PRC

Q: 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

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Q: disk utility

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  • by PRC,

    PRC PRC Aug 5, 2013 10:05 AM in response to PRC
    Level 1 (75 points)
    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

  • by AdriHD,

    AdriHD AdriHD Aug 12, 2013 10:11 PM in response to PRC
    Level 1 (11 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 10:11 PM in response to PRC

    Just to add to this and for the benefit of others in the future, here's the max sizes which the various FileSystems can handle:

    File System Format

    Compatible With

    Max Volume Size

    HFS+

    Mac OS X

    DroboShare

    16TB

    NTFS

    Windows 7/8, Vista, Server 2003/2008, and DroboShare

    16TB

    NTFS (XP Compatible)

    All Windows and DroboShare

    2TB

    FAT32*

    All Windows, Mac OS X, and DroboShare

    2TB

    EXT3

    DroboShare, Linux

    8TB**


    * FAT32 is an older file system format that is generally less protective of your data than modern (journaled) file systems. It also delivers slower performance and imposes file-size limitations. Because of these drawbacks, Drobo does not recommend using the FAT32 file system option unless absolutely essential

    ** EXT3 is supported only for volume sizes of 1TB or 2TB on 1st and 2nd generation Drobos. However, customers have found that they are able to have volume sizes (LUNs) greater than 2TB by attending to two items:

    • Ensuring the Linux kernel is 2.6.24 or greater
    • Enabling the selection "Enable Block Layer-->Support for Large Block Devices"

     

    Source: http://support.drobo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/23/~/what-volume-sizes-may-i-us e-and-what-happens-if-my-disk-space-exceeds-my-volume

     

    Another thing that's just crossed my mind is that when I've had issues like this in the past, I usually get the drive manufacturerers software and give it a low level format. On macs though, you need to keep your eye out for this both as the EFI (basically the firmware) as well as the Recovery Partition (the installation media) is stored on the initial few partitions on the drive.

     

    Glad you had it sorted out!

  • by nbar,

    nbar nbar Aug 12, 2013 10:25 PM in response to AdriHD
    Level 5 (6,980 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 10:25 PM in response to AdriHD

    Theoretical Maximum size for HFS+ file system is actually 8 EB (8 million TB).

     

    Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits

  • by luxuryliner67,

    luxuryliner67 luxuryliner67 Aug 13, 2013 3:43 AM in response to PRC
    Level 2 (220 points)
    Aug 13, 2013 3:43 AM in response to PRC

    In my experience this happens when drives come out from tthe factory formatted in a Windows format. I have a friend that by-passed the problem. Let me have some time more and when I see him I may answer.

    Cheers

    Simon

  • by silhouttejames,

    silhouttejames silhouttejames Jan 20, 2014 11:56 PM in response to AdriHD
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 20, 2014 11:56 PM in response to AdriHD

    Are you wondering how to access Disk Management in your Windows 7 based PC Management utility?

    Follow the instructions to access disk utility windows 7

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