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Problem Formatting new HDD

G

Gatriel

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 21, 2014
6
1
Hello All -

So I have a PowerMac7.2 I use as a Media server. I have maxed out 1.3 TB and need more space, so I went down to MediaMarkt (similar to Best Buy but here in Germany) and I could get a Toshiba external 3TB drive for 89€ or an internal 3TB drive for 112€. :-/

Needless to say, I bought the external one, cracked it open, and installed it into my PowerMac. Now I am trying to wipe the drive and format it so it can be useable, but it keeps telling me formatting isn't possible. :confused:

I assume Toshiba stuck something on the drive to prevent people like me from doing exactly what I did. I am doing a Zero Data Wipe, but I am starring down the barrel of almost 24 hours to accomplish this. Anyone have any idea how I can accomplish what I am trying to do in a quicker manner?

Thanks!

----------

I just got it working. I let it do a Zero Data clear of the drive for about an hour or so -- then I stopped the process, and formatted it as normal.

It appears that Toshiba put data on the drive at the factory and then deleted the index making reformatting impossible.

I hope my experience is helpful to someone in the future.
 
W

weckart

macrumors 603
Nov 7, 2004
5,835
3,514
The difference in the price sometimes reflects a difference in the drive itself. Some external drives are cut down versions of internal drives (lower cache, lower MTBF) because they are not expected to be used continuously but rather for occasional data storage.

Mostly, it is the same drive in a caddy. However, now you have zeroed out part of the firmware, you have voided your warranty and quite likely your rights under consumer laws have been compromised, too, since you are not using the drive for its intended purpose. Better hope that drive does not develop a fault.
 
Intell

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
You must format it with the GUID partition scheme with HFS+. You cannot use it at its full capacity as a boot disk in a PowerPC Mac.
 
Intell

Intell

macrumors P6
Jan 24, 2010
18,955
509
Inside
PowerPC Macs cannot boot from anything but an APM formatted drive. APM's maximum volume size is 2TB. If the PowerPC Mac is running 10.4.6 or higher, it can use a GUID formatted drive for storage. GUID formatted drives can be much larger in volume size than 2TB.
 
Altemose

Altemose

macrumors G3
Mar 26, 2013
9,189
487
Elkton, Maryland
Intell said:
PowerPC Macs cannot boot from anything but an APM formatted drive. APM's maximum volume size is 2TB. If the PowerPC Mac is running 10.4.6 or higher, it can use a GUID formatted drive for storage. GUID formatted drives can be much larger in volume size than 2TB.
Click to expand...


Oh. I did not know that. Thank you for the information.
 
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