[SOLVED] 2TB HDD in Windows Desktop as Time Machine

[romanrobot]

Hi, I have a MacBook Air with a very tiny SSD as you all may know. I'm wondering if I can use the 2TB HDD in my Windows Desktop (same WiFi network) for the MacBook Air Time Machine to automatically back up to. Would I have to make a partition just for Time Machine or will Time Machine just drop stuff in there? How would I do it?

Thank you in advance. ^.^

 

[psychokineticnz]

Hello Romanrobot

You would need to format it - Mac OS Extended (Journaled) - for time machine to work with it properly, so unless you have some third party software on your PC that can read/write Mac drives, the quick answer is no.

 

[romanrobot]

Hello Romanrobot

You would need to format it - Mac OS Extended (Journaled) - for time machine to work with it properly, so unless you have some third party software on your PC that can read/write Mac drives, the quick answer is no.

I can format the hard drive on the Windows Desktop to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). What needs to be done from there for Time Machine on my MacBook Air to automatically backup to it when available on the WiFi network?

 

[psychokineticnz]

Hello Romanrobot,

Okay, well there is one solution which you should be able to tweak to suit what you are trying to do.
I found it on this blog here

from reading user comments below his blog (which span a few years and he is was still answering queries regarding it!) it should work for a USB attached HDD on your PC.

basically you need to enable time machine to use an unsupported network share (namely SMB) for time machine backups, then with some clever formatting and some terminal work, time machine backs up via WIFI to your HDD (don't get put off by all the NAS talk)

the blog steps you through it pretty well, and the comment section has some great FAQ that should solve any queries you get.

best of luck.

🙂