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disk utility

MacOS 10.8.4. HGST Hitachi 4GB drive. Want to partition into 4 or more partitions. Disk utility will not allow it. DU only allows 2 X 2GB partitions.

All else 'grayed out.' What gives? My other drives in my MacPro react normally to Disk Utility as per partitioning.

Thank you.

Patrick

2012 MacPro 3.06GHz

Posted on Jul 23, 2013 6:25 PM

Reply
19 replies

Jul 24, 2013 12:11 AM in response to PRC

Did you check the partition scheme of the drive? Some schemes don't like large address sizes.


Try this:


1) Open DU

2) Click on the Drive (not one of the partitions)

3) Change teh Partition Layout to: 1 Partition (yes ONE)

4) Set the 'Name' to whatever you want (it's temporary)

5) Set the format to 'mac OS Extended (Journalled)

6) Click 'Apply' & Wait for it to finish

7) EXIT DU <-- non standard but try it anyway

8) Fire up DU again <-- non standard but try it anyway

9) Click and highlight the drive again (not the partition)

10) Switch to the 'Partitionn Tab'

11) Change the Parition Layout to '4 Parititons'

12) Keep the default layout (i.e. whatever sizes it creates them, usually equal i.e. 4 x 1TB)

13) Name them all for example 'Mackintosh HD 1', 'Mackintosh HD2' etc...

14) Set ALL of the Formats to be 'Mac OS Extended (Journalled)

15) Click Apply and wait for the magic to happen

16) EXIT DU <-- non standard but try it anyway

17) Fire up DU again <-- non standard but try it anyway

18) Click on the drive again

19) CLick on the 'Partition' tab

20) Resize accordingly to the sizes you want

21) Click 'Apply'


Does that work?


If so, you can rename the volumes by just firing up finder, rightclicking on the, clik on 'Get Info' and rename them in there.


I know I mentioned a few non standard things there, i.e. keep exiting DU etc... but due to the nature and size of the drive, it's probably worth a shot in the dark.

Aug 5, 2013 10:05 AM in response to PRC

Thank you to all who replied on this post.

I finally had to use iPartition and MANUALLY remove ANY and ALL partitions that had been placed

on the drive: not by me but I can only assume this drive had been returned and then sent to me as new. I really don't know. Plus, there's some discussion about DiskUtility trying to automatically use LGV so folks can encrypt with FileVault 2. Again, this is heresay and I don't know. However, iPartition worked when DU would not allow me access to the drive. So, again, thanks to all. And, indeed, the MacPro handles a 4TB quite well once this hurdle is overcome.

Patrick

MacOvation, in Denver: Near WashPark

disk utility

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