Questions about APFS and other formats

[Ambrosia7177]

Hi. So I am busy this afternoon downloading the updated/re-signed macOS installers onto a blank HDD so I can create a bunch of (working) bootable USB installers.

To make sure that my USB installers work ths time, I am installing a given macOS onto another blank HDD.

For whatever reason, the first installer I created my macOS Mojave.

Now I just downloaded macOS High Sierra and created an installer.

After booting up to my bootable High Sierra installer, I chose Disk Utilities, and went to format my blank HDD so I can verify that this 2nd USB installer is working.

When I chose "Erase" I noticed that the only formats available are:

APFS
APFS (Encrypted)
APFS Case-senstive)
APFS (Case-sensitve, Encrypted)

Questions:
1.) What file format came before APFS?

2.) How would I format my extra HDD to that pre-APFS format if needed? (For example, I'll need to do that when creating my USB installer for macOS Siera)

3.) Why did Apple switch to APFS? What benefits does it offer?


Thanks.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

It looks like this approach might help roll back an APFS drive to the older HFS+ format...

https://blog.macsales.com/46896-how-to-revert-a-drive-from-apfs-back-to-hfs/


Any thoughts from the experts?

 

[pldelisle]

Just use Terminal.app.

diskutil eraseDisk HFS+ High_Sierra_Installer /dev/disk<number>

This will totally erase the drive, APFS container, everything and create a macOS HFS+ drive (this was prior APFS).

You can list disks prior with diskutil list

You will then be able to do your USB installer.

The same can apply to internal HDDs prior macOS installation.

On anything 10.14+, APFS is almost mandatory on non-Fusion drive macs. More performant, safer, more featured file system. It’s simply better to use APFS.

 

[Ambrosia7177]

@pldelisle,

I followed the command in the article linked above and it seemed to work in resetting my blank drive I was using to test out my bootable installers...

diskutil apfs deleteContainer /dev/disk5s2

Is there any reason why your command is better than the one I posted?


Also, do Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner work with APFS drives, because the article above makes it sound like the answer is, "No!"

 

[pldelisle]

@pldelisle,

I followed the command in the article linked above and it seemed to work in resetting my blank drive I was using to test out my bootable installers...

diskutil apfs deleteContainer /dev/disk5s2

Is there any reason why your command is better than the one I posted?


Also, do Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner work with APFS drives, because the article above makes it sound like the answer is, "No!"

The command you cited deletes a container. Mine simply wipe out the drive, containers, everything and create a HFS+ file system suited for any thumb drive for macOS installation. Simply.

Time Machine drive cannot be APFS formatted. Time Machine can only back up to HFS+. See https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mac-help/mh15139/mac

 

[Ambrosia7177]

The command you cited deletes a container. Mine simply wipe out the drive, containers, everything and create a HFS+ file system suited for any thumb drive for macOS installation. Simply.

So it sounds like your command is better, more thorough, right?

Time Machine drive cannot be APFS formatted. Time Machine can only back up to HFS+. See https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mac-help/mh15139/mac

Isn't it strange that Apple would change file formats, and then not update one of their go-to applications to support it?


What about CCC?

 

[pldelisle]

So it sounds like your command is better, more thorough, right?




Isn't it strange that Apple would change file formats, and then not update one of their go-to applications to support it?


What about CCC?

I always use this command when formatting a thumb drive. It’s as you wish. It’s also good for any Windows formatted thumb drive (exFAT, FAT, NTFS). It wipes those file systems too.

Time Machine backup is generally on its own partition, on its own device (NAS for example). And since it’s a backup system, the features of APFS might not be necessary.

 

[Fishrrman]

When you open disk utility (on High Sierra and later), YOUR FIRST MOVE SHOULD ALWAYS BE:
Go to the view menu and choose "show all devices".

 

[Ambrosia7177]

When you open disk utility (on High Sierra and later), YOUR FIRST MOVE SHOULD ALWAYS BE:
Go to the view menu and choose "show all devices".

Okay.

 

[5097842]

When you open disk utility (on High Sierra and later), YOUR FIRST MOVE SHOULD ALWAYS BE:
Go to the view menu and choose "show all devices".

I really don't know why they don't have this on by default. Or make it more obvious that it's there. I was very frustrated working with High Sierra until I found out about this.