Format new network drive as FAT32 or HSF+?

Hi,
I've searched but can't find a clear answer on this —
I've just purchased a new Lacie 500GB network drive. I can mount the drive fine via ethernet network and by USB. The drive is now on a home network of only Mac computers, some still connected to the network via ethernet and one laptop via wireless.
I want the new network drive to be an archive site for all my family's data, including music, photos and movies, and for that data to be independantly available for playing on each machine when they connect somewhere on the network.
My question is — before I start transferring all that data to the new drive, in what format would it be best for me to prepare it?
It is currently formatted as FAT32. What are the advantages of HSF+? Is it in my long-term benefit to leave the drive as FAT32 or reformat it now into HSF+? If I did change to HSF+, could such a change potentially disrupt the operating system of the drive itself?
I'm sorry I don't have much experience with this so your advice would be welcome.
Thanks
P.

Thanks for pointing out your confusion!
Seems I did miss the Network Drive part, yet looking at this pdf...
http://www.lacie.com/download/whitepaper/wpetherneten.pdf
It say Mini, but if I decipher it correctly, it looks like it might support HFS+, not sure.
I'd try it based on that I have a Ximeta 200GB Network Drive, (Ethernet 10/100 or USB2), and it came Fat32 formatted, and I made it HFS+), combined with the fact that OSX's Disk Utility can Format, (reformat), drives that big to Fat32... only XP can't, ME,98, 2000 and such can.

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How to format an external drive as FAT32?

Hi. In 10.4, you used to be able to format drives as FAT32. Seems 10.5 has lost this ability. I need to format a drive in order to recover some lost data from a nearly dead PC. Unfortunately, the PC cannot do the formatting so the only "live" computer I have is my Mac. If this cannot be done in 10.5, is there an external utility that can do this for me?
Thanks!
p.s I've got Parallels and XP2, but it won't recognize my Lacie USB drive when I plug it in, perhaps because it's formatted for Mac.

I take it then that you don't have XP running natively either on your Mac.
Leopard has made changes so that sometimes a FW or USB2 drive won't mount or show up, which often means that new OS X requires a firmware update for the bridge it uses - Oxford or some other - and the vendor needs updated firmware.
That leads to a 'catch-22' situation.
If you boot from a DVD (Tiger or Leopard) same problem? FAT (or MSDOS) has always worked here, any size, even mixed.
If you do get it to mount, I would go to Partition tab in DU, then Options... and change it to Master Boot Record.
I know you want FAT, but just to see if it helps, you could try the NTFS driver MacFUSE 3G to see if it helps any (it can format to NTFS if the drive is using MBR).
Try plugging in the USB drive after the system is booted if you haven't yet. IntechUSA Speedtools has a PC Format utility, but I don't think it really adds anything and costs as much as a new drive would, which is always one option.
http://www.macsales.com/firewire - never had any trouble with these.

How do I format a flash drive to fat32

I need to reformat a flash drive to FAT32 and do not know how to do this. I am new to the OS environment, I just recently swithed from Windows to Macs

Flash drives normally are Fat32,
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If there is anything on this drive it will be erased.

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I copied all the files onto the the new drive, but now I have to tell iTunes that the files are not longer on a volume called MUSICHD. Could somebody be so kind and give me an advice how to do it. Shure I could re-import all the music files, but I don't like to loose all my ratings, playlists, etc.
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PowerMac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.3) iPod 5G

to be precise. I don't let iTunes manage my files. All my mp3 files are on a NAS ( Network Attached Storage ) device ( it's a 300 GB Harddisk with a 1GBit network connection from Buffalow ).
If I add mp3 files to my library I first copy it to the NAS device and than drag and drop the files to the iTunes library. So iTunes only manages the links to that files. Files are not imported or copied to/with iTunes.
Now I have to replace that NAS device by another one. Due to this replacement I have to change the network volume-name of the device. This share is part of the link in the iTunes database for each file.
If you look into the xml file you'll find something like this:
<key>Location</key><string>file://localhost/Volumes/SHARE/MUSIK/Blues/Dupree,%20Champion%20Jack/Blues%20From%20the%20Gutter/Dupree,%20Cha mpion%20Jack%20-%20Blues%20From%20the%20Gutter%20-%2001%20-%20Strollin'.mp3</str ing>
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Format new hard drive

Hello,
I have some issues with the new hard drive I am currently installing. My old hard drive crashed on my MacBook Pro (Mid 12) and I bought a new hard drive to use. The problem is that I can not erase and format the hard drive to work with the operation system in the Disk Utility. I managed to partition it on a different mac, but then only changed the external settings. Is there any way I can change the internal settings through a USB with a different MacBook?
Thank you for any suggestions!
Tobias

Do this:
Install OS X Using Internet Recovery
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
Boot to the Internet Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND-OPTION- R keys until a globe appears on the screen. Wait patiently - 15-20 minutes - until the Recovery main menu appears.
Partition and Format the hard drive:
Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
After DU loads select your newly installed hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.
This should restore the version of OS X originally pre-installed on the computer.

Format USB Jump Drive as Fat32

I want to format a USB jump drive in Fat32 so that I can use it with a Archos 700 (a video recorder/player)
I used Disk Utility to format the USB Jump Drive as MS-Dos File System but my Archos could not "see" the Jump Drive. I also noticed that the Jump Drive showed up as Fat16 via "get info" on my iMac.
Any suggestions...?

PSA wrote:
I used Disk Utility to format the USB Jump Drive as MS-Dos File System but my Archos could not "see" the Jump Drive. I also noticed that the Jump Drive showed up as Fat16 via "get info" on my iMac.
I'm guessing that DiskUtility automatically selects FAT16 or FAT32 depending on the
capacity of the drive. I've formatted large (320GB) HDDs as "MS-DOS File System" --
and they come out FAT32.
The only thing I can suggest is using a Windoze machine -- or BootCamp/VMware.
...I hate "friendly" software,
Looby

Using time machine to format new hard drive

Hi there, hope this is a relatively easy question!
Long story short, my macbook pro's harddrive recently decided to stop working. I will being installing a new one in the next few days. I've made a bootable USB drive with Mavericks on it, however my time machine save was a couple of months ago (yes I know, I know) completed just before I updated to Mavericks.
If I install Mavericks onto my new hard drive and then restore the pro using my time machine will it cause any problems? I would think it would just restore back to the previous OS and I'll just have to download Mavericks again? Or would you recommend using Migration Assistant instead - but from what I've read this doesn't actually bring any of your previous programmes/apps into your new hard drive?
I don't really have anything important on my hard drive so I'm not bothering with trying to recover data from it.
Thanks in advance for your help! Hopefully this means I can soon be reunited with my pro!

little_lab_rat wrote:
If I install Mavericks onto my new hard drive and then restore the pro using my time machine will it cause any problems?
Of course not. Moreover, Migration Assistant (and Setup Assistant) is designed to transfer Time Machine backups created with an older Mac OS X version, so this is not a problem.
What you can do is to restore the Time Machine backup first (hold Command and R keys while your Mac is starting up, choose the option to restore a Time Machine backup, and follow the steps), and then, download OS X Mavericks from the Mac App Store and upgrade.
Another option you have is to download the OS X Mavericks installer from the bootable USB drive and point it to install to the internal hard drive. Then, during its setup, it will ask you to transfer your files from a backup.
little_lab_rat wrote:
Or would you recommend using Migration Assistant instead - but from what I've read this doesn't actually bring any of your previous programmes/apps into your new hard drive?
If I were you, I would choose the second option I gave you. That option allows you to choose what files you want to restore, so you will have a cleaner OS X copy that may improve performance, and it takes less time than the first option. Also, there's no risk, because in the first option, the Mavericks upgrade may fail.

Format New Hard Drive Without CD

A little background on what I am doing before I get to the questions I need help with.
I am putting a 1.5TB Drive replacing my 320GB original hard drive in my MacBook Pro (Mid 2009). I am upgrading my storage space because I do not have enough for what I am doing with my computer. While I am in working on my computer I also am going to be replacing my CD drive with a data doublers and putting my 320GB hard drive in its place. I am planning on using the 1.5TB for Mavericks and the 320GB for a Windows 8. I will also be putting my SuperDrive that was previously removed and installing it into a OWC SuperSlim USB 2.0 Optical Drive enclosure so I still have the option to use a CD when I rarely need.
I don't think that I have any question about the install of the hardware because of all the many repair manuals out there. I more need help with the software end of things. I am looking to do a fresh install of just the operating software and then I'll bring all my files in and configure all my setting manually.
My questions are:
1.) When I install all the stuff as described above and reassemble my computer, If i just hit the power button will my computer start up off my original hard drive because it still had the operating software on it?
2.) If no to question 1, How do I format my new disk without having a CD to run disk utility? (My Optical drive enclosure hads not arrived yet and I also do not have any version of a operating software CD.)
Thanks for the help.

To complete Network 23, and just in case, you may save all your datas, and create a MacOS "dvd" on a flashdrive, just to be able to boot from something if you need a complete and clean install.
Anyway, even if you can boot from you original disk after having installed the new one, I'd be surprised you may transfer everything on your new drive due to system running.
What I did when changing my drive (160GB => 500GB SSHD) to install Mavericks and gain some space was :
- create a backup
- create a system flashdrive
- install macos
- import my datas from original drive (in a usb case)
and that's it!
And I had no use of my backup (but I always prefer having double security than losing years of files...)

Need help to partition and format new hard drive for T400

The HDD failed in my T400. I bought a new 1TB HDD and fitted it. The diagnostic software in the BIOS did a read and controller test (Passed). When I put the Windows XP disk in the CD reader, the setup started - then stalled at the "Windows setup" page. I thought the hard drive had a write problem but apparently it must be partitioned and formatted first, before Widows setup can commence. The thing is that I can't get to the option where Windows formats the drive. In old computers, there was always a partitioning option in the BIOS setup but in my T400, there doesn't appear to be any such option. The computer has 4GB RAM, the actual model is 2767-RV8.
Does anyone have any suggestions how to get this up and running?
One other question is - (assuming I can get the thing working) - Is there somewhere I can load the operating system on part of the hard drive where it can act as a fall back in case the operating system gets corrupted? - i.e. something that can't get attacked by malicious software?
Thanks in advance for any assistance.
Ian

Hi irivlin,
If you are trying to clean install XP, then you have to do following setting in BIOS first:
Press F1 to BIOS, Config -> Serial ATA (SATA) -> change to "Compatibility"
You can change XP partition only if you are doing clean installation, otherwise you have to use 3rd party to do it.
For backup part, there are lots of choices in the market. You might consider using XP own backup function. Lenovo got a program called Rescue and Recovery can also do backup as well.
How to use the Backup utility to back up files and folders in Windows XP Home Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320820/en-us
Rescue and Recovery® 4.23 by Lenovo
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/product-and-parts/detail.page?&LegacyDocID=MIGR-76225
Fred
T61 + X201i

How to format new hard drive for Apple TV when you can't use old HD

I need to know how to format a new HD to install in my Apple TV where I can't use the old HD to clone or otherwise create the new structure on the new HD.
I have an Apple TV that was syncing to a Mac Mini that had a defective HD and logic board. I was unable to backup the Apple TV to the Mac Mini for some time before I had the mini repaired by AppleCare.
When the mini came back, it registered on the Apple TV as a new computer and I couldn't sync with it without losing hundreds of dollars of content.
All was okay until the other night when Apple's defective update for the ATV erased ALL my content. I updated it to 3.1 this morning, which Apple indicated might fix the problem. It didn't. The old content is all gone.
My ATV is out of warranty, so I removed the old HD and copied the files from the "Purchased" folder to my mini. That saved most 101 items that I purchased since 12/08 (but not all for some reason). I lost all content prior to 12/08 that I purchased, as well as some content since 12/08 that I purchased.
I need to keep the old HD untouched until I can purchase data recovery software. I'd like to just put a spare IDE HD in that I have into the ATV and just start over with what is in my Mac mini iTunes.
So, how does one do that? I'm not gifted with vast Unix knowledge or experience and I don't want to clone the old HD and risk losing more data if it writes to the HD for some reason.
Thanks.

Hi Atagahi,
Firstly, have you emailed Apple iTunes support indicating your issue? There have been instances in which Apple will allow re-downloading of all content you've purchased on the iTunes store.
Secondly, I highly recommend you get an external usb hard drive, attach it to your mini and use it as a Time Machine drive to keep your iTunes purchases safe. It's a fact of life that all hard disk drives will eventually fail. The Apple TV should never be used as any kind of permanent storage space; think of it as a 'temporary holding' zone. And as you've unfortunately already experienced, a glitch wiped out all content on the Apple TV.
As regards your original question, it seems like there have been folks who've done just that...taken the internal drive in the Apple TV out and attached it to a mac and copied files from the Apple TV hard drive. I have not had to do such, so I cannot offer any help here except for Linda's suggestion on googling the net for solutions.
Good luck and hope you get all your purchased content back Atagahi!
Message was edited by: Alec

Can't open disk utility at startup, can't format new hard drive

My hard drive on my 2011 macbook pro recently went out, so I purchased a new one. I plugged it in internally and brought up disk utility in internet recovery, but it didn't recognize the drive. So I tried using an external hard drive reader, but now recovery mode can't be accessed at all, whether I press option or command r after startup, it still gives me the same gray folder with a question mark icon. Is my recovery mode damaged, and is that possible to fix?

You can use an external USB disk/flash drive which has Recovery (or a full OS - requires a 16GB disk space on a USB flash or a JHFS+ partition with the OSX) on it. Boot from that recovery USB drive. if Internet Recovery worked once, the MBP is already capable of repeating it. It requires an Ethernet or WiFi connection. If neither is available, or is spotty, Internet Recovery will not work. Can you try Internet recovery via Ethernet cable, if all your previous attempts have been via WiFi?
If the drive is not recognized when plugged into the internal SATA bus, either a cable is not plugged in properly (the replacement drive never showed up successfully as per the OP even once, or the drive is DoA). It should be tested externally. Pulling the drive out and putting it back is fairly easy in the 2011/2012 MBPs. The cable could have been damaged during the replacement. The non-drive end of SATA/IR Sensor cable on the main logic board could be loose or damaged.
If you have a external cable SATA-to-USB or SATA-to-FW (very unlikely), format the new drive using a different PC/MAC to make sure it is not DoA. What brand/model is this new drive? Is it an SSD? It may require a FW upgrade.
If there is a second MAC available, a Target Disk Mode boot (press T while powering up the mac with the new drive) may allow the second working mac to format the new drive via Disk Utility.

Time Machine automatically formats new external drive CASE-SENSITIVE?

I noticed a strange thing when I set up Time Machine. I'd bought an external drive that was presumably pre-formatted as FAT32 or NTFS, so when I connected it and told Time Machine to use that drive, it told me it needed to format the drive, so I told it to go ahead.
It happened so fast that I wanted to make sure it had worked, so I checked the stats on the drive, and I noticed that it was formatted "Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Case-sensitive)". I thought it was a bit odd that it was formatted case-sensitive. When I google for this, the only thing I find is people saying that the external drive should NOT be case-sensitive.
So what's going on here? Should it be case-sensitive? Is this a glitch? Should I be concerned? Should those who don't use case-sensitive be concerned?
Thanks!

Well, I've been reading through some other discussions in this forum, and some people have attributed problems with Time Machine to the disk being formatted case-sensitive. So the issue is still up in the air. So far, I've only done an initial backup, and that worked fine. I've also read about people having trouble with subsequent backups. Also, some people report that Apple's tech support instructions specify that you format the drive explicitly without case-sensitivity. There are inconsistencies here, and Apple is mum about the details. So this kinda leaves this up in the air.
BTW, you say the drive will only be used for TM. Is that necessarily the case? I mean, can't I use it to store other files? I got a 500GB disk because it was on sale (a My Book for $125), and I figure it'll take a while to fill up, so why not use the disk for other things?

Formatting new ATA drive

I've installed a new Maxtor 300 GB ATA/100 drive in the remaining bay in my G4. I rebooted and everything runs normally, and the drive shows up in the disk utility window, but it is not yet formatted. I presume that I should go ahead and partition the drive to complete the process.
Given the size of this drive, what partition size would be recommended. I'm primarily looking at storage for video, audio, and photo files.

Hello! If you only want one partition I would go to the partition tab and partition it as one partition and then go to the erase panel and erase using the zero data option to map out bad blocks since often a new drive has a few. then you're good to go. Beware it takes several hours (probably overnight on a 300 gig drive) to erase using the zero data option. Tom

Format new hard drive without optical drive

Hey All,
My hard drive crashed a few months ago in my 2010 Macbook Pro. I bought and replaced the HD but didn't realize my optical drive does not work. I was running Lion on it. So now how do I format my HD without discs, without an optical drive that works? I also have an iMac and have read somewhat on how to do it from a Firewire or external USB but not having much luck.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I've tried cleaning my optical drive. I even took it out of the machine and cleaned it all out the best I could and to see if there was anything my kids had stuck in there. Put it back in and still nothing.
I was able to get it to fire up disk utility and tried to install OS Mavericks via the online route but it just tells me there's a problem that exists and to try again. Doesn't matter how many times I try again, it doesn't work. I've tried installing from a Time Machine backup but when I select which volume it doesn't show me a hard drive to restore it to. I'm assuming this is because I don't have an OS loaded on the drive yet.
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Formatting new LaCie drives?

I just got 3 500g LaCie firewire 800 drives for a project that I am about to start. I will be dragging the clips from the editors computer so I can work on it at home. I know the drives are good to go out of the box, but is there any formatting I should do first specifically for FCP? I will be daisychaining the drives together.
Thanks
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Yeah, zeroing is a good thing . . . if you have the time. That will mark bad sectors, I think, which is a Good Thing.
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Format new network drive as FAT32 or HSF+?

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