Which file format do I choose?

[TwoLaneHighway]

I am ready to install a 2TB SSD into my early 2015 retina MacBook Pro that I got from OWC.

After the SSD is installed, I plan to install Big Sur from a bootable USB drive that I created in the past.


(I am a little rusty on the sequence of events and what to do after the drive is installed, but before I install the OS.)

Which file format should I choose when formatting the new drive?

In a prior thread of mine, I think people said that I need APFS.

If that is the case, is there a particular one that I choose, and how and when do I do that?

My plan is ultimately to run full-disk encryption and I assume you can still do that via System Preferences once Big Sur is installed.

Figured that I should come here and ask for help and make sur I know what I am supposed to do, before I take out my original SSD, and get stuck and then have no way to go online and ask for help!!

 

[jz0309]

plug it in, run disk utility, erase (if it is formatted), format with APFS GUID

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

plug it in, run disk utility, erase (if it is formatted), format with APFS GUID

Having another "senior moment"....

Please help me get the sequence down before I break down my laptop.

So I shut down my retina MBP, take out the old SSD, install the new SSD, put the case back together, then I insert my bootable USB drive with Big Sur and I...

Option boot?

Then once my rMBP boots up from the bootable USB, I will see the Disk Utility program?

Then from there I choose to format my hard-drive?

And out of curiosity, what are all of the different file formats that will be presented?

And you are saying I choose "APFS GUID"?

Will there be choices that include encryption?

Would I choose those?

I know on my other rMBP with Sierra, I have "MacOS Extended (Journaled)" chosen, but I think there is an option that has "encryption" in the name, but I didn't have to choose that file format to use full-disk encryption from macOS.

 

[jz0309]

Having another "senior moment"....

Please help me get the sequence down before I break down my laptop.

So I shut down my retina MBP, take out the old SSD, install the new SSD, put the case back together, then I insert my bootable USB drive with Big Sur and I...

Option boot?

Then once my rMBP boots up from the bootable USB, I will see the Disk Utility program?

Then from there I choose to format my hard-drive?

And out of curiosity, what are all of the different file formats that will be presented?

And you are saying I choose "APFS GUID"?

Will there be choices that include encryption?

Would I choose those?

I know on my other rMBP with Sierra, I have "MacOS Extended (Journaled)" chosen, but I think there is an option that has "encryption" in the name, but I didn't have to choose that file format to use full-disk encryption from macOS.

well, sorry, I guess I had my senior moment as I thought this is for an external SSD ... havn't done what you want to do in a long time, so rather than describing what I think I would do, I'll let someone else jump in.

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

well, sorry, I guess I had my senior moment as I thought this is for an external SSD ... havn't done what you want to do in a long time, so rather than describing what I think I would do, I'll let someone else jump in.

Two old men! ;-)

Yeah, I am rusty on this too.

Here is the best I can figure out...

Since this will be a new internal SSD, I believe I just choose "APFS".

If I was trying to encrypt an external drive - especially one with just data and no OS - then I think I would want to choose "APFS (encrypted)".

I know that running full disk encryption on with masOS Sierra and Mojave, I just chose "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" and *not* "Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)", so I assume the logic is the same.

But if someone could verify that, it would make me feel better!

 

[Fishrrman]

First, I would advise you AGAINST using full disk encryption unless you have a really REALLY good reason as to why you need to use it.

Having said that...

Here's what I'd do if you put that MBP and drive (yet to be installed) into my hands:

1. VERY FIRST THING: create a BOOTABLE backup of the internal drive (as it is now) using an external drive and either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper.

One of the WORST MISTAKES users make is to remove or erase their internal drive (and OS installation) without having any way to boot the Mac to the finder. Then if things don't go right, they often start flopping around like fish out of water. That's because they have no way to boot normally!

2. Once you have created a bootable backup (and TESTED IT to see if it works), then it's time to proceed. Set the backup aside and proceed.

3. Open the MBP and swap drives. Set the old drive in a safe place -- you MIGHT need to re-install it if things go wrong on you.

4. Close up the back. Perhaps just "tack it closed" with a few screws for now.

5. Boot to INTERNET RECOVERY:
Command-OPTION-R
at boot

6. You'll need your wifi password. The internet utilities will take a while to load.
BE PATIENT.

7. Open disk utility.
VERY IMPORTANT -- go to the view menu and choose "show all devices"

8. The "top line on the left" should show you the physical drive itself. Click on it and click "erase"

9. Format the drive to "APFS, GUID partition format". Should take only seconds.

10. Once that's done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer.

11. Click through the installer and get it going. The Mac may reboot one or more times, and the screen may go dark one or more times and stay that way for a minute or longer. BE PATIENT while the OS installs.

12. When the installation is done, you should see the initial startup screen (choose your language). Begin clicking through.

13. At the appropriate moment, setup assistant will ask if you wish to migrate from an older Mac or drive. If you do, connect the backup and give setup assistant time to "digest everything". BE PATIENT.

14. When done, setup assistant will present you with a checklist of things it can migrate. My advice is to "accept everything" and to just "let it go". It will take a little while.

Good luck.
15. When done, you should see your login screen.

 

[MBAir2010]

plug it in, run disk utility, erase (if it is formatted), format with APFS GUID

thanks, i just froze before formatting and installing a new ssd drive in a mac mini
"the contents will be erased which is un do-able" which scared the bejeebes out of me!
all fine now!