Copying to external drive

So shame on me, but I can't remember how to do this because I don't do it often enough. I plugged in my external drive and several drive icons showed up on my desktop like Mavericks and Sierra, including one that has no name. I would like to delete some of those drive icons as I never use them.

Do I just drag my Apple SSD icon into the un-named drive icon? Then I can use my SuperDuper because Catalina is not mentioned on my SuperDuper Drive. I thought I'd done that when I changed to Catalina but apparently I forgot to do that.

Originally Posted by plantsower

Do I just drag my Apple SSD icon into the un-named drive icon? Then I can use my SuperDuper because Catalina is not mentioned on my SuperDuper Drive. I thought I'd done that when I changed to Catalina but apparently I forgot to do that.

DO NOT DRAG ANYTHING TO THE UN-NAMED ICON

You are scaring me! This is an example of words that have multiple possible meanings and implications.

When you say drive icon you could be describing a disk partition, a disk image (.dmg), a folder, even a file. (You can determine exactly what an icon represents by selecting it an pressing ⌘I (Get Info) an on the resulting panel under General look for either the Kind)
When you say un-named drive icon what is the icon and is it simply an icon with no nome attached or is the name attached to the icon Untitled? (Once again a Get Info should reveal the answer to this question)
What are you trying to accomplish? Do you want to permanently remove whatever is represented by the icon or simply want to close it so that it is not showing on your desktop? Is there anything on the drive you wish to keep?

Once we have the answers to these questions and for each of these icons we can make informed recommendations. Until then all we can do is make a WAG (Wild A__ Guess)

Originally Posted by joemikeb

Originally Posted by plantsower

Do I just drag my Apple SSD icon into the un-named drive icon? Then I can use my SuperDuper because Catalina is not mentioned on my SuperDuper Drive. I thought I'd done that when I changed to Catalina but apparently I forgot to do that.

DO NOT DRAG ANYTHING TO THE UN-NAMED ICON

You are scaring me! This is an example of words that have multiple possible meanings and implications.

LOL! That really made me laugh. I was scared first, so maybe it's contagious. I would never do anything like that without getting an answer first. This is a pic of what shows up when I connect my external drive: External Drive
I slid the Apple SSD near them for good measure.

This is what showed up in the unnamed drive or whatever word I should use: Unnamed

[*]When you say drive icon you could be describing a disk partition, a disk image (.dmg), a folder, even a file. (You can determine exactly what an icon represents by selecting it an pressing ⌘I (Get Info) an on the resulting panel under General look for either the Kind)

[*]What are you trying to accomplish? I am trying to put Catalina on my external drive in case I do a reinstall onto my Mac itself. Do you want to permanently remove whatever is represented by the icon or simply want to close it so that it is not showing on your desktop? Permanently remove them. I don't need Mavericks or any of the Sierras. Is there anything on the drive you wish to keep? Only a way to clone Catalina.

Once we have the answers to these questions and for each of these icons we can make informed recommendations. Until then all we can do is make a WAG (Wild A__ Guess)

Okay but I still need the "Kind:" from Get Info on each of those. and Do you want to erase the entire drive or keep some of the versions?

I might as well erase the whole thing and start over since I don't need any of the VOLUMES shown.

Originally Posted by joemikeb

Okay but I still need the "Kind:" from Get Info on each of those. and Do you want to erase the entire drive or keep some of the versions?

Originally Posted by plantsower

I might as well erase the whole thing and start over since I don't need any of the VOLUMES shown.

I think that's the best way for you to go.

As I recall, your SSD is a pretty big one - a TB? - so after you erase it, reformat it into at least 3 or 4 partitions so you've got space for your current OS, a Time Machine volume if you want one, plus whatever else may turn up in the future.

You remembered incorrectly. My SSD is only 120 gigs.

Originally Posted by artie505

Originally Posted by plantsower

I might as well erase the whole thing and start over since I don't need any of the VOLUMES shown.

I think that's the best way for you to go.

As I recall, your SSD is a pretty big one - a TB? - so after you erase it, reformat it into at least 3 or 4 partitions so you've got space for your current OS, a Time Machine volume if you want one, plus whatever else may turn up in the future.

OK, you meant my external drive. When you said SSD I thought you meant my Mac. Yes, I believe my external drive is 1 terabyte. Sorry about that. I was going to edit my answer to you but couldn't find the edit button!

Originally Posted by plantsower

OK, you meant my external drive. When you said SSD I thought you meant my Mac. Yes, I believe my external drive is 1 terabyte. Sorry about that. I was going to edit my answer to you but couldn't find the edit button!

Whew! I'm glad you realized that, because I was beginning to think I'd lost my mind.

So, back to square one, since that drive has got so much space on it, I suggest that you reformat it - just in case - with multiple partitions sufficient for Time Machine and several OS versions.

The "Edit" button used to be available for 24 or 48 hours, but that was changed to 30 minutes a few months back to force belated edits into new posts so they'd be seen rather than lost in the shuffle.

So, back to square one, since that drive has got so much space on it, I suggest that you reformat it - just in case - with multiple partitions sufficient for Time Machine and several OS versions.

I forgot how to do all that. I'll get to it eventually. I don't use Time Machine. Also, I thought you ditched Time Machine, or was that someone else?

The "Edit" button used to be available for 24 or 48 hours, but that was changed to 30 minutes a few months back to force belated edits into new posts so they'd be seen rather than lost in the shuffle. [/quote]

Thanks for that. I also thought I'd lost my mind when I couldn't find the edit button!

Originally Posted by plantsower

I don't use Time Machine. Also, I thought you ditched Time Machine, or was that someone else?

You must be thinking of someone else. I've never used TM.

So, you don't use it but you didn't ditch it either. Got it!

Originally Posted by artie505

Originally Posted by plantsower

I don't use Time Machine. Also, I thought you ditched Time Machine, or was that someone else?

You must be thinking of someone else. I've never used TM.

Originally Posted by plantsower

So, you don't use it but you didn't ditch it either. Got it!

Oops, I misunderstood you. Yeah, I trashed Time Machine.

Thought so. Trying to make me think I'm losing my mind again!

Originally Posted by artie505

Originally Posted by plantsower

So, you don't use it but you didn't ditch it either. Got it!

Oops, I misunderstood you. Yeah, I trashed Time Machine.

Originally Posted by plantsower

Trying to make me think I'm losing my mind again!

Touche!