Backstage
Mac OS Leopard can’t format a USB hard disk? Seriously?
Though I spend most of my waking hours working with them, I spend almost no time actually writing about Mac computers. Generally, I love my Macs, and wouldn’t trade them for anything. But ever since Leopard was released, I’ve been having serious multiple-hour-wasting problems doing straightforward things. And when I go to research possible solutions, I see that lots of other people are having the exact same problems. Today’s example: formatting a USB hard disk with Disk Utility.
Last week, after trying Time Capsule and realizing that there was no way I could—at least with its current software—rely upon it as a device for streaming iTunes video content around the office or house, the 1TB Capsule went back to the store and was replaced by a brand new 1TB G-Tech G-Drive Q. For the uninitiated, G-Tech makes great drives, and Q is a fast but wire-tethered option. It was a snap to transfer the contents of a smaller 500GB USB 2.0-only G-Drive onto the newer 1TB unit, but when I went to format the 500GB model, I hit a snag. Apple’s Disk Utility couldn’t do it.
Specifically, when you use the Erase tab—which anyone would do when trying to erase a drive—Disk Utility gets stuck at the very start of the formatting process, when it’s supposedly creating a partition map. When displaying the “Creating Partition Map” message, the adjacent barber pole-style progress bar grinds and grinds for hours, until it’s terminated.
Closer inspection of the application showed that it was hung. Reading numerous support postings online showed me that other users have been experiencing this issue for quite some time. Trying the same format with another Leopard machine produced the same results, and trying a format from the OS X 10.5 installation DVD did, too.
After contacting G-Tech, which tried its best to be helpful, I was presented with only two known solutions: find an older version of OS X, or use a PC with MacDrive to format the drive. “Ah,” I said, “I have 10.4.10 installed on my Mac mini.” Amazingly, that didn’t work, either. It turns out that when G-Tech said older, it meant “pre-10.4.6.” Apparently, Apple has been aware of this issue since April of 2006, when OS X 10.4.6 was released and Disk Utility started to hang when formatting USB drives (see G-Tech’s FAQ, CURRENT FIREWIRE/SATA/USB PRODUCTS, #10). Nearly two years have passed, and the bug hasn’t been fixed, persisting through the 10.4 point releases and now 10.5, as well.
So there’s good news for those of you who have been having USB hard disk formatting problems: if you can find a Mac OS X 10.4 install disc that’s pre-10.4.6, pop it into your computer, hold down the C key, and run Disk Utility straight from the DVD. Pick the Erase tab, hit Erase, the formatting process will take 30 seconds or less, and you can go back to using your USB drive normally. Can’t find an old Mac OS X disc? Use a PC with MacDrive. Amazing, isn’t it, that something as simple as this—in an application that once worked just fine, and still works just fine from DVD—hasn’t been fixed for so long? And that for recent Apple customers whose only OS discs contain 10.5, the easiest solution might be to use a PC?
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1
I also run into this problem when I recently bought a WD MyBook drive. My solution was to use terminal to carry out the formatting which worked well enough.
I agree that its pathetic how Disk Utility just doesnt work any more - so much so that I completely avoid using it.
Posted by Dood on March 11, 2008 at 10:55 AM (PDT)
2
Is this something that happens (only) on bigger drives? I just tried formatting a 40 GB, 5400 rpm, USB 2.0 drive and the whole thing happened in less than 30 seconds. I’m on 10.5.2.
Posted by antiorario on March 11, 2008 at 11:50 AM (PDT)
3
It’s unclear what sorts of drives are and aren’t affected. According to G-Tech, and from the user reports scattered around the web, it is limited to USB drives, but not any one brand of drives. Should you be lucky enough to have a USB drive with FireWire or another interface as an option, you can switch over to the non-USB connection and it’ll work fine. I’m also on 10.5.2.
Posted by Jeremy Horwitz in East Amherst, NY, USA on March 11, 2008 at 12:09 PM (PDT)
4
I’ve formatted two SimpleTech USB drives (160GB and 320GB, which I’m using as my Time Machine backup) with no problems. That was on 10.5.0.
Posted by Robert Floyd on March 11, 2008 at 12:19 PM (PDT)
5
I recently erased my 93 GB Fujitsu USB drive I use for backups without a problem… but I’m still using 10.4.11, and I’m wondering if it’s really a good decision moving to Leopard, I just ordered the thing and it should arrive soon… but I’m scared!!! :D
Posted by Mario on March 11, 2008 at 1:12 PM (PDT)
6
A reader, Karl Thomas, e-mailed with an additional tip that may help some users: rather than using the Erase tab, try the Partition tab, change the Volume Scheme from Current to 1 Partition, select the GUID Partition Table radio button, select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) under Format, and click Apply. Hope this helps someone; thanks Karl!
Posted by Jeremy Horwitz in East Amherst, NY, USA on March 11, 2008 at 1:43 PM (PDT)
7
I spent the entire weekend having troubles with Disk Utility and trying to format two different external hard drives...a WD MyBook Premium and an Iomega Portable drive. I also spent hours scouring the net to no real avail. I’ll likely try to format them on my PC at work and see if that works since I don’t want to mess around with booting from a disk and screwing things up even more! I’m not glad you had the same problems, but makes me feel better that I am not the only one with problems.
Posted by TosaDeac on March 11, 2008 at 2:04 PM (PDT)
8
It’s likely that there’s a problem with certain USB chipsets in use by some drives. This problem certainly doesn’t affect *all* USB drives. Every single USB drive that I’ve ever hooked up to a Mac (and I’ve used more than a few) has been successfully formatted in my experience. It doesn’t mean it can’t happen, but it’s likely to not be a problem.
So for the scared posters above, don’t be scared. Everything is probably going to work just fine and if it doesn’t, at least now you know the solution.
Posted by Tyler on March 11, 2008 at 2:08 PM (PDT)
9
I just bought a LaCie 1TB USB2 hard drive and I have experienced the same problems. Mac OS X 10.5.2 doesn’t recognice the hard drive and I’m not able to format it.
I’m not sure if I should try to format it from a PC or to return it straight away to the store :-(
Posted by iamroberto on March 11, 2008 at 5:23 PM (PDT)
10
Had the same exact problem regarding the inability to format my 1TB USB drive. This worked for me flawlessly - make sure to change to GUID as suggested…
Darren
Posted by Darren on March 16, 2008 at 2:06 PM (PDT)
11
After spending 3 days trying to get my Lacie 500 HD to come back to life, using Techtools, DiskWarrior & Disk Utilities I found this article.
I hope it works for me
Posted by gord on April 2, 2008 at 1:16 PM (PDT)
12
i wonder if others have had problems with spotlight not working well to index external drives: I have a 500g drive with loads of photos, and even when i was sure of the name, leopard’s spotlight would not find a single search result. I even just typed “I” and “kind: image” thinking that since there are hundreds of images titled IMG_ that i would at least know spotlight worked--but it didn’t. Has anyone had similar issues?
Posted by peijin on April 24, 2008 at 8:12 PM (PDT)