{"id":"external-drives.transfer-drive-says-already-a-storage-studio-drive","url":"/faq/external-drives/transfer-drive-says-already-a-storage-studio-drive","category":{"id":"external-drives","title":"External drives"},"subcategory":{"id":"upgrading-and-copying","title":"Upgrading, transferring and backing up the drive"},"question":"Why won't Transfer Drive use a drive that is already a Storage Studio drive?","alt_questions":["Already a Storage Studio drive for this Mac","Transfer back to my old fast drive","Can't transfer to previously used drive","transfer drive blocked already prepared","Use my old Storage Studio drive again","Destination drive already set up"],"short_answer":"To keep your records from getting mixed up, Transfer and Backup Drive refuse a drive already set up for this Mac. If you no longer need what's on it, erase it in Disk Utility first, or pick another drive.","answer_markdown":"Transfer Drive and Backup Drive won't copy onto a drive that's already set up as a Storage Studio drive for this Mac, so two copies of your records can never get mixed up on one disk.\n\nIf you want to reuse such a drive — for example an old drive you transferred away from — first make sure you no longer need anything on it, then erase it in Disk Utility and pick it again. Or simply choose a different drive.","answer_html":"

Transfer Drive and Backup Drive won't copy onto a drive that's already set up as a Storage Studio drive for this Mac, so two copies of your records can never get mixed up on one disk.

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If you want to reuse such a drive — for example an old drive you transferred away from — first make sure you no longer need anything on it, then erase it in Disk Utility and pick it again. Or simply choose a different drive.

","answer_text":"Transfer Drive and Backup Drive won't copy onto a drive that's already set up as a Storage Studio drive for this Mac, so two copies of your records can never get mixed up on one disk.\n\nIf you want to reuse such a drive — for example an old drive you transferred away from — first make sure you no longer need anything on it, then erase it in Disk Utility and pick it again. Or simply choose a different drive.","tags":["transfer drive","backup drive","requirements"],"related":[{"id":"external-drives.transfer-drive-vs-backup-drive","question":"What's the difference between Transfer Drive and Backup Drive?","url":"/faq/external-drives/transfer-drive-vs-backup-drive"},{"id":"external-drives.what-checks-run-before-transfer-drive-starts","question":"Why won't Transfer Drive or Backup Drive let me pick a drive?","url":"/faq/external-drives/what-checks-run-before-transfer-drive-starts"},{"id":"external-drives.how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive","question":"How do I move everything to a new, bigger external drive?","url":"/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Why won't Transfer Drive use a drive that is already a Storage Studio drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"To keep your records from getting mixed up, Transfer and Backup Drive refuse a drive already set up for this Mac. If you no longer need what's on it, erase it in Disk Utility first, or pick another drive.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"External drives","path":"/faq/external-drives/"},{"name":"Why won't Transfer Drive use a drive that is already a Storage Studio drive?","path":"/faq/external-drives/transfer-drive-says-already-a-storage-studio-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/transfer-drive-says-already-a-storage-studio-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Why won't Transfer Drive use a drive that is already a Storage Studio drive?","alternateName":["Already a Storage Studio drive for this Mac","Transfer back to my old fast drive","Can't transfer to previously used drive","transfer drive blocked already prepared","Use my old Storage Studio drive again","Destination drive already set up"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Transfer Drive and Backup Drive won't copy onto a drive that's already set up as a Storage Studio drive for this Mac, so two copies of your records can never get mixed up on one disk.\n\nIf you want to reuse such a drive — for example an old drive you transferred away from — first make sure you no longer need anything on it, then erase it in Disk Utility and pick it again. Or simply choose a different drive.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/transfer-drive-says-already-a-storage-studio-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
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External drives · Upgrading, transferring and backing up the drive

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Why won't Transfer Drive use a drive that is already a Storage Studio drive?

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Short answer: To keep your records from getting mixed up, Transfer and Backup Drive refuse a drive already set up for this Mac. If you no longer need what's on it, erase it in Disk Utility first, or pick another drive.

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Transfer Drive and Backup Drive won't copy onto a drive that's already set up as a Storage Studio drive for this Mac, so two copies of your records can never get mixed up on one disk.

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If you want to reuse such a drive — for example an old drive you transferred away from — first make sure you no longer need anything on it, then erase it in Disk Utility and pick it again. Or simply choose a different drive.

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