Hard Drive Formatting

[imnotquitesure]

I am upgrading my G3 500mhz imac and I just installed a new WD 160GB Hard drive after it only showed 128 GB, and when I mac formatted it still only showed 128 GB. Did I really lose that much to formatting, a whole 32 gig? Its Ulta ata so it should see the whole thing right? no size limitation on the mac side? I do have 10.3.3 installed as well.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[King Cobra]

Correct me on this, but I don't think G3 Macs can't recognize more than 128GB of Hard Drive space without getting into the hardware too much. So return the WD Hard Drive and exchange it for a 120GB Hard Drive.

 

[bokdol]

also same problem

i just purchased a 160 gig samsung drive for my DA machine and after formating it it too only recognized 128 gigs. i have 10.3 installed upgrading to 10.3.4. hopefully it will recognize. but is there something that needs to be done...

 

[Horrortaxi]

I'm pretty sure that without a 3rd party IDE controller you won't be able to use anything much over 120GB. I'm 95% certain. So without a PowerMac it's not going to work. See if you can exchange it for a 120GB.

 

[seamuskrat]

Easy solution

Your older machines cannot see more than ~128 gigs.

You have a few solutions. In my Digital Audio I took a 160 and split it into a 120 and 40. Not as elegant, but it did work. Not sue if the iMac will allow the same.

An external case that is FW will also work fine. Be sure it says it has support for large drives and it will work great.