Here is everything you need to know about the pros and cons of both, a Windows PC and a Mac machine.
Up to and including Mac OS X v10.4 (Tiger), Apple's implementation was based on the X11 Licensed XFree86 4.3 and X11R6.6. All bundled versions of X11 feature a window manager which is similar to the Mac OS X look-and-feel and has fairly good integration with Mac OS X, also using the native Quartz rendering system. The advantages of Mac OS X are user friendly, simple and nice user interface, security and maturity of OS kernel because it's based on darwin which is a FreeBSD based kernel. Where'as the disadvantages are3rd party software application support although it's growing slowly but still windows has the edge over it.
There aren't a lot of things Add Crazy that separate the Macs from the PCs, but then again, they couldn't be more different either. They might essentially have the same hardware, but their ‘packaging' and their approach are poles apart. While the PC seems to be more user-friendly and enjoys popularity, the Mac caters to a niche audience. Let's compare both of them, in all aspects.
Hardware
PC
An aspect that heavily tilts the balance in favor of PCs is the fact that you have the option to choose and customize your machine right from scratch. You can choose to either go in for a branded computer, which still offers you a fair bit of customization, or you could opt to pick up the best products of all computer manufacturers and assemble them to have your own little supercomputer to cater to all your needs, and to a certain extent, your greed! You can also easily upgrade your old computer to quite an extent with the latest hardware available.
Mac
The iMac boasts of some real impressive hardware, which in turn churn out some serious processing power. The only drawback with it is that you do not get to do a great deal of customization with the hardware, as you pick up your iMac. There is no way to assemble a Mac by yourself, as it is solely produced by Apple and comes only in a select few variants. Also, there is very little gradation that you can do with your iMac, although it already has a very impressive spec sheet. Syncing your iPod, iPad or iPhone is a breeze when you have an iMac.
The model under the microscope is the high-end 15″ model, which contains a 2.2ghz Sandy Bride quad-core i7 processor, 4gb ram and a 6750m from AMD. That's a big upgrade from the previous generation. I've also opted for the high-res screen, which is a given in my (mac!)book. *pun intended*
Apart from the high-end 15″ Macbook pro, Apple also offers two 13″ models and a single 17″ machine. Across the board, each model enjoys a faster processor, faster ram, and thunderbolt.
The latter is very interesting and a first for any laptop on the market! I'm actually not going into too much detail about it but basically, it's Intel's answer to USB. The connection is capable of transferring video, audio, and data, all simultaneously at very high speeds. That means that a DVD movie will transfer to external storage in about 6 seconds once supported hardware comes out.
RELATED ARTICLES :
When deciding between models realize that the 13″ models all share an Intel HD 3000 graphics as a sole provider. This is a source of frustration for gamers out there because the chip is pretty weak for modern games. The smaller models also use the gaps between the keys as speaker holes and lack a subwoofer; expect a slightly more tin sound.
The 17″ model has a 1920×1200 display and similar specs to the 15″ Macbook pro. This is both a good and bad thing. The good thing is that you'll have slightly more screen real estate but gaming on the native resolution will definitely struggle.
Operating System
PC
Computers, world-over, mainly run on the Microsoft Windows operating system. Easy access and being comparatively easy to set up, most PCs come with some variant of Windows pre-loaded on them. As it caters to more than 90% of computer users, almost all software are designed for Windows PCs. Another feature of the personal computer is the fact that you can choose to have two operating systems on it (two versions of Windows), or if you really want, you can even configure it to have Microsoft Windows and Apple OS on board, although it would be a bit more complicated to set up.
Mac
The iMac runs the much acclaimed Apple proprietary, Mac OS. In addition to this, users can also opt in for a dual-boot configuration, wherein one can boot either into Mac OS or Windows as and when one wishes to do so.
Compatibility
PC
When you compare the computer operating systems or study a Mac vs. Windows pros-cons list, you will find that PCs are always backward compatible. This is a major advantage that they have over Macs. New operating systems like Windows 7 can be run on a relatively old PC without much of a hassle. Almost all the software available in the market are Windows compatible and run smoothly on PCs with the required config.
Mac
A major chink in the iMac's armor is the fact that they are not backward compatible. Simply put, it means that most newer Apple Mac OSes will not run on older versions of their iMacs. So, OS X Lion will not run on a Mac Mini, for instance. Also, not all software in the market is designed to run on Mac OS, although most newer software and applications are compatible with both Windows and Mac. In either scenario, as the newer generation of Macintoshes supports both Mac OS and Windows, this shouldn't really be much of a problem.
Looks and User Interface
PC
Personal computers these days, are no longer the ugly and cumbersome eyesores they used to be. In fact, the ugly duckling seems to have transformed itself into a beautiful and powerful swan! Apart from just the processing power, people, these days opt for beautiful showpieces to add to the aesthetics of the house. To match up to this, MS Windows, the main OS for these elegant machines, is something that is rather simple to use, more so, because, over the years, most of us have gotten used to the interface. The newer versions of Windows, ironically, take a leaf out of their supposed complicated-to-use-rival, the Mac OS, and are even more fine-tuned to try to enhance the entire user experience, with a more polished look.
Mac
Till the introduction of the Macintosh, which was a totally new breed of computing machines, all computers in the market were always seen as big ugly pieces of equipment. With the Mac, Apple changed the world's outlook towards computers. With their compact and beautiful form factor, iMacs these days are absolutely gorgeous, and now even offer up to 27″ of real estate in terms of screen size. This is topped up with a very refined, and contrary to popular belief, a very easy-to-use OS. The Mac OSes have always been quite a spectacle, with their real smooth buttery user interface. Mac OSes have often been mistaken to be extremely complicated to use, wherein, in fact, it is actually one of the best interfaces to work with.
As noted Apple has retained its famous unibody design for this generation of Macbooks. I don't consider this a bad thing. Built from a single piece of aluminum, this laptop is very scratch resistant and clean looking. My previous Macbook Pro (same design) definitely withstood the test of time. (not a single scratch!)
In my view, this is the best-looking laptop apart from the Macbook Air. Its design is very symmetrical. Everything is exactly where you'd expect it to be. Like how the speaker holes match the vertical space used by the keyboard keys. The width of the hinge also perfectly matches the horizontal keyboard space. Using a combination of black and silver, Apple managed to create something very aesthetically pleasing. However, I'd have loved to see some Macbook Air elements take over. The battery indicator for one seems unnecessary to me and the DVD super drive is bound to disappear. Guess we can expect those changes in a redesign later on.
Security
PC
Security is by far the biggest issue that bothers PC users all over the world. With the Internet boom, which has made Internet connectivity easily available and very affordable, computers everywhere face a constant threat of being attacked by viruses and hackers. Cyber crime is also on the rise, with identity theft and phishing being very rampant. Personal computers are very vulnerable to these attacks, as they are the most widely used computing machines, and their many loopholes have been exposed and exploited by hackers and the many viruses on the prowl.
Mac
Security is one area that Apple has always flaunted as one of the biggest strengths of the iMac. The Mac is at a much lesser risk of being under attack from malicious software and hackers because of its security features.
User Base
PC
The fact that personal computers have been in the market even before the whole idea of the Macs was conceived, gave them a huge and almost unassailable lead. PCs rule the market, with about 70% of the market share to their name. They cater to a huge segment of the society, right from the basic personal computers at home, up to advanced computers used incorporates for programming and data processing. Hardcore gamers to prefer PCs because they can be easily customized, and you wouldn't need to pay an arm and a leg to buy one, unlike an iMac with a similar configuration.
Mac
Although the market share for the iMac has grown by notches, it still only accounts for a paltry 10% of the consumer market. Apple has always targeted a niche group of consumers and hasn't wavered from its approach a lot. The concept that Apple follows is to service the premium share of the market, and not compromise on quality, even if this results in a lower market share. iMacs are preferred over the conventional computers in the field of animation, visual effects and sound editing. This is mainly because certain advanced editing and designing software used in these fields are compatible with machines running the Mac OS. Also, some offices use the iMac more for its aesthetic appeal. For the affluent class, their iMacs are their status symbols, although the scenario has changed quite a bit lately.
Now it's time to put the internals to the test. This is Apple's fastest notebook offering so my expectations were sky high. The first thing I wanted to have a look at is the battery. Apple advertises 7 hours of battery for every Macbook Pro model it offers. That's down from 8-10 hours for the previous generation. Most of this is probably due to the faster processor and a new way of testing that supposedly better represents real world results.
I fully charged the laptop and left the settings at default. The brightness sensor was turned on for more realistic results. During the test, I used everyday apps like Microsoft words and Safari. To mix things up some light 3D work was thrown into the mix.
Price
PC
With production costs coming down drastically, and a lot more players entering the PC manufacturing industry, you can get yourself a computer with a decent configuration for lesser than a basic television set. What also helps to make them so popular is the fact that the software for PCs is easily available and at really low rates. Computers no longer seem to be a luxury but instead have become an essential part of daily life for people.
Mac
Most people will shout out 'Highway robbery', the moment they hear the mention of Apple, and sadly, the iMac does little to change this notion. The iMac undoubtedly makes you feel a part of an elite group, but it comes at a premium. All-In-One computers these days offer the same, and at times, a better experience, both in terms of looks and performance at a much lower price. But the fact remains that once you've had a ‘bite' of an Apple, you just can't seem to have enough of it, of course, that is if you can afford it.
Over the years, personal computers and Macs have learned to co-exist, with one being hugely popular with the masses and the other still choosing to cater to a niche group of users. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the user's requirement. While Apple bashers and PC haters will always look to belittle the other, trying to compare the two would really be like choosing between ‘apples' and oranges!
Summary :
How much do you know about APFS vs Mac OS Extended? Which Mac file system should you choose? How to format hard drive for Mac? If you have similar questions on your mind, please read this page carefully to find answers; the main differences between APFS and Mac OS Extended file system and several ways to format a hard drive (internal/external) on Mac will be introduced.
Quick Navigation :
Mac (formerly known as Macintosh) refers to the personal computers that are designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Inc. MacOS is one of the most popular operating systems in the world; it's the main competitor of Windows.
Common Mac file system includes:
- APFS (Apple File System): the default file system used in macOS 10.13 and later versions.
- Mac OS Extended: the file system used in macOS 10.12 and earlier versions.
- FAT (MS-DOS) and exFAT: the system systems that are supported by both Mac & Windows.
The following content first discusses on APFS vs Mac OS Extended; after that, it will tell you how to format a hard drive for Mac in several different ways.
Part 1: Introduction to APFS and Mac OS Extended
In this part, I'll first introduce APFS and Mac OS extended to you. Then, I'll compare these two file systems used on Mac for you in brief. You may ask what are the differences between APFS and Mac OS Extended, right?
APFS vs Mac OS Extended
APFS refers to Apple File System, which is a proprietary file system used by Mac devices running macOS 10.13 or later. Mac OS Extended is a journaling file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier. APFS is best for solid state and flash drives while Mac OS Extended is best for mechanical drives, or drives used on older macOS.
What Is APFS Format
Personal computers these days, are no longer the ugly and cumbersome eyesores they used to be. In fact, the ugly duckling seems to have transformed itself into a beautiful and powerful swan! Apart from just the processing power, people, these days opt for beautiful showpieces to add to the aesthetics of the house. To match up to this, MS Windows, the main OS for these elegant machines, is something that is rather simple to use, more so, because, over the years, most of us have gotten used to the interface. The newer versions of Windows, ironically, take a leaf out of their supposed complicated-to-use-rival, the Mac OS, and are even more fine-tuned to try to enhance the entire user experience, with a more polished look.
Mac
Till the introduction of the Macintosh, which was a totally new breed of computing machines, all computers in the market were always seen as big ugly pieces of equipment. With the Mac, Apple changed the world's outlook towards computers. With their compact and beautiful form factor, iMacs these days are absolutely gorgeous, and now even offer up to 27″ of real estate in terms of screen size. This is topped up with a very refined, and contrary to popular belief, a very easy-to-use OS. The Mac OSes have always been quite a spectacle, with their real smooth buttery user interface. Mac OSes have often been mistaken to be extremely complicated to use, wherein, in fact, it is actually one of the best interfaces to work with.
As noted Apple has retained its famous unibody design for this generation of Macbooks. I don't consider this a bad thing. Built from a single piece of aluminum, this laptop is very scratch resistant and clean looking. My previous Macbook Pro (same design) definitely withstood the test of time. (not a single scratch!)
In my view, this is the best-looking laptop apart from the Macbook Air. Its design is very symmetrical. Everything is exactly where you'd expect it to be. Like how the speaker holes match the vertical space used by the keyboard keys. The width of the hinge also perfectly matches the horizontal keyboard space. Using a combination of black and silver, Apple managed to create something very aesthetically pleasing. However, I'd have loved to see some Macbook Air elements take over. The battery indicator for one seems unnecessary to me and the DVD super drive is bound to disappear. Guess we can expect those changes in a redesign later on.
Security
PC
Security is by far the biggest issue that bothers PC users all over the world. With the Internet boom, which has made Internet connectivity easily available and very affordable, computers everywhere face a constant threat of being attacked by viruses and hackers. Cyber crime is also on the rise, with identity theft and phishing being very rampant. Personal computers are very vulnerable to these attacks, as they are the most widely used computing machines, and their many loopholes have been exposed and exploited by hackers and the many viruses on the prowl.
Mac
Security is one area that Apple has always flaunted as one of the biggest strengths of the iMac. The Mac is at a much lesser risk of being under attack from malicious software and hackers because of its security features.
User Base
PC
The fact that personal computers have been in the market even before the whole idea of the Macs was conceived, gave them a huge and almost unassailable lead. PCs rule the market, with about 70% of the market share to their name. They cater to a huge segment of the society, right from the basic personal computers at home, up to advanced computers used incorporates for programming and data processing. Hardcore gamers to prefer PCs because they can be easily customized, and you wouldn't need to pay an arm and a leg to buy one, unlike an iMac with a similar configuration.
Mac
Although the market share for the iMac has grown by notches, it still only accounts for a paltry 10% of the consumer market. Apple has always targeted a niche group of consumers and hasn't wavered from its approach a lot. The concept that Apple follows is to service the premium share of the market, and not compromise on quality, even if this results in a lower market share. iMacs are preferred over the conventional computers in the field of animation, visual effects and sound editing. This is mainly because certain advanced editing and designing software used in these fields are compatible with machines running the Mac OS. Also, some offices use the iMac more for its aesthetic appeal. For the affluent class, their iMacs are their status symbols, although the scenario has changed quite a bit lately.
Now it's time to put the internals to the test. This is Apple's fastest notebook offering so my expectations were sky high. The first thing I wanted to have a look at is the battery. Apple advertises 7 hours of battery for every Macbook Pro model it offers. That's down from 8-10 hours for the previous generation. Most of this is probably due to the faster processor and a new way of testing that supposedly better represents real world results.
I fully charged the laptop and left the settings at default. The brightness sensor was turned on for more realistic results. During the test, I used everyday apps like Microsoft words and Safari. To mix things up some light 3D work was thrown into the mix.
Price
PC
With production costs coming down drastically, and a lot more players entering the PC manufacturing industry, you can get yourself a computer with a decent configuration for lesser than a basic television set. What also helps to make them so popular is the fact that the software for PCs is easily available and at really low rates. Computers no longer seem to be a luxury but instead have become an essential part of daily life for people.
Mac
Most people will shout out 'Highway robbery', the moment they hear the mention of Apple, and sadly, the iMac does little to change this notion. The iMac undoubtedly makes you feel a part of an elite group, but it comes at a premium. All-In-One computers these days offer the same, and at times, a better experience, both in terms of looks and performance at a much lower price. But the fact remains that once you've had a ‘bite' of an Apple, you just can't seem to have enough of it, of course, that is if you can afford it.
Over the years, personal computers and Macs have learned to co-exist, with one being hugely popular with the masses and the other still choosing to cater to a niche group of users. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the user's requirement. While Apple bashers and PC haters will always look to belittle the other, trying to compare the two would really be like choosing between ‘apples' and oranges!
Summary :
How much do you know about APFS vs Mac OS Extended? Which Mac file system should you choose? How to format hard drive for Mac? If you have similar questions on your mind, please read this page carefully to find answers; the main differences between APFS and Mac OS Extended file system and several ways to format a hard drive (internal/external) on Mac will be introduced.
Quick Navigation :
Mac (formerly known as Macintosh) refers to the personal computers that are designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Inc. MacOS is one of the most popular operating systems in the world; it's the main competitor of Windows.
Common Mac file system includes:
- APFS (Apple File System): the default file system used in macOS 10.13 and later versions.
- Mac OS Extended: the file system used in macOS 10.12 and earlier versions.
- FAT (MS-DOS) and exFAT: the system systems that are supported by both Mac & Windows.
The following content first discusses on APFS vs Mac OS Extended; after that, it will tell you how to format a hard drive for Mac in several different ways.
Part 1: Introduction to APFS and Mac OS Extended
In this part, I'll first introduce APFS and Mac OS extended to you. Then, I'll compare these two file systems used on Mac for you in brief. You may ask what are the differences between APFS and Mac OS Extended, right?
APFS vs Mac OS Extended
APFS refers to Apple File System, which is a proprietary file system used by Mac devices running macOS 10.13 or later. Mac OS Extended is a journaling file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier. APFS is best for solid state and flash drives while Mac OS Extended is best for mechanical drives, or drives used on older macOS.
What Is APFS Format
APFS (the full name is Apple File System) is a proprietary file system released by Apple Inc. It can be used on different devices running macOS High Sierra (10.13) and later, iOS 10.3 and later, all versions of iPadOS, watchOS 3.2 and later, or tvOS 10.2 and later. APFS is a new file system which was originally designed by Mac to fix core problems of Mac OS Extended.
What Is Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
Mac OS Extended, also known as HFS+, HFS Plus or HFS Extended, is actually a journaling file system released by Apple Inc. It was released in 1998 to replace HFS (Hierarchical File System, also known as Mac OS Standard or HFS Standard), which is the previous primary file system in Apple computers. Two main advantages of HFS+ when compare to HFS are: a. it gives support to much larger files; b. it uses Unicode for naming items.
Part 2: Which Is Better, APFS or Mac OS Extended
APFS vs HFS+ vs HFS:
APFS file system was announced in June 2016 to replace HFS+ (also known as HFS Plus or Mac OS Extended); the latter was used on all Mac computers as the primary file system since 1998 to replace the previous HFS.
Choose APFS for SSDs & Flash Storage Devices
When compared to Mac OS extended, APFS has been optimized a lot in terms of encryption, so it's more suitable for flash and solid-state drive storage. APFS becomes the default file system for both for SSDs (Solid State Drives) and flash drives.
- In 2016, APFS was first released by Apple to replace Mac OS Extended (the previous default file system on Mac); it carries all sorts of benefits you can found in Mac OS Extended.
- A partial specification for APFS was published by Apple in September 2018 to allow the read-only access to APFS drive on even unencrypted and non-Fusion storage devices.
But don't worry, you can still use the APFS on mechanical and hybrid drives.
To gain quality but free USB data recovery service, you should use MiniTool Power Data Recovery Free Edition; this post tells you how to recover USB data.
Downside Mac Os 7
There are two main highlights in APFS.
1st: fast speed. Copying and pasting a folder on APFS drive can be finished in an instant since the file system points to basically the same data twice.
- There are huge improvements in metadata so that many actions can be performed quickly; for example, confirming how much space the target file/folder takes up on an APFS drive.
- The reliability is also improved a lot. Users don't encounter corrupted files as often as they used to.
2nd: reverse compatibility. If you are running 2016's macOS Sierra or the later versions of macOS, congratulations, you have both read and write access to APFS, HFS +, and HFS file system. However, for users who run an older Mac (or a Windows operating system), they are not allowed to write to APFS-formatted drives.
Pros & Cons of APFS
Main advantages of APFS:
- It's able to create point-in-time snapshots for users.
- APFS allows users to encrypt the full disk by using a single or multi-key so as to enhance the security.
- The checksums are used to ensure the integrity of metadata.
- It creates new records, instead of overwriting the existing ones, in order to avoid metadata corruption; the records may be corrupted because of system crash or other reasons.
- The storage management of APFS is more efficient than HFS+, resulting in helping users get additional free space.
- Users don't need to write changes twice by choosing APFS over HFS+; this will increase the system performance on some devices.
- The clones or multiple copies of the same file are allowed; it will only store the changes as deltas. This helps to reduce storage space greatly when users copy files, make revisions, or do other things.
- The APFS drive is generally more stable and reliable than the previous HFS+ or HFS drive.
Main disadvantages of APFS:
- Compression is not allowed on an APFS drive.
- It gives no support to the Fusion drives.
- The NVRAM (Non-volatile Random-access Memory) can't be used even for data storage.
- The Checksums used are only available for ensuring integrity of metadata (that of user data can't be guaranteed).
- You can only access the encrypted volumes from another other computer which runs macOS High Sierra.
- The biggest disadvantage of all seems to be: APFS wasn't compatible with Time Machine for a long time in the past. Users of older Mac versions are told to make backups on Mac OS Extended drive unless they use a third-party backup tool rather than the built-in Time Machine.
Choose Mac OS Extended Journaled for Mechanical Hard Disks
Mac OS Extended (HFS+) is the default file system for all Macs from 1998 to 2017, until the new APFS replace it. Till now, it's still the default file system for both mechanical and hybrid hard drives. You should keep it unchanged while you install the macOS or format external hard drive Mac. The HFS+ is a better choice than APFS on even current mechanical and hybrid hard drives.
Besides, you should definitely choose Mac OS Extended when you reformat external hard drive Mac considering that it may be used on older Macs running El Capitan or earlier versions of macOS. As you know, the new APFS file system is not compatible with these old macOS versions.
Pros & Cons of HFS+
Main advantages of HFS+:
- It gives support to the Fusion drives (which can't be supported by APFS).
- It gives support to all versions of Mac OS X and macOS.
- You can encrypt volumes and then access them from any version of Mac OS X and macOS.
Main disadvantages of HFS+:
- There's no point-in-time snapshot for users.
- The nanosecond standard is not used for Timestamps.
- The native file support for other file systems is too limited.
- The support to Mac OS Extended will be stopped on February 6, 2040.
- No checksum is used for metadata integrity or user data integrity.
- You can't have concurrent access to the file system by a process.
Please ask yourself the following questions when you choose between APFS and Mac OS Extended:
- Are you formatting the internal disk or the external hard drive on your Mac?
- Which macOS are you running? Do you prepare to install macOS High Sierra or later?
- Is the Time Machine backup or bootable installer included in your daily schedule?
- Are you preparing to use the disk on another Mac or even Windows computer?
Bonus Tip: Choose exFAT for Hard Drives Used on Both Mac & Windows
Though the file system of main system drive on Mac is confined to APFS and Mac OS Extended, you can still consider exFAT (or the older FAT) when you format an external hard drive on Mac.
The most obvious benefit of using exFAT is that it can work with both Windows and macOS computers (you have both read and write access to the exFAT drive). Although there are solutions to read Mac formatted drive on Windows or read a Windows formatted drive on Mac, formatting drives to exFAT is still a convenient thing and an economical choice.
Part 3: How to Format Hard Drive for Mac
Users shouldn't reformat the disk that built-in Mac causally unless they have special needs and they are professional enough. So this part will focus on how to format external hard drive for Mac by using the snap-in tool: Disk Utility (it can be used to format & manage both internal and external hard drives as well as disk images).
How to format an external hard drive for Mac? Please follow this guide.
Step 1: open Disk Utility on your Mac.
Go to the Applications -> select Utilities folder -> double click on Disk Utility.
Step 2: choose View -> Show All Devices.
Please click on the View icon in the upper left corner of Disk Utility window. After that, please select Show All Devices from the drop-down list.
Step 3: erase/wipe the target disk.
Downside Mac Os Download
Please connect the external hard disk in advance and make sure it's appeared on Mac. Then, select the disk that you want to format from the left sidebar. After that, you should click on the Erase button in the right pane.
- Give the disk a Name (the maximum length is 11 characters).
- Select a proper file Format.
- Choose a proper Scheme.
- Click on the Security Options to choose how you'd like the drive to be formatted (optional).
- Click on the Erase button.
- Wait for the process to be finished.
- Click on the blue Done button to close the window.
You can now start to use the formatted disk. Please click here to know how to format a disk for Windows computers in Disk Utility on Mac.
The file formats available for you to choose are:
- APFS
- APFS (Encrypted)
- APFS (Case-sensitive)
- APFS (Case-sensitive, Encrypted)
- Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
- Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)
- Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled)
- Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted)
- MS-DOS (FAT)
- ExFAT
Click here to know more about the differences between these file formats.
That's how to reformat a disk on Mac by using Disk Utility (the steps to reformat MacBook Pro are the same). Of course, there are also many third-party tools you can download to format the disk on your Mac.
How to Recover Formatted Hard Drive on Mac
Data recovery from mac formatted external hard drive:
- Download Stellar Data Recovery for Mac.
- Follow the wizard to install it properly.
- Launch the software right after installation.
- Make sure the formatted drive is connected to your Mac.
- Define the file type that you want to recover; you can select all types by enabling Recover Everything.
- Click on the Next button to continue.
- Choose the formatted disk/drive and click on the Scan button (enable Deep Scan to find more files).
- Wait until the scan is finished.
- Browse the scan results and choose what you want to recover.
- Click on the Recover button and select a safe place to store the recovered data.
Extended reading:
Mac Os Download
Final Thoughts
Downside Mac Os X
Both APFS and Mac OS Extended are popular file systems supported by Mac computers. If you don't know which one is more suitable for you, please read part 1 and part 2 carefully (the advantages & disadvantages of these two Mac file systems are included). Part 3 teaches you how to format a hard drive for Mac by using the snap-in Disk Utility; besides, it offers an easy method for recovering data from a formatted drive on Mac. Hope this can help you decide which one to choose: APFS or Mac OS Extended, and prevent your important data from getting lost.
