Cannot properly format Western Digital 3.0 TB SATA drives

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Level 1

8 points

Cannot properly format Western Digital 3.0 TB SATA drives

Hi, I have purchased a few Western Digital 3.0TB Caviar® Green Hard Disk Drives and today have been attempting to format them. Unfortunately, they are only showing 800.79 GB available... after using Disk Utility on Intel based Mac(s) running 10.6.8. (specifically a 2010 Mini running 10.6.8 and a 2009 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac). I cannot find anything addressing this on any blog, let alone the Western Digital site. I am formatting them Mac OS Extended Journaled, GUID 1 partition. Am I doing something wrong or are other customers having similar problems?

Sincerely,

-ddscott57

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

Posted on Nov 16, 2011 9:16 PM

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Answer 1

Asatoran

Level 4

2,532 points

Nov 16, 2011 9:21 PM in response to ddscott57

Are these drives ones you put into your own external enclosures? (IOW, you assembled it yourself.) Many of the older enclosures need a firmware update to handle 3TB drives. When I got my 3TB drive, I bought a "kit" which came with a new enclosue so I knew that the enclosure's firmware could handle a 3TB drive.

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Answer 2

ddscott57 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 16, 2011 9:32 PM in response to Asatoran

Hey, thanks! I think you might be on target with this. Yes, I am using a 4 bay unit as an enclosure that I purchaed from OWC a few years ago. It hasn't had a problem with all the 2.0 TB drives I have been using and it hasn't occurred to me that perhaps it's not designed for anything larger. Also, now that I've taken the drives home I am using a relatively new Voyager "toaster" enclosure unit (also form MacSales/OWC). Perhaps it has the same 2.0 TB barrier problem. What to do?

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Answer 3

Asatoran

Level 4

2,532 points

Nov 16, 2011 10:14 PM in response to ddscott57

The "limit" was something around 2.2TB. So 2TB drives would be fine, but 2.5 or 3.0TB would have the issue.

Since all the units are from OWC, I'd give them a call, or at least check their website. But likely you'll need a new enclosure for the 3TB drive. The just get some 2TB drives for your existing enclosures, if you want to continue using them.

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Answer 4

ddscott57 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 16, 2011 10:35 PM in response to Asatoran

Very smart, thank you... My system utilizes several Mac Minis and I am therefore reliant on using their interfaces (which in this case is having to settle for USB 2, as my single Firewire ports are in use by a Canopus). I've been digging for more up to date 4 Bay Enclosure units but to no avail when it comes to having both the USB 2 option as well as the 3TB capability. Seems I'm gonna lose for now on the 3TB SATA purchases.

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Answer 5

Asatoran

Level 4

2,532 points

Nov 17, 2011 1:25 PM in response to ddscott57

ddscott57 wrote:

Very smart, thank you... My system utilizes several Mac Minis and I am therefore reliant on using their interfaces (which in this case is having to settle for USB 2, as my single Firewire ports are in use by a Canopus). I've been digging for more up to date 4 Bay Enclosure units but to no avail when it comes to having both the USB 2 option as well as the 3TB capability. Seems I'm gonna lose for now on the 3TB SATA purchases.

Perhaps just purchase a single drive enclosure for the 3TB drive(s), if you can't return the drives. But considering that HD prices are expected to rise due to shortages, I'd probably not return the drives.

I have no experience with Canopus products, but I'm assuming that the Canopus has issues with daisychaining, similar to other high-end audio devices. (If not, then obviously you can put the Canopus device at the end of the chain or get a Firewire hub.) Perhaps you want to look at some sort of NAS enclosure, which would have faster transfer than USB (although not as fast as Firewire.) This assumes you attach the Mini and the NAS to wired gigabit ethernet, and not Wi-Fi.

edit: BTW, OWC's Mercury Pro Qx4 and Drobos appear to support 3TB drives.

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Answer 6

ddscott57 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 17, 2011 6:05 PM in response to Asatoran

Thanks Asatoran,

Another smart suggestion, the NAS enclosure... I'll look in to that. I already am networking 4 Mac Minis via a Gigabyte switch, so why not just find an enclosure that talks directly with it? Honestly, I didn't know that such a thing existed. My existing 4 bay enclosure (Raidon ST7610-4S-WBC / Stardom 7610 4 Bay Rack SATA-II) from 2008 is of course only rated to 2.0 TB. I want to keep it in the end actually, as I have modified it to have an external front mounted ON/OFF switch. I have written (Stardom) but have no reply yet re; a firmware update. My scepticism leads me to the conclusion that, as they are in the business of selling me NEW enclosures... I'm SOL on that front. Seems I'll be purchasing 4 more 2.0 TB drives. I can wait a couple weeks for this all to pan out.

My whole system that this discussion revolves around is a mobile SD video cart that I use for films and TV. It has an exact amount of dedicated rack space, and the cart needs to be failry "solid state' as it must bang around in multiple environments and get jackhammered in a trailer in between them... hence my not being interested in a separate additional external enclosure.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and input! And furthermore, re; the 3.0 TB drives, perhaps I'll just utilize them at home in my Drobo. OWC is likely to accept tham in return, but you're likely correct again re; HD price increases, considering the extensive flooding in Thailand et al. One can never have too much storage space!

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