MacBook Pro HDD Format issue... help!

Hi

I have a strange problem when formatting my HDD and cannot get around it, so was hoping for some help.

I'm using a MacBook Pro 4,1 2.4 Intel, With OSX 10.6.4

My original HDD failed in July, so I replaced it with a Samsung SATAII HM321HI 320 GB HDD. I installed OSX with no problem. The system is working but is awfully slow.

I've had some problems with certain items of software and the MacBook is running slow, so 'd like to reinstall OSX, but this time without installing the Snow Leopard update. I basically think that it's Snow Leopard that's causing some of the issues, seems to have a similar effect on my MacPro. The main issue is when data is coming down the Firewire; it's backing up and the HDD seems to be the problem. It's almost as if the disk isn't caching the data and all the work is being done by the memory.

So back to my orginal problem! Basically, I can't seem to format the HDD. I've gone into the Disk Utility and repaired and verified the disk permissions but to no avail. When I reboot using the OSX Disk, I can see the HDD in the Disk Utility, but there are no options to verify, repair or partition the HDD. If I try and continue with the installation from the OSX DVD, then OSX is unable to see the HDD. When trying to erase the disk in the Disk Utility (booting from the OSX DVD) I get a 'resource busy' message. The whole thing is driving me mad.

One more thing, when I try to use the MacBook as a HDD from the Firewire port, it isn't recognised by my MacPro. Almost as if the disk doesn't exist.

So, I'd really appreciate it if somebody could tell me how to format the drive please!

Cheers
Christian

Hi

Apologies if you're seein this twice as I've posted this in the MacBook forum too, but wasn't sure what forum is was most suited to!

Anyway, I have a strange problem when formatting my HDD and cannot get around it, so was hoping for some help.

I'm using a MacBook Pro 4,1 2.4 Intel, With OSX 10.6.4

My original HDD failed in July, so I replaced it with a Samsung SATAII HM321HI 320 GB HDD. I installed OSX with no problem. The system is working but is awfully slow.

I've had some problems with certain items of software and the MacBook is running slow, so 'd like to reinstall OSX, but this time without installing the Snow Leopard update. I basically think that it's Snow Leopard that's causing some of the issues, seems to have a similar effect on my MacPro. The main issue is when data is coming down the Firewire; it's backing up and the HDD seems to be the problem. It's almost as if the disk isn't caching the data and all the work is being done by the memory.

So back to my orginal problem! Basically, I can't seem to format the HDD. I've gone into the Disk Utility and repaired and verified the disk permissions but to no avail. When I reboot using the OSX Disk, I can see the HDD in the Disk Utility, but there are no options to verify, repair or partition the HDD. If I try and continue with the installation from the OSX DVD, then OSX is unable to see the HDD. When trying to erase the disk in the Disk Utility (booting from the OSX DVD) I get a 'resource busy' message. The whole thing is driving me mad.

One more thing, when I try to use the MacBook as a HDD from the Firewire port, it isn't recognised by my MacPro. Almost as if the disk doesn't exist.

So, I'd really appreciate it if somebody could tell me how to format the drive please!

Cheers
Christian

BTW here are the current drive format settings:

Capacity: 320.07 GB (320,072,933,376 bytes)
Model: SAMSUNG HM321HI
Revision: 2AJ10001
Serial Number: S24PJ9AZ500548
Native Command Queuing: Yes
Queue Depth: 32
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk0
Rotational Rate: 5400
Medium Type: Rotational
Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified

BTW here are the current drive format settings:

Capacity: 320.07 GB (320,072,933,376 bytes)
Model: SAMSUNG HM321HI
Revision: 2AJ10001
Serial Number: S24PJ9AZ500548
Native Command Queuing: Yes
Queue Depth: 32
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk0
Rotational Rate: 5400
Medium Type: Rotational
Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified

No need to double post!

pigoo3 said:

No need to double post!

Click to expand...

Can you help then?

SATA II drives are supposed to be backward compatible with SATA (which is native to your MBP), however, some users have noted incompatibilities such as speed and cache. Were there any instructions that came with the Samsung regarding setting jumpers or the like?

It sure seems like the Samsung hard drive in the MBP is having problems especially since Disk Utility can't "see" it nor is it being recognized when using Target Mode. Do you have a good backup? If so, it might be best to return the drive and ask for another. This time though, stay away from SATA II and instead go with a good fast 7200 RPM SATA drive.

And please do not cross post! Only post to one forum and continue the thread there. Cross posting leads to confusion and clutters the forums. Your posts have been merged together here.

chscag said:

SATA II drives are supposed to be backward compatible with SATA (which is native to your MBP), however, some users have noted incompatibilities such as speed and cache. Were there any instructions that came with the Samsung regarding setting jumpers or the like?

It sure seems like the Samsung hard drive in the MBP is having problems especially since Disk Utility can't "see" it nor is it being recognized when using Target Mode. Do you have a good backup? If so, it might be best to return the drive and ask for another. This time though, stay away from SATA II and instead go with a good fast 7200 RPM SATA drive.

And please do not cross post! Only post to one forum and continue the thread there. Cross posting leads to confusion and clutters the forums. Your posts have been merged together here.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. There were no jumpers as far as I remember.

The whole thing is very trange, in fact I'm using the MacBook now to type this reply. Disk Utility sees the drive, until I reboot using the OSX disk and then it can't???

Cheers
Christian

Okay, I've resolved the issue.

I ended up removing the HDD from my MacBook Pro and placed it into one of the MacPro tower drive bays (not main disk). The 2.5in HDD's are fairly light, so it didn't create too much pressure on the SATA plug in the tower.

I then booted my system up as normal, reformated the drive as FAT/ DOS, with a single pass over-write. Once complete, I reformated as Mac Journaled and partitioned, before placing it back into the MacBook Pro and re-installing OSX (sans Snow Leopard). Disk is recognised and I can tether my camera via the FireWire port and it writes to disk as normal.

I have no idea what caused the original problem, but there are several posts around the Internet with related issues.

Hope this is of some use to somebody.

Cheers
Christian

Gremlins? Thanks for posting back. Have fun and visit often.