Mac Pro: How do I format a new hard drive?

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Level 2

230 points

Mac Pro: How do I format a new hard drive?

Hello,

About to open and install a new Samsung 3.5" SATA internal hard drive into slot 2. This drive will only be used for audio and I was told to format the drive in Mac OS Extended with journaling disabled and a single partition.

I am not quite sure how to do this, and since I am already suffering from the frequent computer crashing firewire debacle, I want to make sure that I get this right.

So, any advice before I start this next project would be extremely helpful. I simply can not afford any more problems.

Thanks!

-delton

Mac Pro 2x2.8GHz Quad-Core/4GB RAM, Powerbook G4 1.67 2GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.2), Logic Studio/Logic 7, Presonus Firestudio, Firepod

Posted on May 23, 2008 4:27 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

May 23, 2008 6:08 PM in response to deltonfoster

Extended Hard Drive Preparation

1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder. If you need to reformat your startup volume, then you must boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger or Leopard.)

2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.

3. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (only required for Intel Macs) then click on the OK button. Set the number of partitions from the dropdown menu (use 1 partition unless you wish to make more.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended. Click on the Partition button and wait until the volume(s) mount on the Desktop.

4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.

5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.

6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

Steps 4-6 are optional but should be used on a drive that has never been formatted before, if the format type is not Mac OS Extended, if the partition scheme has been changed, or if a different operating system (not OS X) has been installed on the drive.

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Answer 2

deltonfoster Author

Level 2

230 points

May 23, 2008 7:22 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks for such detailed directions! I sure am glad I asked, just about to get started. I searched for info online but just wasn't quite right, I learn so much on these discussion forums.

-delton

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Answer 3

deltonfoster Author

Level 2

230 points

May 23, 2008 11:24 PM in response to Kappy

Kappy,

Thanks again, it is working very smoothly! Had it not been for you directions, I am sure I would have been up all night fumbling around with this. It took over two hours just to format/erase the drive alone.

-delton

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