Formatting my FW/USB external HD

[Mat]

I got a damn cool small enclosure for FW and USB that works well with Mac OS 8.6 and up.
My plan is to use it for any possible computer and all exchange possibilities that might come up. So I wanted to partition it to one HFS+ Partition from/for Mac OS 9 and one FAT32 partition for all the other plattforms. But I ran into heavy problems that I´d never expected, ...

First the partition utility from Mac OS 10.4.11 (where I did a backup job with a single HFS+ partition for a friend first) has no "DOS" option for partitioning. So I moved the HD to my 9 Macs, and there was also not "DOS" option (at the delete volumen option from the Finder, not the formatter/partition utility 2.0.7 that does not work with FW anyways).

So I installed HD Speed Tools, and still had not "DOS" option. But I could format the HD and do 2 partitions in HFS+. Subsequently of using HDST, the Finder offered me to delete the partitions to DOS.
But the problem was when I attached this DOS formatted partition to a Linux or Atari machine, the data where not there, even if the other computers correctly recognized the partitions and its sizes. So I tried it from Linux with GParted, and did the other way round, Created a DOS MBR, two FAT 32 partitions (and planned to change one to a HFS+ at the Mac later). First when I didn´t mark the partitions in Gparted as "boot" Mac OS 9 wasn´t able to mount them and asked me for deleting it. When I marked the partitions as "boot" the mac mounted both of them. But the data from the Linux machines where also not visible for the Mac, even if the Atari and the X systems saw it.

Thats totally wired. Please tell me how I can create such bulletproove partitions in HFS+ (of course without journaling) and a FAT 32 for all systems.

The issue is that I used already such disks that were formatted that way and worked well with Mac OS 9. And aside HDST there is only the old FWB HD ToolKit software that is shaggy with FW from what I read. Perhaps Silverlining?

And usually "deleting" USB Sticks from within Mac OS 9 works well also and creates some clean FAT32, ...

So please, I have any plattform availaible except Win right now. Can you tell me how I can achive my aim?

Again what I like to have:

• 1 HFS+ partition usable from Mac OS 9. Bootable would be nice, but is not mandatory.
• 1 FAT32 Partition usable from Mac OS 9 and all other plattforms for exchanging data, not bootable at any platform.

FW 400/USB2  enclosure.

P.s: I do not like to put the HD out and mess around with SATA converters, … ther ehas to be any way to do it via FW or USB

[Mat]

Really nobody any idea? I am getting a depression, …
After two decades of Mac usage, I never thought I will be lost with any formatting issue ever again.

[Philgood]

I will have a look into this weekend.

[DieHard]

We have about a dozen Data Transfer drives/Ext enclosures that we use here in the shop that are FW400/FW800/eSata/USB so they are very handy going to any type of PC/Mac for data Backup/Cloning/etc. 
SimpleTech Quad Interface
https://www.amazon.com/SimpleTech-PRO1000Q-Drive-Interface-External/dp/B001DH2E6M

Most are setup as 3 Partitions NTFS/FAT32/and Mac OS Extended (HFS Plus); so we can Boot macs to the HFS Plus and run diags, Use FAT32 for some dual Mac/PC data transfers and the NTFS for PC only... unfortunately, my Mac OS9 FW drives are Mac OS 9 ONLY; I have never tried to Partition a single FW drive for G4s, Modern Macs and PCs, so I cannot help

I decided a long time to keep Mac OS 9 FW drives dedicated and not let OS X mount them

[Mat]

that are FW400/FW800/eSata/USB so they are very handy going to any type of PC/Mac for data Backup/Cloning/etc. 
(...) Most are setup as 3 Partitions NTFS/FAT32/and Mac OS Extended (HFS Plus); so we can Boot macs to the HFS Plus and run diags, Use FAT32 for some dual Mac/PC data transfers

Exactly! I worked with such drives as well, so how are they partitioned, with witch tool?

Somebody here has to know what needs to be done!

[DieHard]

NP... quite easy...

On a Mac (with SL) in Disk utility create 2 partitions... but save some room for an NTFS partition

1st one FAT, 2nd HFS+ journaled or non jounaled; Option for whole drive is "PC... MBR" NOT Intel Mac GUID

Then connect external to Win7 PC and crate the last one as NTFS, be sure to leave the drive as "basic" do NOT convert it to dynamic and also leave it as MBR (Not GUID)

[Mat]

Let´s see if it is quite easy, I thought gparted should do the job as well correctly, ...

What is "with SL"?

"HFS+ journaled or non jounaled" means a "non Mac Os 9 Mac", right?

[DieHard]

Let´s see if it is quite easy, I thought gparted should do the job as well correctly, ...

What is "with SL"?

"HFS+ journaled or non jounaled" means a "non Mac Os 9 Mac", right?

1) Sure.. Gparted would work as will other utilities, I am just telling you how I did it

2) Yes.. Non Mac OS 9 as "SL" mean "Snow Leopard"

[Mat]

1) Sure.. Gparted would work as will other utilities, I am just telling you how I did it

No, it does not! Exactly that is one of my problems. As I said, when I create a DOS MBR and two FAT32 partitions, the data are not visible at Mac OS 9, even if the partitions are mounted and the size is correctly recognised by the Finder. Also Data from the Mac are not visible at the Linux machine. :-(

2) Yes.. Non Mac OS 9 as "SL" mean "Snow Leopard"

Oh, no such machine around anywhere. Just Mac OS 9, Ubuntu and Tiger are reachable for me. (no Win, no higher X)

[Mat]

I am sad that I have to execute such methods, but:
Either you satisfy my demands by finding a solution for my HD, or I will kill this little puppy by damping it! ;-p

[mrhappy]

I am sad that I have to execute such methods, but:
Either you satisfy my demands by finding a solution for my HD, or I will kill this little puppy by damping it! ;-p

Killing a poor little Plus is just going too far!!! Besides... MacOS9Lives does NOT negotiate with terrorists!!

[Mat]

Well, you have to account whatever is happening with the Plus, ... it is not my responsibility - it is yours! Telling me a solution for formatting my HD, doable with Mac OS 9, 10.4 or Ubuntu is not too much, ... so please, try to do everything, so that no Plus gets hurt!



Something serious, does anybody have a late Silverlining, or any hint what was the latest version? I found reports that LaCie was selling 2TB drives in 2008 with MacOS 9 Silverlining, ...

[Philgood]

Yes. I have that hard drive from LACIE. I think it includes the software package you are looking for. The problems is I'm very busy at work and at home at the moment...will try to up the package as soon as possible...

[Mat]

Any news about the latest Silverlining?

Or any ideas about any solution with Mac OS 9, Ubuntu or Tiger? Thats totally crazy, I feel like an absolute beginner, ...

[nanopico]

I had my FW drive split like this (one HFS and one FAT32)
Because it had to be setup with MBR as the partion type I could never boot the HFS partition.  But the FAT32 was seen by all the machines. (OS 9, OS X, Windows).
I used drive setup (in OS 9) for mine.  Specified two partitions and the two types I wanted and then it worked.
I will try it again when I am at home after work today.

[Mat]

Because it had to be setup with MBR as the partion type I could never boot the HFS partition.

I am aware, that I cannot boot from the machine, once I use a FAT32 partition (and thus a MBR).

I used drive setup (in OS 9) for mine.  Specified two partitions and the two types I wanted and then it worked.
I will try it again when I am at home after work today.

I doubt that you used Mac OS 9 Drive Setup, as it does not support formatting or partitioning of FW (or USB) drives.
It would be great if you can have a look at home how you exactly did it.


Here is what I tried again in the meantime: I formatted the drive again with gparted. Two FAT 32 partitions this time. These partitions get not mounted in Mac OS 9 with FireWire.
They took ages to get mounted in 10.4.11 - about 5 minutes.
So I decided to give it another try with 10.4.11 and hooked the HD up to the G5s USB.
Suddenly Drive Setup of X (Version 10.5.6) offered me "MS DOS" as partition option. So I formatted the drive again with MBR and one "HFS+" (BTW what is the difference here between "HFS+" and "HFS+ (Upper/Lower case)"?), and one FAT32 partition.
Hooked it up to the 9 machine, and no partition got mounted with FW, but the FAT32 with USB 1, ...

So I formatted the drive again with 10.4.11 but this time with 2 FAT32 partitions at the USB and checked at FW - worked. Now I got the same resoults at 9 with FW and USB. Always the first FAT32 partition was mounted but not the 2nd.

Subsequently I checked my 9 for any FW issues, and put all the HDST FW extensions off (the whole FireSCSI stuff) and turned iPod FW enabler on again, as the description only said "FW Mass Storage driver". But that didn´t change anything.

As I had the same USB and FW issues with 2 FAT32 devices, I don´t think it is connected to the 9 machine, but to the formatting that X does.

[Mat]

The never ending story is going on, ...

I did the unbelivable, and hooked up an X 10.5.8 drive to the G4. Then I used Drive Setup Version 11.1 and this time I got all the MSDOS options for partitioning also with the drive hooked up to FW, not only USB. So I did again 2 FAT partitions. But, similar result at the 9 machine, only the 2nd partition gets mounted, ... but not the first partition evne if it is as well FAT32 like the 2nd, ... crazy isn't it?

So I tried again gparted at the Lubuntu machine, and did two FAT32 partitions, but this time without BOOT flag. They are not mounted at Mac OS 9.

So my last try for today was 9 again with HDST (this time without the FireSCSI extensions), and I created two PC_DOS volumes. That worked and both got mounted at the 9. But as the last time the HDST-partitions had problems at other systems, I decided to try to use the "format" option, not only partitioning. So recently the 9 Mac if formatting the HD and will take another 4 hours before he is done. No idea if it is real formatting or what HDST is doing as it is called "zeroing media and all partition". I fear that it is just writing 0 to the drive, but let's see.

[GaryN]

No idea if it is real formatting or what HDST is doing as it is called "zeroing media and all partition". I fear that it is just writing 0 to the drive, but let's see.

Of course it's writing zeroes across the entire drive - that's why it takes so long. You left the format prefs set to "secure".

[nanopico]

I stand corrected. I do not recall how I did it but I did.
So sorry for the hopes.

[Philgood]

I finally could bootup my MDD to look what I have on the CD from my external Lacie drive...I made a photo from the screen...