A hard drive is a device for permanent or long-term storage in computers.
36
votes
5answers
3k views
Do Macs need to be defragmented?
I don't see any application to defragment my Mac (running OS X).
Is defragmenting not necessary for Mac OS X? If so, why not?
10
votes
1answer
3k views
Replacing SuperDrive with secondary storage?
I'm familiar with the OWC Data Doubler, a kit which allows you to remove your Macbook's SuperDrive and replace it with secondary storage.
What alternatives exist for this product?
A complete answer ...
15
votes
5answers
2k views
Does the use of SSD give one a dramatic performance boost?
I use Mac book pro 15", and it's time to buy a new one.
For HDD, now I see a new option of SSD, which is pretty expensive.
I can expect shorter boot-up time and faster access of files, but I'm not ...
9
votes
4answers
1k views
What are some tips for replacing my MacBook Pro hard disk with SSD?
I would like to replace my MacBook pro hard disk with an SSD, without reinstalling everything. I am looking for your experience on
good SSD drive models that have good performance at a fair price
...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
MacBook SSD replacement — sudden motion shock sensor in optical bay?
When looking to upgrade a MacBook Pro with a solid state drive (SSD), one option is to:
First, install the SSD instead of the spinning hard disk drive (HDD).
Then, install the HDD instead of the ...
3
votes
8answers
566 views
Checking for bad blocks without formatting
My Mac tends to pause every now then when preforming simple tasks such as right clicking, opening menus and typing (It actually just froze when I started typing this question.).
I've read in a few ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Trouble with SSD/HDD in Macbook Pro Mid 2009
When my original HDD crashed I wanted to change it and choose a Samsung HDD (I don't not the exact model anymore). The problem with this one was that the system often hanged for several seconds until ...
1
vote
1answer
515 views
What type of bracket to use for HDD/SSD in optical bay? (MCE vs. OWC)
Looking for a bracket/adapter/caddy for installing a HDD/SSD where the MacBook Pro SuperDrive used to be.
There are two general types:
1) Minimalist open-type brackets (in the truest sense of the ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Accessing events on external drive in iMovie '11 on Lion
I have my iMovie events stored on my external harddrive (located in a Synology NAS). It worked like a charm with iMovie '11 on Snow Leopard.
I then received my new MBP with Lion and the external ...
7
votes
2answers
6k views
How can I get Automator to mount a network volume?
I am writing an Automator "script" that rsyncs media on my 10.6.3 MacBook Pro to my Ubuntu 10.10 HTPC. I can make Automator run my shell script for rsync commands, but I can't make Automator mount the ...
9
votes
2answers
7k views
Is File Vault 2 whole disk encryption or whole partition encryption?
Can I use File Vault to encrypt only some of the partitions on my disk (so that I can still have unencrypted and Windows partitions on the same disk), or does File Vault encrypt the whole disk so that ...
4
votes
1answer
247 views
Diagnose disk I/O per application
I have a Leopard system which feels rather sluggish, and which I suspect may be disk-I/O-bound. While I know how to check which app is using CPU or memory (top or Activity Monitor), I don’t really ...
2
votes
1answer
671 views
“Other” Storage space in Sys Info [duplicate]
I have MBP with Lion. In my Sys Info it says 170.12GB of space is being used by "Other". How do I determine what this Other space is and how to clean it up if possible?
1
vote
1answer
2k views
How to restore from a Time Machine backup when there is already a user account set up?
I can't figure out how to access my Time Machine backups since Apple replaced a defective hard drive.
Some Background:
My setup: iMac 24" (Early 2009), 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo, OS X 10.7.3. I have been ...
7
votes
2answers
354 views
How can I move my data to the new harddrive?
So I am planning to upgrade my Macbook pro's harddrive to a SSD. I don't know much Mac OS X tools, so I was wondering if anyone could let me know how I can copy my entire harddrive (including OS) to ...
5
votes
7answers
1k views
What are the best disk cloning tools?
Money is no object. I want a bit for bit perfect copy of a hard drive/partition which is bootable (is either possible) to be used in a backup regimen.
I have heard of some tools but your ...
2
votes
3answers
160 views
Completely erased my Leopard machine from another computer, how do I install an OS on it?
I started up my computer in Target Disk Mode and erased it from a friends Mac thinking that I could then install Mountain Lion without installing Snow Leopard. Do I have any way of getting my machine ...
2
votes
2answers
656 views
Hard drive read only access with Mac
I have an external usb hard drive that I used to connect on my old PC laptop. There are some files I created with the laptop on this hard drive.
Now, I can only read those files with my Mac notebook
...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
What are next steps when fsck reports “could not be repaired after 3 attempts”?
My Mac Book Pro 13.-" doesn´t get past the grey booting screen with the apple and the spinning wheel (The loading bar appears but when it´s done nothing happens)
I have 220 GB in one single ...
0
votes
2answers
135 views
Two older Macs (G3 / Intel) need their drives erased. No install discs
I have two older Macs in which I want to erase the hard drive. Secure-erase is a plus, but not a show-stopper at this point. I don't have any Mac OS X discs so I can't use disc utility.
What I'd ...
0
votes
2answers
701 views
How do I replace the hard drive in my circa 2008 iMac?
My circa 2008 iMac hung up today and wouldn't reboot -- it just hung on boot with the Apple logo and the spinner. I booted the Snow Leopard DVD and ran Disk Utility on the drive. It told me the drive ...
24
votes
3answers
7k views
What are the differences between journaling HFS+ and non-journaling HFS+?
I'm about to format an external hard disk drive (HDD).
What are the key differences between journaling HFS+ and non-journaling HFS+? Apart from the fact that one has journaling and the other does ...
12
votes
3answers
3k views
FAT or exFAT or NTFS
I recently brought Western Digital's Passport Essential, and will be using with my MacBook (running Snow Leopard), MacBook Air (running Lion) and Windows 7 Desktop. I should be able to read-write data ...
7
votes
4answers
699 views
Which process is periodically writing to the disk?
Even when I am not doing anything on my Mac, I see a lot of Disk IO: "Data Written per Sec" in Activity Monitor showns continuous writes:
Is this normal? Why would some process continuously write? ...
5
votes
4answers
175 views
How do I determine the speed of a disk drive?
I'm looking for a way to determine the read/write speed of a disk drive, either by looking up some system information or running a simple benchmark test utility.
4
votes
2answers
415 views
What process is accessing the hard drive?
I can hear the hard drive chugging away when it should be idle. Some process is writing/reading from it in semi-random bursts, let's say once every second. Very annoying and wasteful.
I tried ...
3
votes
1answer
242 views
Is it a good idea to seal off the optical drive bay after installing a second HDD?
When installing a HDD instead of the SuperDrive:
Does the bracket, which holds the HDD, seal off the optical drive slot in the unibody?
If not, it seems that debris and dust could get in. (I guess ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Tracking down frequent (every 20 seconds) SCSI hard disk drive access in 10.7
In a Lion Server (10.7.3 and 10.7.4 tried) system with multiple drives attached to an HPT SATA controller, there is some process that keeps accessing the hard disk drives exactly every 20 seconds. As ...
3
votes
2answers
3k views
How to fix Disk Utility, About This Mac, and Finder that disagree on hard drive space usage?
Has anyone seen this issue and know how to fix it?
Look at the free space reported by running "Get Info" on my hard drive (Macintosh HD) in the Finder, "About This Mac" from the Apple Menu, and Disk ...
2
votes
3answers
3k views
How can I tell if my iMac's hard drive is dying?
A couple of days ago, my three-year-old iMac locked up. When I rebooted it, it only displayed a folder icon with a flashing question mark. After a couple more reboot attempts, it booted. I ran Disk ...
1
vote
4answers
2k views
What can I do to check the integrity of the hard drive and all its files, to see if they are corrupt or not?
Recently there has been some files disappearing (in iTunes), and I'm not so sure of the extent of this problem yet. Perhaps it may have been an iTunes upgrade bug, but I'm not so sure.
What can I do ...
4
votes
4answers
231 views
Time Machine External Drive
What factors are important when selecting an external hard drive for time machine backups?
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Issues with installing SSD instead of DVD drive?
It is common to replace a MacBook Pro's hard disk drive (HDD) with an solid state drive (SSD), however, that may pose a threat to the HDD if installed in the optical bay instead of the SuperDrive.*
...
1
vote
1answer
482 views
Compatible SSD for Macbook Pro (replace HDD)?
Any special compatibility concerns when replacing the HDD on a MBP with an SSD? I am running Parallels with XP Pro and Ubuntu and have been disk bound for some time. Not too concerned about size, ...
0
votes
2answers
110 views
For bad and/or marginal blocks on hard disks, can anything be more effective than a single pass of zeros?
There's a good discussion in Apple Support Communities –
Disk Utility: for bad blocks on hard disks, are seven overwrites any more effective than a single pass of zeros? (2011-04-21)
A highlight:
...
14
votes
2answers
2k views
How can I disable the 2nd hard drive in my 27" iMac?
I have an 2010 27" iMac with an SSD and a regular hard drive. Now that I've been using the machine for some time and have not come close to filling the SSD, I'd like to disable the spinning hard drive ...
9
votes
3answers
854 views
Is it necessary to eject external drives before logging out, restarting, or shutting down?
Is it necessary or recommended practice to eject external drives before logging out, restarting, or shutting down? (The drives are not being unplugged.)
BTW, I am aware that I need to eject my ...
9
votes
9answers
3k views
What is the benefit of using flash memory in the Macbook Air?
I don't understand why Apple does not use SSD drives in the Macbook Air like some other manufacturers to (e.g. Asus, Samsung). The technical specifications of the Macbook Air on Apple's website never ...
7
votes
8answers
5k views
Macbook HD “Other” all the Sudden Almost Full
As you can see in the below image, my HD "Other" category is almost full. A couple of days ago, I randomly kept getting a popup saying that my disk was almost full. Then I went in and noticed the ...
4
votes
5answers
3k views
Do 2.5" SATA HDDs in an external enclosure need extra power over USB with Windows?
MacBook Pro 2008 motherboard failed. Upon sending it to an Apple authorized repair center, they confirmed this. They gave me the laptop back so I could open 'er up and get the hard disk out, which I ...
4
votes
1answer
276 views
How can I write files to iPod's internal disk on Windows?
when trying it I get the "can't do that" icon
How can I copy new photos to the iPod?
3
votes
3answers
11k views
What is the best free hard drive diagnostics app for Mac OS X?
My MacBook Pro (described below) fell 5 feet while it was powered on. Would the sudden motion sensor be able to turn off the hard drives in time? Also, can anyone recommend the best (free) hard drive ...
3
votes
1answer
447 views
Is it possible to use Time Machine on a shared USB Hardrive?
I've a iMac with an external HD derserved to Time Machine. I also have a MacBookPro.
Is it possible to make this config :
Share the disk on the iMac so that the MBP sees it on the network
Ask Time ...
2
votes
3answers
700 views
How does OSX assign disk numbers?
I have four drives inside my Mac Pro.
Bay 1: /dev/disk1s3
Bay 2: /dev/disk0s2
Bay 3: /dev/disk2s2 (also, my boot drive)
Bay 4: /dev/disk3s2 and /dev/disk3s3
How are the disk numbers assigned? If ...
2
votes
1answer
485 views
JDiskReport is damaged, can't be opened
I have tried downloading and running JDiskReport 1.4 a few times now, and after unzipping it and clicking on the executable I get the message:
"JDiskReport" is damaged and can't be opened. You ...
2
votes
5answers
2k views
Attaching 3.5" desktop drive to MacBook SATA
I have a mid-2007 MacBook that, according to the Apple Store, has suffered some liquid damage and requires a new logic board to operate correctly, a ~$750 repair I've been told (would normally be ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
“Winclone has been discontinued”. Now what?
I just replaced my old 320Gb HHD on my MBP with a 240Gb SSD and I did not wanted to transfer the hole drive as it would not fit, as I have more than 60Gb of music and 110Gb of Photos and HD Videos.
...
1
vote
0answers
78 views
Figuring out bad sectors in my Macintosh HD [duplicate]
As the title suggests, what's the best way to go about doing this?
I'm talking about figuring out bad sectors in the hard drive that already has OS X installed, and that I'm using right now to do ...
1
vote
1answer
266 views
SSD adapter for optical drive
I'm going to add a SSD drive to my macbook pro.
I'm wondering if the optical drive adapter can have any influence on the disk speed, taking it down from a SATA III to a SATA II or I.
1
vote
3answers
6k views
Why is my hard drive still full after deleting files?
I'm new to Mac. I have deleted many files from my applications folder, downloads, music, etc. to make clean Mountain Lion installation.
After installing Mountain Lion I can still see in
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