External Hard Drive

[Clark C]

I just got my internal Maxtor 160 GB hard drive. I also ordered a bytecc case to put it in. I have the drive in the case and thats all working fine. The computer, however, says it doesn't recognize it when I plug it in. Disk Utility shows it and displays all of its information. Is there something I have to do? The install disk has windows junk on it only. The HD is mac compatable. Any thoughts?

Thanks

[madru]

You didn't say whether you formated it. Have you? If you didn't format the disk, automout won't mount it when os is loaded.

[Clark C]

By format do you mean partition? I haven't partitioned it yet because I don't want to mess it up in any way until I know what I am doing. So no, I didn't format it yet. How would I go about doing that?

[jeremy.king]

Originally posted by Clark C
So no, I didn't format it yet. How would I go about doing that?

Use Disk Utility to format and partition.

[madru]

Partitioning is really a two step process: 1) split and 2) format. What you need to do is format your drive so that os can recognize it as a compatible storage device. Formating is like creating a table of contex (to put it crudely).

Open /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility. Select your disk in the left pane. Then select erase tab. Select volume format as extened or journaled. Name it (that will be the name you will see on your desktop). Click erase. Once your disk is formated you should be all set. Now, I know it says erase. However, the emphasis is not on erase since your drive doesn't have anything on it, but on format because that's what disk util will do for you.

Give this a try.

[Clark C]

Dang, still not working. I erased it and formated it as and extended HD. It then created a disk under the Maxtor one on the left side. The info says its not mounted. Mounting button does nothing. I tried partitioning it... the bar hasnt moved for 1 1/2 hours. How is disk utility reading it but it isn't on the desktop. (Finder prefs are set so it should show on the desktop) The Mac guy down the hall can figure it out. And suggestions on what I should do now?

[Clark C]

Doh... I should be studying for finals, but this is pissing me off to much. The computer is recognizing the HD in the disk utility, but I can do anything with it. On the left it says: 152.7 GB Oxford Semicon... and under it is the HD created when I erased the first HD which is titled "disk2s3."

When " 152.7 GB Oxford Semicon" is clicked the mount option is grey. If I click eject, however, the HD turns off.

Mount can be clicked on the "Disk2s3" HD. When this is done the light on the HD flashes but nothing happens. What is going on!?