linda2009
Level 1 (65 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Alternative to Disk Utility?

El Cap's Disk Utility is severely crippled.  So many things are either missing and/or not user friendly.  I am talking about the GUI Disk Utility.  I know you can still do things from the Command Line (terminal).

 

I'm not talking about being able to Verify & Fix permissions.  That was convenient, but it's not the only thing missing.  A lot of basics are messed up.  You can't resize the window or the column.  It makes you think maybe you can, because you can put the cursor there and try, but it does nothing!  You're stuck with a column where you can't see the full name of drives and if you have a long list, you have to continue to scroll down.  This is so frustrating.  You need to be able to resize these things.

 

When I initially upgraded, I made the mistake of trying to partition my hard drive (which I had done lots of times in Mavericks all the way back to Snow on another machine).  Well, after that debacle, which yes - was "green" user error, I had to get a Fusion Drive education!  Without the debug menu, you can't see all the partitions on your drive either!  The partition area was easier to understand than the circle which bounces around and is difficult to even type a number in the box. It also makes those of us with CD/DVD drives work harder to do basic things.  Thank goodness for some good 3rd party apps that make it easier/ simpler.

 

I've searched around and it seems some people re-install Yosemite's Disk Utility.  I'm not one to experiment quite that far.

 

So okay another Apple included program basically useless that they probably will let die instead of fixing.

 

So my question:  Is there an alternative GUI type Disk Utility program out there that one can use??  Most importantly, one that functions similar to the old Disk Utility.  Just a simple little utility app?  Any recommendations?

 

Please, I understand that I can get a lot of the functions using Terminal.  But, I don't want to do that for things that I used to be able to do in GUI.  Thank goodness I can learn to do that, but some people shouldn't have to use Terminal.  This isn't a post about how to do a certain function.  I just want to know if anyone has found an alternate GUI disk utility.

 

Thanks!

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2), 2 GHz Intel Core i7

Posted on Feb 5, 2016 7:37 AM

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linda2009

Q: Alternative to Disk Utility?

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  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Apr 11, 2016 8:46 AM in response to Grant Wray
    Level 6 (11,948 points)
    Apr 11, 2016 8:46 AM in response to Grant Wray

    Grant Wray wrote:

     

    Has anyone found or made a Disk Utility which restores/brings together all the stuff that was lost from the new one?

    The disk burners, imaging, scan-image-for-restore, verification, partitioning not for idiots etc. ?

     

    Disk burning is so much simpler now: select disk image in the Finder, control-click, Burn.

    Imaging works about the same as it always has.

    Verification? Of what?

    While I do prefer the old rectangular display vs the new circular one, I fail to see why one would be for idiots.

     

    I hardly think that anyone can produce a clone of the old application. Apple is not going to bring it back. It may or may not add back the RAID functionality, but it would not be a bright prospect for some developper to try and emulate the old DU. Some people would rejoice, and may a few would pay for it, but realistically it is an effort that would be difficult to justify.

  • by linda2009,

    linda2009 linda2009 Apr 11, 2016 11:04 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (65 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 11, 2016 11:04 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Luis,  I prefer a simple third party app for disk burning; I still use DVDs and even CDs sometimes.  I know they're trying to phase them out, but I still find them very useful.

     

    As far as the partitioning, the El Cap GUI and the pie chart are very unfriendly.  I prefer the "Mavericks" rectangle GUI for partitioning.  It was so EASY and so easy to change your mind or undo.  The new one is clumsy!  And, you can't change the sidebar size, so most of my drive names get cut off.  If I have two that start the same, I can't make the sidebar bigger (like in Finder, you can move it to wherever you want).

     

    I still have not found a good third party Disk Utility.  I got Drive Genius on sale and it's not too bad, but still no cigar!  It's partitioning GUI is very similar to El Cap's.  It has some other features that are interesting, and I'm still testing it out.

     

    I think it can just be a matter of what you use and personal preference, but the old GUI was superior in my opinion!!

     

    Still keeping my eye out for good disk utility app.

  • by Davirus,

    Davirus Davirus Apr 20, 2016 4:32 PM in response to dialabrain
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 20, 2016 4:32 PM in response to dialabrain

    "Like i said, new buyers don't care about the inner workings. They want them to just work"

     

    Then why not get rid of Disk Utility at all? After all, we "don't care about the inner workings", right?

     

    But ALL my drivers are RAID drives, and I know other Profesional also use RAIDS in their macs that are made with the "old" Disk Utility. Now, I can't make one, I can't even check or repairs the drives because the new Disk Utility wont check the RAID drives anymore.

  • by linda2009,

    linda2009 linda2009 Apr 20, 2016 4:51 PM in response to Davirus
    Level 1 (65 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 20, 2016 4:51 PM in response to Davirus

    Seems to me they could have a "hidden" advanced version.  You'd have to enable it from a hidden setting or from terminal or something.  That way, it's a win/win.  You appease the users that want a super-simple interface with less options and have an advanced menu for those that want more options and controls.

     

    WIN/WIN

  • by djwilliamwild,

    djwilliamwild djwilliamwild Sep 7, 2016 7:19 AM in response to linda2009
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 7:19 AM in response to linda2009

    Hello linda2009, if you'are looking for a replacement of disk utility and noticed "a simple utility" i would say keep the el capitan one as it's simpliest than the older version.

     

    Now if you're looking for a replacement because the builtin elcapitan missed features...
    ... i would say without any doubt PARAGON Hard Disk manager PRO (MAC) is serious replacement. You can resize partition, wipe disk, and back up & restore + few other advanced user tools. But one thing to notice is to restore backup and because of the El Capitan SIP (kind of protection) you probably need a USK stick to boot on it to restore or performing some protected actions. But it's ok make your USB bootup key with Paragon Hard Disk manager PRO, restart, old option select USK stick, perform the tasks and DONE !

     

    Hope it's help few people there who are looking for more control on harddrive and partitioning

     

    cheers

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Sep 7, 2016 7:24 AM in response to djwilliamwild
    Level 6 (11,948 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 7:24 AM in response to djwilliamwild

    Or try it again in Sierra - I was told that resizable windows and Raid features will be brought back.

    The whole "Disk Utility is crippled in El Capitan" may soon be a moot point.

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain Sep 7, 2016 7:35 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 5 (5,935 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 7, 2016 7:35 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    You were told huh.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Sep 7, 2016 7:39 AM in response to dialabrain
    Level 6 (11,948 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 7:39 AM in response to dialabrain

     

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 7, 2016 7:42 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 8 (37,716 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 7:42 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Ah, but it's true! The sizing part I can verify, anyway.

     

    Screen Shot 2016-09-07 at 9.41.58 AM.png

     

    I could never fit all of these drives in one screen before.

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain Sep 7, 2016 7:49 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 5 (5,935 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 7, 2016 7:49 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    You do know you're not supposed to discuss Sierra? 

     

    mannnnnnnnn.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 7, 2016 7:51 AM in response to dialabrain
    Level 8 (37,716 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 7:51 AM in response to dialabrain

    Is that what this is?

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain Sep 7, 2016 7:55 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 5 (5,935 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 7, 2016 7:55 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    Good point. It could be OSX 10.13.

  • by djwilliamwild,

    djwilliamwild djwilliamwild Sep 7, 2016 7:58 AM in response to linda2009
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 7:58 AM in response to linda2009

    huh SIRI ? can i discuss about Sierra there ?

    > sure mate it's coming this fall... with a LOT of FEATURES (you don't need this time... except file handling)

     

    SIRI, can you replace me at my work so i can watching netflix and reading PDF at the same time with this new feature offers me sierra

    > Nope i can't do that mate

     

    *** conference 2017

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