looking for a 2TB internal drive for Power-PC Mac

[rassoodock]

I just tried to install a 2nd internal drive in my G5 Power-PC running 10.4.11. It was a Seagate 3TB drive and Disk Utility would recognize the drive, but wouldn't support any attempt to format or partition.

So... I am looking for a good 2TB internal drive that is sure to work in my machine.

Any help most appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Jethryn Freyman]

I just tried to install a 2nd internal drive in my G5 Power-PC running 10.4.11. It was a Seagate 3TB drive and Disk Utility would recognize the drive, but wouldn't support any attempt to format or partition.

So... I am looking for a good 2TB internal drive that is sure to work in my machine.

Any help most appreciated.

Thanks.

What kind of Mac do you have exactly? It it an iMac or Power Mac? What hard drive exactly do you have (model number)?

 

[zen.state]

He obviously has a G5 tower if he is adding a 2nd drive..

3TB drives won't work with the Apple Partition Map format that all PowerPC Macs default to for drives as it has a limitation of 2TB per drive. Try going to the partition tab in DU and clicking on options then select "GUID". If that doesn't work then format it on an Intel Mac if you can get your hands on one or buy an external HD enclosure.

You won't be able to use it as a boot drive but you can get the whole 3TB and use it for storage if you use GUID.

As far as 2TB recommendations.. if for storage a WD green and if for booting a WD black. Reliable drives and they have the best RMA service by far for the rare time one dies. Hitachi are also very good. Seagate are not what they used to be and have been unreliable since 2008.

 

[Nameci]

+1 on the WD drives.

 

[max¥¥]

I would recommend against WD Green drives (As the auto spin-down function has problems on macs, causing data loss), However WD Blue and Black drives are brilliant, I recently got a 1Tb Segate which is also very good (If you go for segate, make sure you get a 7200.12 rpm one [the .12 is important, the .11 ones are unreliable])

 

[zen.state]

I would recommend against WD Green drives (As the auto spin-down function has problems on macs, causing data loss), However WD Blue and Black drives are brilliant, I recently got a 1Tb Segate which is also very good (If you go for segate, make sure you get a 7200.12 rpm one [the .12 is important, the .11 ones are unreliable])

I have owned a 2TB Green for a few months now without any issues at all. I also know a few people on G4/G5 systems that own green drives and they are very happy. I imagine the only issues people could have with them is if they used one as a boot drive. They are a purely mass storage oriented drive which is why they offer the blue and black also. If you want space and performance then the black is the best choice. My green is only used to hold video.

 

[max¥¥]

I have owned a 2TB Green for a few months now without any issues at all. I also know a few people on G4/G5 systems that own green drives and they are very happy. I imagine the only issues people could have with them is if they used one as a boot drive. They are a purely mass storage oriented drive which is why they offer the blue and black also. If you want space and performance then the black is the best choice. My green is only used to hold video.

the problem usually only shows it's self when writing large amounts of files, as it will try to spin down between each file, it may have been fixed, or it could be something with the guid partition table

 

[zen.state]

the problem usually only shows it's self when writing large amounts of files, as it will try to spin down between each file, it may have been fixed, or it could be something with the guid partition table

The issues you speak of are old and were fixed long ago. The green are perfectly compatible with OS X 10.4+ and have been for a long while. The issue is that you state it as fact and not as a maybe. If the OP wants a pure storage drive then the WD green is the best choice but peoples outdated misinformation can lead others the wrong way.

When it comes to transfer speeds the green are almost as fast as the others. They simply just don't have the seek or rpm speeds to be a decent boot disk. I personally have no role for a blue. The black are what I would get for speed or a speed/storage need combo or green for just storage. There is no in between for me. If you don't need the performance of a black or even a blue then a green is better as it will actually save you maybe 20-30 a year in power as it uses only 9-10 watts vs the 14-15 of the black.

 

[max¥¥]

The issues you speak of are old and were fixed long ago. The green are perfectly compatible with OS X 10.4+ and have been for a long while. The issue is that you state it as fact and not as a maybe. If the OP wants a pure storage drive then the WD green is the best choice but peoples outdated misinformation can lead others the wrong way.

When it comes to transfer speeds the green are almost as fast as the others. They simply just don't have the seek or rpm speeds to be a decent boot disk. I personally have no role for a blue. The black are what I would get for speed or a speed/storage need combo or green for just storage. There is no in between for me. If you don't need the performance of a black or even a blue then a green is better as it will actually save you maybe 20-30 a year in power as it uses only 9-10 watts vs the 14-15 of the black.

jeez, i was only trying to help, by saying what me and others i know have seen in recent times (last 6 months) and those drives where new.

 

[mike457]

I have used greens in a Drobo since they first came out, and have had no problems with 1TB or 2TB. I tried a 3TB in my G5 tower and had no luck; it didn't occur to me to try it as guid. Thanks for that suggestion!

I have a sata card in my G5 to allow for multiple drives. Currently, I'm booting from 1.5 black and have 2 2TB greens, a 1TB green, and a 1.5TB green.