iOmega portable hard drive needs reformatting - how?

[playethic]

Hi
I have a Mac Powerbook Pro and an iOmega portable hard drive. The iOmega is corrupted and disk utility says I need to reformat it. I've googled and tried these forums, but can't seem to figure out how I'd go about reformatting it?
Appreciate suggestions...
Lisa

[simsaladimbamba]

Disk Utility is the way to do it.
You can use the following guide to see how to format the HDD and the guide after that to choose which format you want.

How to format a new HDD to install Mac OS X onto (or make a bootable copy onto)

____________________________________________________________

Overview of the four major file systems (called "Formats" in Mac OS X) used on Windows and Mac OS X, compiled by GGJstudios. You can use Disk Utility to format any HDD to your liking.

Any external hard drive will work with PCs or Macs, as long as the connectors are there (Firewire, USB, etc.) It doesn't matter how the drive is formatted out of the box, since you can re-format any way you like. Formatting can be done with the Mac OS X Disk Utility, found in the /Applications/Utilities folder. Here are your formatting options:

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Don't use case-sensitive)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! backups of Mac OS X system files.
  
• To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
  
• To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB
• Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits
• You can use this format if you only use the drive with Mac OS X, or use it for backups of your Mac OS X internal drive, or if you only share it with one Windows PC (with MacDrive installed on the PC)

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
  
• To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
  • For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon (approx $20) (Best Choice for Lion)
  • For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
  • For 64-bit Snow Leopard, read this: MacFUSE for 64-bit Snow Leopard
  • Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36).
  • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB
• You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
• You can use this format if it is supported by all computers with which you intend to share the drive. See "disadvantages" for details.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
  
• Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB
• You can use this format if you share the drive between Mac OS X and Windows computers and have no files larger than 4GB.

____________________________________________________________

PS: It is a MacBook Pro, as it says below the screen or on the bottom plate. Or it is a PowerBook, again, which it says below the display.

[playethic]

OK I will try

(It's 13" MacBook Pro!)

----------

I'm lost at 'how many partitions do you want'?

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

OK I will try

(It's 13" MacBook Pro!)

To find out, what exact Mac model you use, click > About This Mac > More Info > Hardware Overview:

To see a more elaborate image explaining the above steps, click here.
To see a more detailed video tutorial showing the above steps, click here (2 MB, 23s, .mp4).

I'm lost at 'how many partitions do you want'?

Select "1 partition" if you do not want several.

[playethic]

I went through the whole partitioning process, but it doesn't come up with an option for me to select format.
It comes up with the Disk Utility / Partition page ... with one difference from before, which is that in the left column where the drives are listed, it includes 'DecryptedFile.dmg' and indented under that, 'Flash Player'.
Do I open the decrypted .dmg file, or launch the formatting options another way?
Thanks in advance...

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

I went through the whole partitioning process, but it doesn't come up with an option for me to select format.
It comes up with the Disk Utility / Partition page ... with one difference from before, which is that in the left column where the drives are listed, it includes 'DecryptedFile.dmg' and indented under that, 'Flash Player'.
Do I open the decrypted .dmg file, or launch the formatting options another way?
Thanks in advance...

No, you select the actual IOMEGA HD on the left side, then the PARTITION tab comes up. Does the IOMEGA HDD show up on the left side, below your Macintosh HD but above the optical disk drive (ODD) (the one with the CD/DVD icon) and above the divider (below the divider are the DMGs you mentioned)?

If you have problems finding it, can you make a screenshot of your Disk Utility window while the IOMEGA HDD is physically connected to your Mac and attach it to your next post?

[playethic]

Before trying the partitioning, with the iOmega plugged in I had two new items in the left-mehu drives column:
1 - 500.11GB Ext Hard Dis...
2[indented]- iOmega [etc.]

Under those, it says 'SuperDrive'.

When I selected the second one, the Partitions option in the left menu disappeared.
Only when I was on the #1 option did the Partitions tab show up.
So I ran it through with that option selected.

Now, they appear differently:
1 - 500.11 GB Ext Hrd Dis...
2 - Untitled 1

SuperDrive is still there

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

Before trying the partitioning, with the iOmega plugged in I had two new items in the left-mehu drives column:
1 - 500.11GB Ext Hard Dis...
2[indented]- iOmega [etc.]

Under those, it says 'SuperDrive'.

When I selected the second one, the Partitions option in the left menu disappeared.
Only when I was on the #1 option did the Partitions tab show up.
So I ran it through with that option selected.

Now, they appear differently:
1 - 500.11 GB Ext Hrd Dis...
2 - Untitled 1

SuperDrive is still there

That is correct. 1 is the actual HDD and 2 (now "Untitled 1") is the one partition you created.
To rename it you can go to Finder, select the HDD (CMD+SHIFT+C should give you an overview over all connected storage devices), right click on it, select GET INFO and go to Name & Extension.

Is there still something not understood?

[playethic]

1 - I don't understand where I reformat and select the option HFS+?
2 - When I go to Get Info, I presume I can rename it iOmega (once again), but I don't know what to put for extension?

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

1 - I don't understand where I reformat and select the option HFS+?
2 - When I go to Get Info, I presume I can rename it iOmega (once again), but I don't know what to put for extension?

1 - You already reformatted the HDD, probably using HFS+ as format, since it is the standard selection. Otherwise the partition you see would not be named "Untitled 1", but "iOmega, as you stated in post #7 at the beginning.

2 - No need for an extension.

If you want, I can use TeamViewer to guide you, but you should send me the contact details via PM, only if you want of course.

[playethic]

OK it definitely is asking for Name & Extension, so I'm open to you guiding me, but don't know how to access PM, nor what contact info you would need?

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

OK it definitely is asking for Name & Extension, so I'm open to you guiding me, but don't know how to access PM, nor what contact info you would need?

So when you are in that GET INFO window after successfully selecting the Untitled 1 partition, and you have selected the NAME & EXTENSION field, you are just able to fill in a name, for example Gironimo, no need for an extension.
Or do you get a window asking you something, like "Keep ..." and "Use ..."? If so, you have not selected the Untitled 1 partition but a file.

As for PMs:

How do I send email or Private Messages to other forum members?

Why can't I send a Private Message?

More information about what you can and can't do can be read in the MR Forum Rules and the MacRumors FAQ.

They can also be accessed from every forum page via the header on top of every forum page.

[playethic]

I managed to rename it. So I think that means it's all done, right?

So now when I run a backup using Time Machine, do I want to select the
1 -- 50011GB Ext Hard Disk ...

or

2[indented] newly renamed, partitioned iOmega

?

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

I managed to rename it. So I think that means it's all done, right?

So now when I run a backup using Time Machine, do I want to select the
1 -- 50011GB Ext Hard Disk ...

or

2[indented] newly renamed, partitioned iOmega

?

You can only select 2 anyway, as Time Machine sees partitions (formerly known as "Untitled 1") and not actual HDD (500.11 GB Ext Hard Disk ...).

Time Machine FAQ

To learn more about Mac OS X: Helpful Information for Any Mac User by GGJstudios

[playethic]

And should I run Disk Utility to see if it's still corrupted or is, as I hope, miraculously cured?

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

And should I run Disk Utility to see if it's still corrupted or is, as I hope, miraculously cured?

You can, it does not harm the HDD, unless the HDD is already harmed.

If you have important data, it is always advised to backup twice.

I have one 500 GB HDD for my photographs (digital and analog) libraries and editing documents, one 500 GB HDD with my personal video footage in an editing friendly format.
Both 500 GB HDDs get backed up to one 1 TB HDD via CarbonCopyCloner.
And that 1 TB HDD gets backed up to another 1 TB HDD via CarbonCopyCloner.
Therefore I have three copies of my important data.

[playethic]

Wow! Wow. That's quite a nest of cables, that you have!

You have been incredibly helpful. If this all works, it's saved me $150 that Apple Store said I needed for a new ext. hard drive. Plus I probably would have paid labour, somewhere along the way.

Thank you very much for your time, and all your patience.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by playethic

Wow! Wow. That's quite a nest of cables, that you have!

You have been incredibly helpful. If this all works, it's saved me $150 that Apple Store said I needed for a new ext. hard drive. Plus I probably would have paid labour, somewhere along the way.

Thank you very much for your time, and all your patience.

Patience you say? You should look at my keyboard and the table underneath it. There are holes in it and I only have two knifes left. There was no patience involved, only alcohol and some downers, like E and such.

Oh, look, a cat on a dog with a bone that's a doctor on a living ship in a galaxy near you coming to a conclusion.