Any steps or changes I need to do in order to partition my hard drive?
An error message keeps popping up saying "Couldn’t modify partition map because file system verification failed."
That error means there is a problem with the partition map and or the filesystem. The only fix is to repartition the entire drive from scratch meaning you will need to make a backup if you don't want to lose everything.
How can i do that?
Do what? Backup? This will get you started.
Basic Backup
Get an external drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on backup and restore. Also read How to Back Up and Restore Your Files.
Although you can buy a complete external drive system, you can also put one together if you are so inclined. It's relatively easy and only requires a Phillips head screwdriver (typically.) You can purchase hard drives separately. This gives you an opportunity to shop for the best prices on a hard drive of your choice. Reliable brands include Seagate, Hitachi, Western Digital, Toshiba, and Fujitsu. You can find reviews and benchmarks on many drives at Storage Review.
Enclosures for FireWire and USB are readily available. You can find only FireWire enclosures, only USB enclosures, and enclosures that feature multiple ports. I would stress getting enclosures that use the Oxford chipsets especially for Firewire drives (911, 921, 922, for example.) You can find enclosures at places such as;
All you need do is remove a case cover, mount the hard drive in the enclosure and connect the cables, then re-attach the case cover. Usually the only tool required is a small or medium Phillips screwdriver.
Once you have a backup then you will need to do the following:
Drive Preparation
1. 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 Utilities menu.
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. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one or more. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Quit DU when the process is completed to return to the installer. Install OS X on the first volume if you created more than one.
NOTE: Do not make more than one partition if you intend to use Boot Camp Assistant to create a Windows partition.
Kappy,
I've been reading your posts and thanks for answering everyone's questions. Maybe you can answer mine as I can't seem to find an answer anywhere.
I have a MacBook Pro Model A1211 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo. I installed a new hard drive. A seagate 500GB SATA 16MB Cache/7200 RPM.
I have my two old install discs for backup. They are Mac OS X.
When I start my computer with "option" held down and choose the language and then open up DU. Under DU, my SMART Status is verified. On the left side the hard drive I select says "3.6 TB ST9500424AS Media". I try to erase and get this error, "Disk Erase failed with the error: Input/output error". So, I tried partitioning reading your posts and using GUID and I got another error message saying partition failed "input/output error".
Any clue as what I should do? I'm at a loss.
Thanks.
Are you following these steps?
Drive Preparation
1. 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 Utilities menu.
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. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
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 Security 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.
Note that in Step 3 you select the number of partitions, set the drive for GUID, and select the format type. If you cannot get past this step then the drive may not be working. Check your installation to assure all the cables are connected correctly.
I noticed you said DU reports the drive as "3.6 TB ST9500424AS Media." I know the drive is not a 3.6 TB drive, so I'm wondering if this is a 6 Gb/s drive that needs to have a jumper changed to work with 1.5 and 3.0 Gb/s controllers.
Yes, I get to step 3 and once I hit partition, it says "Partition Failed." The error is "Input/ouput error".
I tried erase and selected Mac OS Extended (journaled) and the selected "Zero Out Data" under security and after about an hour it stopped and said the same thing, "Input/output error."
Not sure what's going. I will double check all connections but I do get VERIFIED under SMART status.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. It's sincerely appreciated!
How did you get a drive that calls itself 3.6TB ?
Is that a 4TB with some stuff on it already, or is the size wrong?
Off hand I'd say you have a defective drive.
I bought it yesterday at MicroCenter. I have no idea why it says that becuase it's 500GB on the box. I will take my computer there today.
I bought it new yesterday. I wasn't sure if my hard drive was what was wrong with my computer in the first place because whenever I turned it on, I would get the Apple logo and the circle of grey bars as it turned on but would never get past that. I thought that was a hard drive issue and bought this new one.
Maybe something else is wrong with my computer since it says it's a 3.6 TB ST9500424AS Media. I have no idea how to figure out what's going with it. I'll take it to Micro Center this morning and see what they say.
I'm confused. Aren't you trying to use DU to format or partition your new Seagate drive? Does it show up in the list at the left in DU? You said it was 500GB, so I'm guessing the 3+ TB device you mention above is the system DVD you booted from - ?
I'm cofused as well...
My superdrive no longer works so I have an external super drive plugged in via USB.
So, there are two choices, 3.6 TB ST9500424AS Media or 5.2GB HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GP10NB20 Media (with the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 just below it), so I assume the 3.6 TB is the new hard drive the 5.2GB is the exteral drive.
Could something be wrong with another part of my computer? The last two months, my computer would freeze adn then I would have to force shut it down by holding the powet button. Then recently it didn't get past the grey screen with the apple logo and the circular bar timing-thing. I spoke to a "tech" at specialty Mac shop in Atlanta and I asked if that could be a bad hard drive and he said he thought so. That is why I bout the new hard drive and installed it. But it won't erase or partition either.
Hard drive will not partition
