. You can get 2 TB of storage built in or use an external drive
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
PLEASE HELP: Which Mac To Buy For File Storage?
- Thread starter BeautifulWoman_1984
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
SSDs are WAY more reliable than traditional platter drives. I wouldn't be that worried about that.
Several of us that actually do that already have already responded and said that it's not an issue. Just try it...
Why? It's a drive just like any other one. If you are still leery, make room on your internal device (maybe copy some files to the external drive), then download to the internal drive, and finally move that downloaded file to the external device.
I'm not so worried about downloading files from my web browser to an external USB HDD, but I'm worried about downloading legal torrent files as I'd need to make sure the drive letters on the external USB HDD's were kept identical...
There's no way I can afford a Mac Pro, but I was just looking at the Mac Pro and even that seems to ONLY have 2 bays for 2 SSD's???
I wish I could buy a new Mac that'd allow me to install regular HDD's like I can with a PC tower.
Thank you!
I thought about doing this, but it'd take up a lot of time to be constantly moving files from the Mac Mini 2020's internal SSD to an external USB HDD... ?
EDIT:
Is it really true that the iMac also has an internal soldered HDD? Which means I'd have to take it to an Apple Store to get it repaired?
Last edited:
Macs don't use drive letters, Macs use volume names, and those won't change like they could on Windows as the volume is only identified by name and not by a drive letter.
Yep. OP: Drive or share name and location don't matter with regard to file sharing. You are overthinking this, making it seem much more difficult than it is.
If you really don't want to change default file paths, you could easily make an alias (like a Win shortcut), or a symbolic link. If you don't want to enter commands, you can use a simple tool to make it even easier.
Hey guys,
I just want to know what my options are for making a "storage setup" to store files for my home setup?
I'd LOVE to hear opinions on what people do in mixed background that have Windows/Mac/Linux/Nix* machines in use as this is my situation.
For example:
What hardware do people use to store their files? E.g External USB HDD's that are connected to PC/Mac USB ports?
What software do people use?
Thank you so much!
I just want to know what my options are for making a "storage setup" to store files for my home setup?
I'd LOVE to hear opinions on what people do in mixed background that have Windows/Mac/Linux/Nix* machines in use as this is my situation.
For example:
What hardware do people use to store their files? E.g External USB HDD's that are connected to PC/Mac USB ports?
What software do people use?
Thank you so much!
For me, it's mainly hard drives. I have four drives in my Mac Pro and large drives on most of my other computers (PC/Windows or Mac/OS X).
For stuff I want access to from any machine I have a PowerMac G3 running OS X 10.4.11 Server. It's sharing a 2TB RAID from an eSATA enclosure (the Mac has a PCI-SATA card with an eSATA adapter). Then there is my PowerMac G4 with a 250GB boot drive and two 3TB hard drives that I use as a glorified NAS. It also has a PCI-SATA card and it's running OS X 10.5.8 Leopard.
Both fileshare using AFP and SMB making access easy, no matter what computer I use. In the case of my server, AFP is port forwarded so I can access my server outside the house.
Lastly, my Mac Mini has a 2TB RAID attached (external enclosure). I have Dropbox linked to that drive on this Mac.
For stuff I want access to from any machine I have a PowerMac G3 running OS X 10.4.11 Server. It's sharing a 2TB RAID from an eSATA enclosure (the Mac has a PCI-SATA card with an eSATA adapter). Then there is my PowerMac G4 with a 250GB boot drive and two 3TB hard drives that I use as a glorified NAS. It also has a PCI-SATA card and it's running OS X 10.5.8 Leopard.
Both fileshare using AFP and SMB making access easy, no matter what computer I use. In the case of my server, AFP is port forwarded so I can access my server outside the house.
Lastly, my Mac Mini has a 2TB RAID attached (external enclosure). I have Dropbox linked to that drive on this Mac.
I use Windows and have:
- 1TB for local data
- 2TB USB 3.0 for local backups
- 200GB Google Drive cloud backup
- 1TB OneDrive cloud backup
Not too fond of OneDrive backups, as it is often bloody slow.
- 1TB for local data
- 2TB USB 3.0 for local backups
- 200GB Google Drive cloud backup
- 1TB OneDrive cloud backup
Not too fond of OneDrive backups, as it is often bloody slow.
Thank you for your replies eyoungren and tee cup!
I'm not sure why this thread was moved to the Mac section as the question involves Windows and Linux/Nix*?
It's getting complicated for me to store my files... In the past I only had one Mac Mini and that was easy because Time Machine was amazing!
I'm not sure why this thread was moved to the Mac section as the question involves Windows and Linux/Nix*?
It's getting complicated for me to store my files... In the past I only had one Mac Mini and that was easy because Time Machine was amazing!
To me, if you use multiple computers and even multiple OS', a cloud solution would be 'easier'...
Thank you tee cup, but I just want to backup my files locally and I do not want to use the cloud.
Another idea would be a QNAP (NAS storage). Thus available via your network...
Thank you tee_Cup!
What products can you recommend?
I'm very new to all this storage stuff so it'd be great for me to see what's available.
What products can you recommend?
I'm very new to all this storage stuff so it'd be great for me to see what's available.
Thinking of your other thread(s).... your 2011 Mini would make a nice file server. Turn on file sharing with SMB and it will be available on your network for both Macs and PC's. It could also be "headless" without a screen or keyboard, and you could manage it with screen sharing. This is what I'm doing with my 2012 Mini.
You could then finally replace the 2011 Mini with something newer for everyday computing needs.
You could then finally replace the 2011 Mini with something newer for everyday computing needs.
I use an old Mac Mini as a server for shared files and media. It’s also a time machine destination. I keep my personal stuff and photos on my MBA and they are synced to iCloud so I can access from my iPhone and iPad.
Everything is backed up multiple ways and offsite as well.
Everything is backed up multiple ways and offsite as well.
I use a Windows PC as a Plex Media server. It also acts as a file server for files and backups for any OS. Its drives are internal. I also plug in external drives to it occasionally for backups which then get stored in a safe.
Documents I want quick access to from anywhere or any computer are on Onedrive. Which also acts as a third/fourth location for important files.
Files only needed on a specific computer are kept there for quick access and backed up to a second connected drive. Of course they also get backed up to the server.
Documents I want quick access to from anywhere or any computer are on Onedrive. Which also acts as a third/fourth location for important files.
Files only needed on a specific computer are kept there for quick access and backed up to a second connected drive. Of course they also get backed up to the server.
Thank you so much for the ideas guys!
I'll need some time to research through what will be good for me.
I'll need some time to research through what will be good for me.
Not sure if this is what you're looking for but I use BlobBackup (https://blobbackup.com) to backup my Macbook and my Windows workstation. I run one backup daily to my Synology NAS and one weekly to B2 Cloud Storage.
Full Disclosure: I'm the developer of BlobBackup
Full Disclosure: I'm the developer of BlobBackup
On a fat more elementary level, the difference between file systems themselves can be significant. exFat is actually pretty nice because it gives you large file size capabilities and large position size capabilities and is also naively supported across macOS, GNU+Linux, and Windows.
If you're feeling adventurous, you could take an otherwise unused or obsolete computer and set it up as a file server using something like Debian (which is my personally preferred distro for anything which needs to be as solid and reliable as a toaster) and then hang whatever storage you want off of that.
If you're feeling adventurous, you could take an otherwise unused or obsolete computer and set it up as a file server using something like Debian (which is my personally preferred distro for anything which needs to be as solid and reliable as a toaster) and then hang whatever storage you want off of that.
Time Machine Question:
Sorry to be bumping such an old thread, but I didn't want to waste forum space by creating a new thread.
I really love how Time Machine works on my Mac Mini.
Is it possible for Time Machine to backup the files on an external USB HDD that's connected to my Mac? Or is it only possible for Time Machine to backup the files that are stored on the Mac's internal HDD???
Sorry to be bumping such an old thread, but I didn't want to waste forum space by creating a new thread.
I really love how Time Machine works on my Mac Mini.
Is it possible for Time Machine to backup the files on an external USB HDD that's connected to my Mac? Or is it only possible for Time Machine to backup the files that are stored on the Mac's internal HDD???
Sure, time machine can do this. Open the time machine preferences and press the options button. That will show a list of everything that time machine is *not* backing up. If your external drive appears on that list, select it and press the minus button to remove it from the exclusion list.
IIRC, in the past your external disks were automatically added to the exclusion list. But I don't think that is the case anymore. I have time machine backing up an external disk on the Mac that I got last summer, and I don't think I had to do anything for that to happen.
To confirm that it works, open a window to your external disk, then click the time machine icon in the menu bar (looks like a little clock) and choose "enter time machine". You should be able to browse through all the backups for the external disk.
IIRC, in the past your external disks were automatically added to the exclusion list. But I don't think that is the case anymore. I have time machine backing up an external disk on the Mac that I got last summer, and I don't think I had to do anything for that to happen.
To confirm that it works, open a window to your external disk, then click the time machine icon in the menu bar (looks like a little clock) and choose "enter time machine". You should be able to browse through all the backups for the external disk.