jake10e

Q: Disk Utility defaulted to Logical Volume Group format for new 4TB HDD and won't let me change to GUID. Is that a problem?

I just installed a 4TB HGST HDD in the 4th bay of my mid-2010 mac pro (2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel). I formatted the drive using Disk Utility's "Erase" tab as Mac OS Extended Journaled and the drive seems to be working fine (set up as Time Machine backup).  It is recognizing the full 4TB capacity and the first backup in TM took a long time but all the files are there.  However, my understanding is that all drives intended for use solely in my mac should ideally be formatted to GUID.  The problem is that Disk Utility formatted the drive to a Logical Volume Group/Logical Partition, so it's not allowing me to change the format type now i.e. when I go to the "Partition" tab in Disk Utility, all of the options are greyed out.  Also, the RAID tab does not appear for this drive as it does for the other three 1TB drives installed.

 

So my ultimate question is this - is it a problem that I can't reformat to GUID?  If so, why is it a problem and how do I fix it?

 

Thanks!

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Aug 19, 2013 12:23 AM

Close

Q: Disk Utility defaulted to Logical Volume Group format for new 4TB HDD and won't let me change to GUID. Is that a problem?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 of 5 last Next
  • by kaz-k,

    kaz-k kaz-k Aug 19, 2013 1:06 AM in response to jake10e
    Level 5 (5,857 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 19, 2013 1:06 AM in response to jake10e

    Open Terminal.app, then type

    "diskutil list"

    What does diskutil say?

  • by jake10e,

    jake10e jake10e Aug 19, 2013 1:13 AM in response to kaz-k
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 1:13 AM in response to kaz-k

    kaz-k, here's what it says (disks 5 and 6 are external LaCie drives):

     

    /dev/disk0

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *4.0 TB     disk0

       1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk0s1

       2:          Apple_CoreStorage                         4.0 TB     disk0s2

       3:                 Apple_Boot Boot OS X               134.2 MB   disk0s3

    /dev/disk1

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *1.0 TB     disk1

       1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk1s1

       2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 2          999.9 GB   disk1s2

    /dev/disk2

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *1.0 TB     disk2

       1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk2s1

       2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 3          999.9 GB   disk2s2

    /dev/disk3

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *1.0 TB     disk3

       1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk3s1

       2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD            999.3 GB   disk3s2

       3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk3s3

    /dev/disk4

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:                  Apple_HFS 4 TB Time Machine      *4.0 TB     disk4

    /dev/disk5

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:     Apple_partition_scheme                        *320.1 GB   disk5

       1:        Apple_partition_map                         32.3 KB    disk5s1

       2:             Apple_Driver43                         65.5 KB    disk5s2

       3:           Apple_Driver_ATA                         65.5 KB    disk5s3

       4:             Apple_FWDriver                         114.7 KB   disk5s4

       5:                  Apple_HFS LaCie                   320.1 GB   disk5s6

    /dev/disk6

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *1.0 TB     disk6

       1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk6s1

       2:                  Apple_HFS LaCie 1TB 7-2013        999.9 GB   disk6s2

     

    What do you think?

  • by nbar,

    nbar nbar Aug 19, 2013 1:47 AM in response to jake10e
    Level 5 (6,980 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 1:47 AM in response to jake10e

    This is a problem with 3 TB + drives and ML. This indicates a fusion drive scheme:

    /dev/disk0

       #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

       0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *4.0 TB     disk0

       1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk0s1

       2:          Apple_CoreStorage                         4.0 TB     disk0s2

       3:                 Apple_Boot Boot OS X               134.2 MB   disk0s3

     

     

    Type in terminal "diskutil cs list"

     

    Post the output in your reply.

     

     

    Edit: Misread the OP, this is your boot volume, not the TM 4TB volume. Disregard.

  • by The hatter,

    The hatter The hatter Aug 19, 2013 2:16 AM in response to jake10e
    Level 9 (60,935 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 2:16 AM in response to jake10e

    A known bug intro'd in 10.8.4 with 3TB and larger.

     

    You cloned 10.8.3 and still have it handy?

     

    Or use SoftRAID

  • by kaz-k,

    kaz-k kaz-k Aug 19, 2013 2:57 AM in response to jake10e
    Level 5 (5,857 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 19, 2013 2:57 AM in response to jake10e

    weird....

  • by nbar,

    nbar nbar Aug 19, 2013 3:46 AM in response to jake10e
    Level 5 (6,980 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 3:46 AM in response to jake10e

    Using distutil from the command line you can work around the bug. It is more specifically an issue with OS X disk utility. Run "diskutil cs list," regardless, and post the output. There is a work around from the command line. There is also a program:

    Coriolis Systems :: Products :: iPartition

     

     

    Also, see the 'more like this' posting in the right pane:

     

    Re: 4 TB Hard drive formatting default to Logical Volume Group

  • by jake10e,

    jake10e jake10e Aug 19, 2013 9:40 PM in response to The hatter
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 9:40 PM in response to The hatter

    The hatter, I did not clone 10.8.3 - that's not something I have ever really known I should be doing.

  • by jake10e,

    jake10e jake10e Aug 19, 2013 9:41 PM in response to nbar
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 9:41 PM in response to nbar

    nbar, I ran "diskutil cs list" as you recommended.  Here's the output.

     

    CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)

    |

    +-- Logical Volume Group B4BDA3F3-CBD5-461B-88BB-DEEAF3B0DA33

        =========================================================

        Name:         4 TB Time Machine

        Status:       Online

        Size:         4000443056128 B (4.0 TB)

        Free Space:   0 B (0 B)

        |

        +-< Physical Volume 82DBA846-61FE-4C97-9966-0773515D89DC

        |   ----------------------------------------------------

        |   Index:    0

        |   Disk:     disk0s2

        |   Status:   Online

        |   Size:     4000443056128 B (4.0 TB)

        |

        +-> Logical Volume Family 5C1924C0-C3F1-4040-B009-E1CA61C7147D

            ----------------------------------------------------------

            Encryption Status:       Unlocked

            Encryption Type:         None

            Conversion Status:       NoConversion

            Conversion Direction:    -none-

            Has Encrypted Extents:   No

            Fully Secure:            No

            Passphrase Required:     No

            |

            +-> Logical Volume 1CA55C12-9886-4F76-97DC-F3C9C852C471

                ---------------------------------------------------

                Disk:               disk4

                Status:             Online

                Size (Total):       4000124280832 B (4.0 TB)

                Size (Converted):   -none-

                Revertible:         No

                LV Name:            4 TB Time Machine

                Volume Name:        4 TB Time Machine

                Content Hint:       Apple_HFS

     

    What do you see?  Thanks for your help!

  • by jake10e,

    jake10e jake10e Aug 19, 2013 9:56 PM in response to nbar
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 9:56 PM in response to nbar

    Also nbar, I checked out the similar thread you mentioned Re: 4 TB Hard drive formatting default to Logical Volume Group and saw that the user who posted the question returned his 4TB drive a went back to a 2TB...I really don't think I can do that.  I run a photography business and I'm planning to run a 2TB "working" drive that will hold all of my in-process photos, a 1TB "archive" drive where I will store all of my final portfolio images, and a 480GB SSD as my "system" drive that will run all of my software, photoshop, etc.  This 4TB drive is meant to back all of it up on an hourly basis, which is important since we're editing photos and designing albums all day and inevitably need to go back and find an original file.  Then I have a 8TB external RAID5 (4 bay system) that will create a daily backup of everything as well.  With people's wedding photos, I'm really striving for multiple layers of redundancy and protection.

     

    I guess one of the main questions I have at this point is this whether partitioning my 4TB HDD with a GUID partition table is critical.  I mean, the drive seems to be working okay.  The full 4TB capacity is recognized and available, and Time Machine is backing up hourly (granted, there is only 2.2TB of data loaded on it currently...not sure what will happen as it fills up...).  Do I even need to press the issue of GUID?  What are the pros/cons of eventually reformatting it?  What are the risks if I don't?  Sorry for the questions - I'll admit that I'm not very technically inclined...I'm just trying to learn as fast as I can so I can protect my clients' images!

  • by The hatter,

    The hatter The hatter Aug 20, 2013 3:58 AM in response to jake10e
    Level 9 (60,935 points)
    Aug 20, 2013 3:58 AM in response to jake10e

    A safety net in case of problems is always worth considering!

     

    And having 10.8.3 even just a small system image / partiton so you can format the drive and put it to use such as today - until a patch or new update is made available.

     

    Apparently in trying to fix an issue with 3TB Fusion drives and Windows/Boot Camp no one bothered to test other setups and scenerios like us!

  • by aaaashy,

    aaaashy aaaashy Sep 3, 2013 2:23 AM in response to The hatter
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Sep 3, 2013 2:23 AM in response to The hatter

    has Apple been informed of this?

    it would be useful (to put it mildly) if this was rectified by the time they release 10.9

    until then, i am guessing there is no rememdy if i remain in 10.8.4)?

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Sep 3, 2013 1:08 PM in response to aaaashy
    Level 9 (61,140 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 3, 2013 1:08 PM in response to aaaashy

    The problem was noted here, and readers urged the Poster to report it as a Bug through the Genius Bar or AppleCare tech support. That was done, and Apple accepted the problem as a Bug Report. They later contacted the report filer and said they had re-created the problem, and discovered that it was a Bug introduced, probably in 10.8.4, while attempting to fix "over 2.2TB drive size" for Windows. A fix is supposed to be forthcoming. (Some of the rumor sites say there is a 10.8.5 being tested, but whether this fix makes the cut no one will be able to say until release.)

     

    If you have a Mac that can run 10.5 or 10.6 from a DVD, or an old drive with a 10.7 Recovery_HD on it, you could use their Disk Utility to accomplish the job for you.

  • by The hatter,

    The hatter The hatter Sep 4, 2013 6:09 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 9 (60,935 points)
    Sep 4, 2013 6:09 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    Or had you cloned Mountain Lion it is likely you could use 10.8.3 or earlier also (as well as Snow Leopard and Lion)

     

    Good use for older spare drives to keep an old system around.

  • by danilokim,

    danilokim danilokim Sep 26, 2013 1:38 PM in response to jake10e
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 26, 2013 1:38 PM in response to jake10e

    Hi, I have the same problem here with a Mac Pro 3.2 quad wuth montain lion 10.8.5, I bought a 3 tb hd and try to format for extended journaled on bay 3, but it gives me the same as jak10e results. Still a bug? How to solve this? please!!

     

    regards

Page 1 of 5 last Next