Member Avatar for Shinwa

Hi,
I just bought a hard drive that is PC FAT formatted. I want to format it for my Intel Mac Pro. Disk utilities is not up to the job, but I know it can be done, and would appreciate any help. Maybe there is a website with a download that will work. Anyone, please?
Thanks,
Shari

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Short expert note: was correct that Disk Utility can reformat drives, but only for disks the Mac can actually see — if the drive never appears in Disk Utility, the app can't touch it. In practice that usually means a hardware/connection problem (no SATA cable, missing controller card, or a dead drive), not a formatting bug. (support.apple.com)

Because found the unit was a SATA drive and had no card, the fix is hardware: mount the drive in an Intel Mac Pro’s internal bay (many Mac Pro towers expose SATA ports) or connect it externally with a powered USB‑to‑SATA adapter, docking station, or a 3.5" enclosure (3.5" desktop drives need external power). Choose a reputable adapter/dock that supports your drive size and spin‑power. (support.apple.com)

When the drive is visible, use Disk Utility > View > Show All Devices, select the device (not just a volume) and click Erase. Pick the partition scheme and format that match your needs: GUID + APFS for modern macOS-only use; GUID + Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for older macOS or Time Machine; or exFAT for simple cross‑platform sharing with Windows. Erasing deletes all data, so back up first. (support.apple.com)

Quick troubleshooting checklist: confirm the drive powers up, try a different SATA/USB cable or port, test the adapter on another computer, or temporarily install the drive inside the Mac Pro. If the drive still doesn't show in System Information or Disk Utility, it may be defective — consider returning or exchanging, as you planned.

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Member Avatar for John A

>Disk utilities is not up to the job,
Uh, what in the world do you mean?

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Member Avatar for Shinwa

I've used utilities many times to format. No problem there. But this one wouldn't format, and I couldn't figure out why not - until I looked closer. It's a SATA drive. I don't have the card for it. So the drive goes back to the store. I should have read the fine print . . .
Thanks anyway,
Shari

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