Issue with external USB3 HDD

Question

Hi All,I&#x27;m new to the Mac world, recently I&#x27;ve bought a MBA 2012 13&#x27;, and I&#x27;ve attached a 640GB USB3 Hard drive, I&#x27;ve partitioned this drive as 320GB NTFS, and 320GB HFS (Journaled not case sensitive),  I&#x27;ve setup Time Machine to use this drive drive and after few days the MBA starts to freezes and reboot, after that the MBA enter in a loop and freezes every 5 mins, until I unplug the disk or I wipe the HFS partition.Here&#x27;s the log, any help?Interval Since Last Panic Report:  110025 secPanics Since Last Report:          2Anonymous UUID:                    F918C3B7-33F7-C538-96E0-BCA151823550Mon Jun 24 10:33:22 2013panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff8003c54507): "complete() while dma active"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-2050.24.15/iokit/Kernel/IOMemoryDescriptor.cpp:255 2Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address0xffffff8082a2bc40 : 0xffffff800381d626 0xffffff8082a2bcb0 : 0xffffff8003c54507 0xffffff8082a2bcf0 : 0xffffff7f83d7fa7c 0xffffff8082a2bd40 : 0xffffff7f83d7585b 0xffffff8082a2bd90 : 0xffffff7f83ec2f42 0xffffff8082a2bde0 : 0xffffff7f83ec69a6 0xffffff8082a2be30 : 0xffffff7f83e0f1bf 0xffffff8082a2be80 : 0xffffff7f83e09186 0xffffff8082a2bed0 : 0xffffff7f83e09215 0xffffff8082a2bf00 : 0xffffff7f841962e1 0xffffff8082a2bf60 : 0xffffff800383e25e 0xffffff8082a2bfb0 : 0xffffff80038b3137       Kernel Extensions in backtrace:         com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(1.8)[5BA4CD36-E96D-3A9E-ADFF-A863BBD63BC7]@0xff ffff7f83d72000-&gt;0xffffff7f83d96fff         com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily(3.5.5)[DCE95F6E-F7D4-33D8-9515-FB C4FF5B1AB4]@0xffffff7f83e04000-&gt;0xffffff7f83e2efff         com.apple.iokit.IOUSBAttachedSCSI(1.0.3)[8A42F241-0B53-3536-AD19-0651F2128085]@ 0xffffff7f84193000-&gt;0xffffff7f8419afff            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(5.6.0)[065077C5-A49E-3C52-BDC0-60169E293563]@0xffff ff7f83fde000            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(1.8)[5BA4CD36-E96D-3A9E-ADFF-A863BBD63BC7]@0xff ffff7f83d72000            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily(3.5.5)[DCE95F6E-F7D4-33D8-9515-FB C4FF5B1AB4]@0xffffff7f83e04000         com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice(3.5.5)[07B0BD1F-3970-3AA0-B55A-D0D7D6 5FFB60]@0xffffff7f83ec1000-&gt;0xffffff7f83ed6fff            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily(3.5.5)[DCE95F6E-F7D4-33D8-9515-FB C4FF5B1AB4]@0xffffff7f83e04000            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(1.8)[5BA4CD36-E96D-3A9E-ADFF-A863BBD63BC7]@0xff ffff7f83d72000BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_taskMac OS version:12E55Kernel version:Darwin Kernel Version 12.4.0: Wed May  1 17:57:12 PDT 2013; root:xnu-2050.24.15~1/RELEASE_X86_64Kernel UUID: 896CB1E3-AB79-3DF1-B595-549DFFDF3D36Kernel slide:     0x0000000003600000Kernel text base: 0xffffff8003800000System model name: MacBookAir5,2 (Mac-2E6FAB96566FE58C)System uptime in nanoseconds: 498227023706last loaded kext at 246262150765: com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs    1.8.1 (addr 0xffffff7f85456000, size 65536)last unloaded kext at 306413042072: com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs    1.8.1 (addr 0xffffff7f85456000, size 57344)loaded kexts:com.paragon-software.filesystems.ntfs    100com.apple.filesystems.smbfs    1.8.4com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch    75.19com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC    1.60com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager    4.1.4f2com.apple.filesystems.autofs    3.0com.apple.driver.AGPM    100.12.87com.apple.driver.ApplePlatformEnabler    2.0.6d1com.apple.driver.X86PlatformShim    1.0.0com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver    122com.apple.driver.AppleHDA    2.3.7fc4com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet    1.0.0d1com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X    7.0.0com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl    3.4.5com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport    4.1.4f2com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC    1.0.0com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU    2.0.3d0com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight    170.2.5com.apple.driver.AppleLPC    1.6.0com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver    2.3.7fc4com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient    3.5.10com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl    1.1.11com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics    8.1.2com.apple.driver.AppleIntelFramebufferCapri    8.1.2com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons    237.1com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard    237.1com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader    3.1.7com.apple.iokit.IOUSBAttachedSCSI    1.0.3com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless    1.0.0d1com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib    1.0.0d1com.apple.BootCache    34com.apple.driver.XsanFilter    404com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage    2.3.1com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub    5.5.5com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331    615.20.17com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort    2.5.2com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI    5.5.0com.apple.driver.AppleUSBXHCI    5.6.0com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager    161.0.0com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM    1.7com.apple.driver.AppleRTC    1.5com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons    1.7com.apple.driver.AppleHPET    1.8com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS    1.9com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC    1.7com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC    1.6com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient    196.0.0com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall    4.0.39com.apple.security.quarantine    2.1com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement    196.0.0com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver    4.1.4f2com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver    235.29com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily    10.0.6com.apple.kext.triggers    1.0com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib    2.3.7fc4com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily    1.8.9fc11com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib    1.6com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController    2.3.7fc4com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily    2.3.7fc4com.apple.iokit.IOSurface    86.0.4com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily    4.1.4f2com.apple.iokit.AppleBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport    4.1.4f2com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl    3.4.5com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert    1.0.4com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI    1.0.11d0com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController    1.0.11d0com.apple.driver.X86PlatformPlugin    1.0.0com.apple.driver.AppleSMC    3.1.4d2com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily    5.3.0d51com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily    74.5.1com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport    2.3.7com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily    2.3.7com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch    237.3com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver    5.2.5com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice    3.5.5com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter    1.8.9com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily    1.8.9com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter    1.2.6com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageClass    3.5.1com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily    3.5.5com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub    5.5.5com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite    5.2.5com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient    5.5.5com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI    1.7.8com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily    2.4.0com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family    530.4com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily    3.0com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily    2.3.1com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily    5.6.0com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime    1.7com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily    1.8.1com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily    1.1com.apple.security.sandbox    220.3com.apple.kext.AppleMatch    1.0.0d1com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet    7com.apple.driver.DiskImages    345com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily    1.8com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore    28.21com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform    1.7com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily    2.7.3com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily    1.4com.apple.kec.corecrypto    1.0Model: MacBookAir5,2, BootROM MBA51.00EF.B02, 2 processors, Intel Core i5, 1.8 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 2.5f7Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Built-In, 512 MBMemory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D54333235533643465238412D50422020Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D54333235533643465238412D50422020AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0xE9), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.17)Bluetooth: Version 4.1.4f2 12041, 2 service, 18 devices, 1 incoming serial portsNetwork Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en0Serial ATA Device: APPLE SSD SM128E, 121,33 GBUSB Device: hub_device, 0x8087  (Intel Corporation), 0x0024, 0x1a100000 / 2USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in), apple_vendor_id, 0x8510, 0x1a110000 / 3USB Device: hub_device, 0x8087  (Intel Corporation), 0x0024, 0x1d100000 / 2USB Device: hub_device, 0x0424  (SMSC), 0x2513, 0x1d180000 / 3USB Device: Internal Memory Card Reader, apple_vendor_id, 0x8404, 0x1d183000 / 6USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad, apple_vendor_id, 0x024d, 0x1d182000 / 5USB Device: BRCM20702 Hub, 0x0a5c  (Broadcom Corp.), 0x4500, 0x1d181000 / 4USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, apple_vendor_id, 0x821f, 0x1d181300 / 9

LowLuster · Answer

Time Machine only works with drives that are fomatted in the Mac format and the GUID partition table. Since you fomatted part of the drive NTFS it is probably Master Boot Record partition table. Once you switch it to GUID it will work with Time Machine but might not be fomatted NTFS.

cosa81 · Answer

I know Time Machine works only with HFS file system, that&#x27;s why I&#x27;ve reserved half disk for it, I resized the disk with Windows and left half disk blank, then I had format the blank space with the disk utility in OSX, and Time Machine worked like a charm for some days, but after a while I have loop freezes and reboots... (I wiped the disk twice and after few days I have the same issue)By the way, I want to know if it&#x27;s possible to have on the same disk two partitions, one with HFS and NTFS,and use the HFS one for Time Machine, is this possible? if yes, may someone explain me the correct steps to prepare the disk? (I don&#x27;t need too much details, just steps)Thanks in advance

cosa81 · Answer

I read some discussion over the internet, and seems to be possibile to have an USB drive with 2 partitions (Mac + MS), so I did the following steps:- Wipe the drive with disk managament tool in Windows and left the whole drive blank- Attached the driver to my MacBook and with the disk utility I chose MBR and to have 2 partitions, first one as HFS (not CS), and the second partition as FAT32- Attached the drive to my Windows PC and formatted the FAT32 partition as NTFS- Attached back to the Mac and setup Time Machine and did first backup without any problemAll seems work fine but I want wait some days to declare this steps as rock solid.

cosa81 · Answer

After 2 weeks I assume the steps above have solved my issue, my MBA didn&#x27;t reboot itself anymore 🙂