filevault 2 "Unable to create boot loader partition due to the specifics of your partition map layout."

Think yourself.

1. Partitioning will not solve anything, as it doesn't change the sector size. Capacity is not the problem here. I have a 640GB disk with 4k sectors that's also not encryptable by diskutil.

2. Truecrypt exists on OSX too, and also works on large sector disks. No need to revert to Windows.

1.) ah gotcha

2.) going back to OS X and using TrueCrypt for mac.

Thanks brah

Just for the record - I'm having the same issue with a Seagate GoFlex Desk for Mac 3 TB drive. It's not a good feeling knowing that FileVault can't be used for my backup drive. I hope that this will be fixed soon and simple Disk Utility Repair click will fix it as opposed to reformatting the drive!

Encryption not working is not a good way of gaining customers in the corporate space...

Same problem with 3 TB WD via USB. Reported problem to Apple. : (

MacOS Lion Users:

Call in the veterinarians I'd like to report a sick lion! 🙂

It seems that I was also able to duplicitously demonstrate the bug at issue in the instant case. As such, let me proclaim that I was using a My Book Essentials 3TB external (USB connected) hard drive.

In as much as I happen to have had another case open with AppleCare, I emailed the engineer I am working with about this issue as well, and requested he open a case.

Stuart

Called support and filed a case. Got a reply from the specialist and he said he needs to talk to me. I will let you guys know what he says on monday.

So, ahh ... ? :-)

MacOS Lion Users:

Pursuant to the conversations that I had with Apple Support this week, they admitted that it was a real bug, one they had received a multiplicitous enumeration of reports on, and were taking actions to assure that the bug would stand fully extirpated from MacOS once the publication and subsequent installation of the forthcoming update of MacOS (10.7.3) would become occurring.

Moreover, the advisor I spoke with also noted that in fact Apple's RCA on the bug was that it was predicated upon block sizes being larger than 512 bytes.

Stuart

Good. Any word on if we can encrypt the existing volume ala FileVault2..? That would make up for the inconvenience Apple ;-)

Same problem here. But note that I am having the same problem even though my disk HAS a 512 Byte block size.

The details:

External WD 320GB hard drive, connected via USB.

Device Block Size: 512 Bytes

When trying to erase the disk in Disk Utility to "Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)" I get the error:

"Disk Encryption failed. Disk Erase failed with the error: Unable to create a new Core Storage logical volume group."

If I format the disk to be non-encrypted and try to have Time Machine make encrypted backups I get the error:

"There was an error perparing the Time Machine backup disk <Disk Name>. Invalid request."

Also having this exact problem but with 512 Byte sectors:

G-Drive mobile 750GB, connected via FW800.

Device Block Size: 512 Bytes

Works fine unencrypted, fails to format encrypted every time with:

Disk Encryption failed

Disk Encryption failed with the error:

Couldn't rediscover disk after operation.

Well I guess I'll wait for 10.7.3, and if that doesn't fix it I'll just return the drive to Apple. (I bought it from them on Black Friday since they had such a great deal at the time... doesn't seem so great after all this hassle though... 😟)

Same issue here. OWC Mercury Qx2 4-Bay via eSATA. Four 3TB Hitachi drives, RAID 10. 512 Byte Blocks. Tried all the suggested tricks. Nothing works. I even get an error just trying to reformat to Journaled withOUT encryption. :\ MSFAT works though. Blech...

And update on my post from above. I obtained a Firewire 400<->800 cable, and using that my external hard drive formatted just fine as an encrypted drive. After formatting it is has worked great either via a USB or via a Firewire connection.

So my only conclusion is that the failure to format has something to do with being over the USB connection.

Update:

Wasn't able to format at all (much less Encrypted) using the following:

eSATA

USB 2.0

FireWire 800

Was able to format / encrypt, and pass verification finally using:

FireWire 400

Hope that helps!

Erm, now I'm thinking this isn't a quick and easy fix... It sounds like there are 2 or 3 issues here across block sizes and buses, D'oh!