Cannot format new HDD under 10.6?

Question

MacBook Air Models A1237 and A1304

Model A1237 or A1304 / 1.6, 1.8, 1.86, or 2.13 GHz Core 2 Duo processor

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remacberlin @remacberlin

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Mud 5, 2010

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Cannot format new HDD under 10.6?

There is a lot of discussion all over the web about it, but i couldn't find a solution yet. When i try to erase or format a brand new ATA 1.8" 80GB drive (Samsung HS082HB/A) using disk utility i get this error message "POSIX reports: The operation couldn’t be completed. Cannot allocate memory"

Under 10.5 it's similar, it only says i/o error instead. The disk seems to be named nearly randomly, things like SAISQNC or else and sometimes it shows a capaticy above 2 PB.

I think its the disk controller or the ZIF cable. Great if somebody has a different suggestion.

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score 1 · Answer 1 · 2010-05-05T10:34:07-07:00

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Gabe @gabe

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Mud 5, 2010

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Try reformatting with another OS, Windows or Ubuntu. You can run a VM of Ubuntu on your mac and mount it onto the VM and use disk manager in ubuntu to do it.

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tehsalt @tehsalt29476 crwdns2934065:0crwdne2934065:0: 341 6 2 · Answer 2 · 2010-05-05T13:54:16-07:00

tehsalt @tehsalt29476

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Mud 5, 2010

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Google GParted; a free piece of live sofware you won't need to install, you just need to burn it on a regular blank cd and startup your computer from there. That should format your drive.

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I tried both, yours and Gabe Chais solutions, and failed. I start to believe this is really a hardware fault. GParted is actually included in Ubuntu 10.04 but couldn't do any good. Thanks to you two anyway. ++

crwdns2934271:0Mud 5, 2010crwdnd2934271:0 remacberlin crwdne2934271:0

Update: Tried GParted Live on it's own and still no luck. For a change it couldn't see a drive at all. I will have a close (ohmmetered) look at that ribbon cable. I'm pretty shure the HDD itself is fine.

crwdns2934271:0Mud 6, 2010crwdnd2934271:0 remacberlin crwdne2934271:0

It turned out that the HDD itself was DOA. Bummer. But it will be exchanged

crwdns2934271:0Mud 21, 2010crwdnd2934271:0 remacberlin crwdne2934271:0

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