Mid 2010 iMac & 3TB Seagate Barracuda install

[gingerbenn]

I need to install a 3TB Seagate Barracuda into a mid 2010 iMac.
But since getting the new internal seagate drive, I was going to clone the current drive on to the new seagate using an enclosure.

Only problem is the enclosure is only showing 800gb when connected to the imac via usb. I reformated the seagate via a windows computer using macdrive and then once put back into enclosure I was seeing 3TB of space.

So I then let superduper clone the currently installed 1TB drive, but after a good few hours it errored and did not complete clone process. The new 3tb seagate all of sudden is now showing 800gb again and some files superduper has copied and is currently just read only.

I have a feeling my USB enclosure does'nt support drives over 2TB,
I just want to confirm if I just go ahead and install the 3TB drive into
the iMac will the iMac be able to format the drive to the full 3TB size?

Or am I best formating via PC using macdrive so I can see it has 3TB available and then install the seagate drive into the iMac??

Any help would be helpful!
B

 

[gingerbenn]

I need to install a 3TB Seagate Barracuda into a mid 2010 iMac.
But since getting the new internal seagate drive, I was going to clone the current drive on to the new seagate using an enclosure.

Only problem is the enclosure is only showing 800gb when connected to the imac via usb. I reformated the seagate via a windows computer using macdrive and then once put back into enclosure I was seeing 3TB of space.

So I then let superduper clone the currently installed 1TB drive, but after a good few hours it errored and did not complete clone process. The new 3tb seagate all of sudden is now showing 800gb again and some files superduper has copied and is currently just read only.

I have a feeling my USB enclosure does'nt support drives over 2TB,
I just want to confirm if I just go ahead and install the 3TB drive into
the iMac will the iMac be able to format the drive to the full 3TB size?

Or am I best formating via PC using macdrive so I can see it has 3TB available and then install the seagate drive into the iMac??

Any help would be helpful!
B

Bump anyone please?

 

[monokakata]

It should be easy to use google to learn what your enclosure's limits are. Then you'd have one answer.

I'd do that first.

Also, why are you using a Windows machine for the format? Disk Utility can prepare external drives.

So first answer your enclosure question. If there's no limit on the enclosure, then start Disk Utility on your iMac, point it towards the USB drive with the new disk in it, create a partition, etc. etc. and then try the cloning process over again.

 

[gingerbenn]

I've tried disk utillties with the enclosure and new seagate drive but it only thinks the drive is 800gb rather then 3000gb even when I try to format it.

I'm pretty sure now the enclosure can only support 2tb drives.

I was only using a PC to format the drive using macdrive program that formats the drive to the correct size of 3000gb. Once formated the enclosure did read the drive at 3000gb but after the clone failed the drive seemed to revert back to showing only 800gb of space on it.

I just want to make sure when I install the drive into the iMac,
the iMac will see the whole of the 3000gb on the seagate.
As I don'nt fancy opening up the iMac twice.

 

[monokakata]

There's an extremely useful bit of kit that you can probably find -- SATA to USB adapter. Generally in the US they're about $20.

Here's an example (there are many manfacturers)

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter...8&qid=1355504498&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+sata+ada

If you could find one of those, then you could do your external format, and then your cloning, and be sure that you won't have to open the iMac again.

Then put it away or pass it around. Adapters like this one are very handy things to have.