How to format Toshiba Canvio 3.0 plus

Drive Preparation

1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.

2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. 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.

If you want to format it just for using with OS X, then Kappy has the answer for you.

However if you going to use the drive with Windows PC's, you need to learn a bit more and choose a good cross platform format.

Drives, partitions, formatting w/Mac's + PC's

Thanks a lot! I was going to return it, but googled the question and found your instructions easy!

Thanks a lot! Transfering nearly 1TB of data now 🙂

Kappy, what happens if I don't click on ERASE and wait the several hours? I followed your instructions but I saw that I could transfer all of my files to it. Is it necessary to wait for that process or no? Thanks.

Thank you so much for the explanation 🙂. It was great help!

Hey Kappy - thanks for these directions. However it's not working for me as some of the options you outline aren't available to me :-(. I don't know what else to do. For example the "Zero Data" button is nowhere to be found. Pleas help.

I just bought one. I installed the NTFS software that it came with onto my desktop and all seems to work fine.

u can visit this site, its very useful. i tried it and succesful.

http://andyfishwrap.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-reformat-your-toshiba-portable.h tml

Hey, thanks for the information. I just tried this and all went well until I got a window that said "drive could not be unmounted". Then it canceled the format.

Any ideas?

Well, after sitting here for a few hours I figured it out. I got it all straightened out and Time Machine did a full backup of my hard drive.

Kappy,

Thanks for the excellent advice. I have 3TB and it took 24+ hours but it happened exactly as you outlined.

Asante sana!

Clark

Hi I have just bought ext hard disc Toshiba

It's compatible with mac???