can not use my external driver to setup Time Machine

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can not use my external driver to setup Time Machine

I just bought a new mobile external driver and I planned to use this for Time Machine back of my Macbook Pro. However I got the following error message when I set up the Time Machine:

There was an error erasing the Time Machine backup disk

Is there anybody can help me about this problem?

Thanks

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Jul 3, 2010 1:15 AM

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Answer 1

pubdown Author

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Jul 3, 2010 1:28 AM in response to pubdown

I also found that I even can not erase the external driver with any other formats except the FAT.
Help please!

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Answer 2

tjk

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Jul 3, 2010 5:22 AM in response to pubdown

Hi p, and welcome to Apple Discussions.

I'm not sure what you've tried, but the hard drive (HD) needs to be partitioned and formatted before using for a TM backup.

1. Connect the HD to the MBP.
2. Open Disk Utility on the MBP.
3. Select the HD in the left pane.
4. Click the Partition tab.
5. Click on Volume Scheme: and choose the number of partitions (just one if you're only using it for TM).
6. Click on the Options button and select GUID.
7. Click Apply.
8. Click on the Erase tab.
9. Choose the Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
10. Click on Erase.

When it is finished, close DU and setup TM.

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Answer 3

pubdown Author

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Jul 3, 2010 5:35 PM in response to tjk

Thanks very much for your advise. I did have done as what you instructed and the problem is that the Disk Utility can not erase my USB external HD.

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Answer 4

tjk

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Jul 3, 2010 6:30 PM in response to pubdown

pubdown wrote:
Thanks very much for your advise. I did have done as what you instructed and the problem is that the Disk Utility can not erase my USB external HD.

Hmmm, what is its current format? Is it NTFS by any chance?

pubdown wrote:
I also found that I even can not erase the external driver with any other formats except the FAT.
Help please!

You can format it in FAT?

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Answer 5

Jul 3, 2010 7:57 PM in response to tjk

its weird I cant use it either...hmmms.

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Answer 6

pubdown Author

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Jul 4, 2010 2:13 AM in response to tjk

Yes I can format in FAT and it can only be formated in FAT.

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Answer 7

KXsig

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Jul 4, 2010 3:02 AM in response to pubdown

Hi P,

Remarking important steps in the process, as T mentioned, set up the Partition Volume Scheme has to be done.

Use the Options as your System profile and intention to use.

Did you jump this step earlier?

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Answer 8

tjk

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Jul 4, 2010 9:06 AM in response to pubdown

pubdown wrote:
Yes I can format in FAT and it can only be formated in FAT.

Did you do the Partition steps #4-7 I listed in earlier post?

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Answer 9

KXsig

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Jul 4, 2010 3:48 PM in response to tjk

Hi T,

I almost jumped this step once as the disk had the partition scheme that I needed, people usually see the same scheme they need and jump right after to erasing.

Regards

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Answer 10

tjk

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Jul 4, 2010 4:01 PM in response to KXsig

Hi K,

And it wasn't all that long ago this step wasn't necessary. It will be interesting to see what the reason is that the OP cannot format the HD.

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Answer 11

KXsig

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Jul 4, 2010 4:14 PM in response to tjk

Hi T,

Just shooting stars here, but if the partition scheme was not rebuild wouldn't that be a format difference in the addressing table for these file systems?

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Answer 12

tjk

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Jul 4, 2010 4:17 PM in response to KXsig

KXsig wrote:
Hi T,

Just shooting stars here, but if the partition scheme was not rebuild wouldn't that be a format difference in the addressing table for these file systems?

I am not sure of the proper terminology, but that basically sounds correct. 😉

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Answer 13

KXsig

Level 2

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Jul 4, 2010 4:56 PM in response to tjk

I'm also not sure, but you see, when you start saying "just shooting stars" it gives you the liberty needed to spend your man learned terms all in one period as you like. I would write about block size, bit and byte length composition and ASCII or hexadecimal structuration theory if I remembered my teenage year's learning. 🙂

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Answer 14

pubdown Author

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Jul 4, 2010 6:08 PM in response to pubdown

Thanks very much for everybody's help in this matter. I have done all the process again exactly the same as the steps above. However after the wait for some time, I got the following errors:

2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Preparing to partition disk: “Initio MK4006GAL Media”
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Partition Scheme: GUID Partition Table
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: 1 partition will be created
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800:
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Partition 1
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Name : “Untitled 1”
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Size : 40.01 GB
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Filesystem : Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800:
2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Unmounting disk
2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Creating partition map
2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Waiting for disks to reappear
2010-07-04 21:32:43 +0800: Formatting disk1s2 as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with name Untitled 1
2010-07-04 21:36:30 +0800: Partition failed for disk (null) File system formatter failed
2010-07-04 21:36:30 +0800: Partition complete.

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Answer 15

tjk

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Jul 4, 2010 6:16 PM in response to pubdown

pubdown wrote:
2010-07-04 21:32:42 +0800: Preparing to partition disk: “Initio MK4006GAL Media”

I have a suspicion it's the chipset in the external HD enclosure. Oxford is widely recognized as the best/most compatible chipset for Macs. Initio and Prolific are two others I've heard of, but to be honest with you, it wasn't because they were "good" that I heard of them.

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