Help with new hard drive in Macbook

Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi all,

I recently bought a hard drive for my (white, older...ish model) Macbook (Profiler listed it as 'Macbook2,1') to upgrade it from a 160GB to a 320GB, but it seems my computer won't accept the drive.

When I start my Mac, the screen pops up to set up the computer, but when it asks which drive I want to boot up on, the hard drive doesn't appear. I go to disk utility and it shows up as a '3.22 TB' drive...which it's not...and when I try to partition and format the drive, I get the message:

'Input/Output error'

So it seems my Mac won't format the drive for use on a Mac, to allow me to boot from it.

I've seen plenty of other people say they've had similar problems, but I haven't really seen a solution yet. The threads they post usually get filled up with people saying 'I have the same problem, let me know if you find out what's wrong' and people giving advice that isn't relevant.

I'm hoping that someone has figured out a solution by now and can offer a clear answer.

I'm sorry if I seem harsh, and I hope I don't just come off as a jerk, but please, if you are unfamiliar with this problem and can't help me or offer a solution, don't post. Or else it will just become another post filled up with a ton of questions and no useful replies.

On the other hand, if you do have a solution, or at least an idea of what the problem is, then by all means reply! And if there is a solution out there that I've missed, please forgive me for wasting the time and space to write about it again here.

Thanks very much!

-Seth
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
Can you please post the Brand and model of your new 320GB drive? Newer SATA drives are SATA2 and older SATA controllers have issues with them. Most good drives have a optional Jumper setting to jumper it back to SATA 1. Tell us the info and I will look it up for you.

We just had a member the other day with that same issue.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
I'm sorry if I seem harsh, and I hope I don't just come off as a jerk, but please, if you are unfamiliar with this problem and can't help me or offer a solution, don't post. Or else it will just become another post filled up with a ton of questions and no useful replies.

You're fortunate that our Staff member Dennis has offered his assistance.

Discouraging members from replying is certainly not going to help you get help. Not only does it sound condescending on your part, it's impolite.
 
OP
A
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi,

Thanks for your help.

The brand is Western Digital and the model number is WD3200BPVT.

I apologize again if I come off as an a-hole, but hopefully Mr. Travis will have a succinct and accurate answer and we'll have a nice, tidy post that will greatly help those searching for a solution for this problem in the future.

I truly do appreciate the help.

-Seth
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
6,879
Reaction score
191
Points
63
Location
Tucson, AZ
Your Mac's Specs
Way... way too many specs to list.
That's a 3Gb/s (SATA 2) drive, from what I know there is no jumper to reduce it to 1.5 (SATA 1).
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
That WD does NOT have the jumper. I went to their jumper chart for that drive. Read this url. It's all about your issue. I would if you can take that drive back and get one from OWC for your machine as all their drives are guaranteed to work!

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3460413?start=0&tstart=0
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
That's a 3Gb/s (SATA 2) drive, from what I know there is no jumper to reduce it to 1.5 (SATA 1).

Their Desktop versions have the jumper but that Blue WD drive does not. Many do but that range does not.
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
6,879
Reaction score
191
Points
63
Location
Tucson, AZ
Your Mac's Specs
Way... way too many specs to list.
Their Desktop versions have the jumper but that Blue WD drive does not. Many do but that range does not.


yea, I'm terse tonight. Was referring to that particular model # :)
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
yea, I'm terse tonight. Was referring to that particular model # :)

That's cool. I went to WD and searched to be sure. I am shocked more don't provide that jumper. Most Seagates I have seen do last time I looked.
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
6,879
Reaction score
191
Points
63
Location
Tucson, AZ
Your Mac's Specs
Way... way too many specs to list.
That's cool. I went to WD and searched to be sure. I am shocked more don't provide that jumper. Most Seagates I have seen do last time I looked.

To be honest, I am too. It's more useful than spread spectrum clocking (for consumers at least)
 
OP
A
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks. I'll definitely return the hard drive.

The fellow in the forum you linked said, "Unfortunately the Scorpio drives do not have a reduction option to sata 1..." and "...Western Digital has produced drives with Sata 1 speed but the maximal size is 250 GB"

Is that true? Does that mean this drive wouldn't work either? Western Digital WD3200BEVE 320.0GB "Scorpio"... in stock at OWC

I was hoping to find something larger than 250GB, too.

Forgive my ignorance. I'm not really familiar with the 'jumper' thing. I did some quick research online but I'm not sure how to tell which drives are adjustable. I can't seem to find the information online...or maybe I just don't know exactly what information I'm looking for.

If WD doesn't have the drive I need, what brand HDD would you recommend?

Thanks for your time!

-Seth
 
OP
A
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Just had a thought...

This seems to be a common enough issue that a guide would come in handy.
I'm not too informed on this sort of stuff, and my knowledge of all things computer-related is relatively poor, so maybe this isn't practical; but I'm just throwing ideas out there.

If anyone blogs or enjoys writing about computer problems, perhaps an 'idiot's guide' could be compiled of all the drives that are able to be 'jumpered' and how to do it. Or maybe there are too many compatible drives?
It could also address other issues that might pop up along the way and some of the other questions people have had.

In any case, it would be nice for people who have this problem in the future to be able to find a solution guide in their searches.

Just an idea.

-Seth
 
OP
A
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
1
For the record, two hard drives that work without jumpers are:

Toshiba MK3252GSX 320GB 2.5" Serial ATA-300 5,400 RPM 8MB Notebook Hard Drive - HDD2H01

and

Hitachi Travelstar 2.5" 500GB 5400RPM SATA II 8MB Cache Internal Hard Drive 0A57915

The Hitachi I found was actually half the price of the Toshiba!

Hope this is helpful to those looking for answers in the future.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top