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Thread: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

  1. #1
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    Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    I have a Seagate 4TB drive that I want to use strictly for video archive but can't get it formatted. I have read a few threads/sites and it points go gdisk but can only get 1.7TB. Is there an easy way to see all 4TB? I'm not the best at terminal but can copy/paste just fine.

    I am using Ultimate Edition 3.4 in 64-bit. I do have access at work to a Win-7 & Win-8 machine if that simplifies things but would be connected via Thermaltake USB dock.

  2. #2
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    ~
    Last edited by ahallubuntu; June 24th, 2013 at 03:59 AM.

  3. #3
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    Think I found the problem but another issue. I had on the USB 'SATA dock' and tried Gparted in the beginning. Finally connected it straight to the SATA bus and Gparted found it with table errors. Let it fix it and created a new partition in ext3. Rebooted and didnt find it.

    What file system should I format this based on only using as an archive drive that will only be powered occasionally.

  4. #4
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    Unless you have Windows handy, I would not use NTFS, as when you have to run chkdsk it will take forever. Since video you may want one large partition, but I normally prefer smaller partitions so fsck can run on one partition. File corruption may occur primarily power failure and then you have to run fsck for ext3 or ext4 formats.

    Some have posted issues with some USB caddies with very large drives not being seen correctly.

    gdisk should have worked as well as gparted.
    For gparted -
    Under device, create partition table, advanced, choose gpt not the default msdos (MBR) partitioning.
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  5. #5
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    In Gparted, went advanced & choose gpt. It still shone as 'unallocated'. I assume that I now need to create a new partition. What is the FS of choice?

  6. #6
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    ~
    Last edited by ahallubuntu; June 24th, 2013 at 04:00 AM.

  7. #7
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    Formatted in ext4. Transferred several files and all looked fine. Unmounted drive and rebooted. System booted and powered on "hot-swap" SATA drive but doesnt see drive. The HDD light has been on for over 30 minutes but wont see this drive. Gparted doesnt see it either.

  8. #8
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    As an internal drive or from caddie? IF caddie, then I might suspect it does not support large drives.
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  9. #9
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    I am also trying to format a large 4TB drive I pulled out of an external enclosure and hooked up inside my Ubuntu PC, its a Seagate Backup Plus if that matters. I can use disk utility to format the drive in EXT4, but as others have said above, I cannot partition it via msdos MBR due to limitations. So that leaves me with a formatted EXT4 drive with a folder in it called Lost and Found of which I have no permission to open or even delete. I tried using Gparted at this point to create a new partition table and that seemed to work, however when I attempt to actually create the ext4 partition on the new GPT partition table, it errors out on the mkfs command and just fails.

  10. #10
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    Re: Formatting a 4TB HDD for mass storage

    I have BIOS but use gpt on smaller drives. I have created my gpt partitions with gparted. Under device, create partition table, advanced, choose gpt not the default msdos (MBR) partitioning.

    Or you can use gdisk.
    sudo apt-get install gdisk


    GPT fdisk Tutorial -srs5694 in forums
    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1439794
    http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/

    If not familar with ownership & permissions you have to set those and mount partitions with fstab.
    Good example here:

    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1983336
    Mount & edit fstab from Morbius1 - suggest using templates instead. Post #6

    More info:

    http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/mountlinux
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Mount/
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FilePermissions
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Fstab
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

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