Belval

Q: Impossible to erase and format external HD

Hi guys,

 

First here are my specs :

 

iMac 27 mid-2010

2,93 GHz i7

16 Go 1333 Mhz DDR3

OS X 10.9.5

 

I got two LaCie external HD (Quadra) and my problem is with the one connected via firewire800.

 

For over a month I've been exchanging emails with people of the LaCie support service and recently they told me that my problem wasn't with the HD but with the OS of my computer.

 

Here what happened :

 

I had issues shutting down the HD and it ended by a forced ejection of the HD. Then I was no longer able to access to the HD and, since I have a backup of the content, I decided to simply format it and start fresh. But, in the Disk Utility all buttons from the menus were greyed out indicating that those options were not available. I tried to bypass that problem by going to the terminal but all the commands I found on the net that were supposed to correct the problem ended by error messages saying that the HD can't be opened or that I didn't have permission (even if I was logged via the sudo command).

 

Taking notice of those results from the terminal, the LaCie support told me that it was indicating that the problem was from the OS and that many customers had the same trouble. Quite strange because I got the  same results from another computer (but it has the same OS though).

 

So I'm out of ideas! Any computer genious having a solution?

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Sébastien

Imac 27 i7, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Jun 27, 2016 10:24 AM

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Q: Impossible to erase and format external HD

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  • Helpful answers

  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Jun 27, 2016 11:31 AM in response to Belval
    Level 5 (7,030 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 27, 2016 11:31 AM in response to Belval

    sounds like LaCie has their heads up their rear-ends. They are Hard Drives and I'm using several LaCie drives for users I support on OS 10.9 without issue.

    if you have any 3rd party LaCie bloatware/software remove it now.

    boot into safe mode

    Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support

    go to disk utility

    format the disk

    Format external drives to Mac OS Extended before using with Aperture - Apple Support

     

    Before formatting anything on your computer have an up-to-date backup of ALL your data.

  • by Belval,

    Belval Belval Jun 27, 2016 12:03 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 27, 2016 12:03 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    Thanks Jimmy for your answer.

     

    I had already removed evey LaCie software.

     

    I booted into safe mode and went to the disk uility but it is the same as before; when I chose the problematic HD, all buttons are greyed. So I can't check or repair permissions, I can't erase or make partition...

     

    I can add some more info to my problem :

     

    - When I turn on the HD, the OS tells me that the disk can't be read by this computer. I can chose etiher to ignore or to eject the disk.

     

    - The LaCie support team confirmed that the file history of my HD is corrupted (suddently the HD has no partition at all).

     

    - Through the terminal I tried the command "cat /dev/random > /dev/disk1" which returned me the message that I had no permission (even if I was logged through sudo).


    - I also tried the command "diskutil eraseDisk JHFS+ Test /dev/{disk identifier}", but again I received a message saying that "the disk can't be open'.


    Anything rings a bell?


    Thank you!

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Jun 27, 2016 1:11 PM in response to Belval
    Level 9 (55,021 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 27, 2016 1:11 PM in response to Belval

    The disk has failed. Lacie will do everything they can to avoid honoring a warranty request. I gave up on them when I had 4 lacie drives AND their replacements all fail within a year. I'll never go near their products again. Call them back and insist on a replacement.

  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Jun 28, 2016 12:09 PM in response to KiltedTim
    Level 5 (7,030 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 28, 2016 12:09 PM in response to KiltedTim

    I've had the drives go bad due to external PSU's but the media itself was OK, either way I agree with Tim. Get them to RMA if they are still in warranty.

  • by Belval,

    Belval Belval Jun 28, 2016 12:31 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 28, 2016 12:31 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    Thanks to both of you.

     

    Today I made a new test; I red on the internet that some people bypassed that kind of problem by connecting the external HD to a PC instead of a Mac. So I borrowed a PC and took a chance but the HD didn't appear as a drive that can be initialized or formated.

     

    I'm starting to think you're right and the HD could be defect. Actually, my warranty endend in May 2016 so I don't think they will be willing to change it. And for the moment, the LaCie support service thinks that it is a OS problem so I guess I'll have to bring the HD to a computer store to get a confirmation.

     

    Thank you for your help.

  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Jun 28, 2016 1:24 PM in response to Belval
    Level 5 (7,030 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 28, 2016 1:24 PM in response to Belval

    if it' behaving badly on the PC I would let them know

    and if you discussed this problem while it was under warranty they failed to diagnose a problem a the time the warranty was valid.