MacBook Pro 15-inch, 2.53GHz, Mid 2009 doesn't like WD10JPVT HDD when it's inside, although it does

27/2/2012

5 Comments

 
All was looking good until I installed 1.0TB WD10JPVT inside my MacBook Pro. The specification did not indicate anything apart from Advanced Format. But as long as it worked via USB2.0 when docked in "All in 1 HDD Docking", I naively thought it will be just fine when connected via SATA inside the MacBook Pro. 

MacBook saw this hard drive as 125GB one, 8x less than 1.0TB, which would indicate there is a problem with the Advanced Format. When I put that HDD into a WD external enclosure it was the same, wether via USB2.0 or FW800, still the 1.0TB GUID Partition Table (GPT) wasn't recognised and it was ready to format it in 125GB claiming that Partition Table was "Master Boot Record".

I really like the way Lion works, so I will stick to it via that USB2.0, for now. Once I cloned that installation I am using for work, I will put that hard drive inside MacBook and I will try to format it again, but when it is plugged via SATA.


Edit: Final result of this exercise is that all is working fine now. The drive needed to be formatted when connected via SATA inside the MacBook Pro. Happy days.
5 Comments
JjP
28/2/2012 08:02:05 pm

I moved the Lion with my workshop into another drive, I put the 1.0TB WD10JPVT drive in question into MacBook Pro, so it is connected via SATA. I created the partition again and MacBook Pro can see the whole 1.0TB on that drive. Over night I will CCC into that drive the data back.

Conclusion: When changing the HDD in MacBook Pro (maybe it is relevant to other computers as well), replace it and then format it. Formatting it in an USB2.0 enclosure does not guarantee it will work when placed inside.

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KK
19/4/2012 08:41:24 am

HI,

Thank you for your article which I am facing the same problem. However, I am still not able to solve this quickly because when I switch the WD drive with my existing internal HDD i.e. HDD connect using USB and WD using internal SATA, the cloning speed was down from ~20M/s to around 1M/s (6 hours ~ 30GB and I have a 500GB to clone :() Any suggestion ?

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JjP
30/4/2012 09:44:57 pm

I'm not sure if I can help you. The problem might be with the USB interface you have. As long as your WD had the correct capacity, it is probably worth waiting until the cloning is done. Otherwise if you have a chance to get a FireWire HDD enclosure and put your HDD in there, it should be much faster.

I remember I had such slow cloning problem once with iMac G5, but I just cloned the drive and I did not try to solve it.

Have you tried to use another USB cable?

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KK
1/5/2012 12:04:42 am

Hi JiP, Thank you for your reply. Since you have started the blog, might as well I write down what I have done. The WD drive is actually has some problem, although it passed disk utility verified test.

After replacing a new WD, I install the WD into the machine then boot up using MacOS install CD, and install OS into it. It took around 1 hour or so (still better than >10 hours for the previous one). After OS installation, I use migrate assistance and to migrate the existing HDD connect via external USB to this internal WD, it took around 6 hours for 500GB which is normal.

Hope this will help others facing similar problem.

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Sophia Joyce link
17/6/2023 05:08:20 pm

Greeat blog post

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