Format drive for Final Cut Pro X from umwnewmedia on Vimeo.

Note: This also will work with Apple’s iMovie program.

Ingredients

1 – A Macintosh computer running OS 10.3 or better (it is possible for Windows users with Macdrive)

1 – Apple’s Final Cut Pro X, or iMovie (app is not required to format, but needed to test if Final Cut/iMovie recognizes the drive).

1 – A external hard drive, preferably a portable drive with USB power (we recommend Western Digital)

Directions

1. Connect your external drive to your computer
2. If you get a message asking you to use your drive as a “Time Machine” backup, select “Don’t Use”.
3. Start the Disk Utility program, found by searching your drive, or going to Applications > Utilities.
4. Highlight the drive you would like to format (in our example, “My Passport”).
5. Click the Erase tab.
6. From the Format drop down menu choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Change the Name of the drive if you wish.
7. Click on the Erase button, and then choose Erase again when you are asked “Are you sure…”
8. When the Erase is finished, the drive will act as if you re-inserted the drive. It may ask again if you would like to use it with Time Machine. Again select “Don’t Use”.
9. Now your drive is ready to use with Final Cut Pro X.