Tip: Click here to scan for System Errors and Optimize PC performance

February 24th, 2007, 12:29 pm

Hello all,

As a newbie to the Mac world, I am wondering what the HDD size limitation factors are on Macs, if any?

Thanks

February 26th, 2007, 12:32 am

On a desktop? SATA? Whatever the highest is right now... 750? a terabyte? Mac, un-Mac, doesn't matter, connections/cables (SATA, Firewire, USB) are the same.

February 26th, 2007, 8:59 am

Thanks for the reply!

I take it you are saying "there are not the limitations such as the BIOS limitations experienced in the PC world."

You input IS appreciated.

Thanks!

February 26th, 2007, 10:22 am

That's a good question, John, and one I can't answer with complete certainty. I'm still pretty new to the platform, myself. To the best of my knowledge, however, it's the interface that would present any sort of limitation (like having to buy an SATA card for an older Mac or something) rather than the drive's size. Again to the best of my knowledge, as long as you've got the right connections, you just plug it in and it works.

February 26th, 2007, 12:04 pm

O.K., I've a new 300 Gb IDE I think... that might make a good test for my purposes. I'll try it on an older machine just to test it.

Thanks,

February 26th, 2007, 12:34 pm

jdh77 wrote:

O.K., I've a new 300 Gb IDE I think... that might make a good test for my purposes. I'll try it on an older machine just to test it.

Thanks,

it'll handle 300GB without a problem. if you'd really want to test the limits you'd need a couple terabytes for older systems and for OS X you'd need more storage than what most people have fluid funds for :]

Quote:

System 7.5.2 (and newer) increases this limit to 2 terabytes on some computers,...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=11333

Quote:

Volume and file limits in Mac OS X
Maximum number of volumes - No limit
Maximum volume size and file size - 2, 8, or 16 terabytes
(1, 2)

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25557




heh.. its interesting that you when you write gigabyte, you have an uppercase G and lowercase b which would normally indicate gigabit, but since you referenced hdd space the assumed difference is made ^_^

February 27th, 2007, 11:52 am

AnarchY SI wrote:

jdh77 wrote:

O.K., I've a new 300 Gb IDE I think... that might make a good test for my purposes. I'll try it on an older machine just to test it.

Thanks,

it'll handle 300GB without a problem. if you'd really want to test the limits you'd need a couple terabytes for older systems and for OS X you'd need more storage than what most people have fluid funds for :]

This pretty much answers the original question... the answer I sought!

Quote:

System 7.5.2 (and newer) increases this limit to 2 terabytes on some computers,...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=11333

Volume and file limits in Mac OS X
Maximum number of volumes - No limit
Maximum volume size and file size - 2, 8, or 16 terabytes
(1, 2)
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25557

Wow! GREAT!

Quote:

heh.. its interesting that you when you write gigabyte, you have an uppercase G and lowercase b which would normally indicate gigabit, but since you referenced hdd space the assumed difference is made ^_^

Sorry about that! Freudian slip? noooo... truthfully I never gave it a thought... Thank you... you are correct. I'll go forth and sin no more!

February 27th, 2007, 1:09 pm

jdh77 wrote:

Sorry about that! Freudian slip? noooo... truthfully I never gave it a thought... Thank you... you are correct. I'll go forth and sin no more!

*in a southern priest accent* Good, the Lord blesses the righteous!
lolz

February 27th, 2007, 3:58 pm

AnarchY SI wrote:

jdh77 wrote:

Sorry about that! Freudian slip? noooo... truthfully I never gave it a thought... Thank you... you are correct. I'll go forth and sin no more!

*in a southern priest accent* Good, the Lord blesses the righteous!
lolz

lol

1st liar doesn't stand a chance, does he?

March 28th, 2007, 11:00 am

Yea, I'm pretty sure that if there is a HD size limitation it is over 1.5 or 2 terrabytes. Especially in the new Mac Towers since I know they can handle two terrabytes (4 internal 500 GB HD) I would imagine if there is a limitation it would be more of a running out of SATA connections problem than anything else

March 28th, 2007, 11:09 am

lol yea.. b/c the post hasn't already been answered with documentation from Apple's website.
?

March 29th, 2007, 9:45 am

AnarchY SI wrote:

lol yea.. b/c the post hasn't already been answered with documentation from Apple's website.
?

lol... you don't suppose it's about the sig, do you?

8>)

March 30th, 2007, 7:30 am

jdh77 wrote:

lol... you don't suppose it's about the sig, do you?

8>)

well now that you mention it..

Quote:

# Signatures

1. Signatures may contain up to three lines (one line being that displayed on a browser opened to 800px width) of text (of small or normal size) and/or possibly one image (read farther for specifics), valid combinations include; a single image of no more than 100px high, 468px wide and 8KB in size. Signatures containing an image of 60px high or less may also include one line of small size text. Signatures containing an image of 15px high or less may include two lines of small size text. Any signature can contain a maximum of only 2 links.

http://www.ozzu.com/ftopic697.html

evenhost, your sig is 8 lines long on a browser opened at 800px width
so your sig does, in fact, violate the rules of the forum

June 11th, 2007, 11:04 pm

The hard drives are limited in size by the controller. older drives (ata 66, ata 100, ata 133) had drive max sizes. I found this out when I got a 160 gig for a g3 iMac I had and it would only formatt it to 127 gig. That was a ata 100 controller and so I'm pretty sure that was the max size for any comp with a ata 100 card in it. A freind had a ata 133 card in a g4 tower and could format it to 160, but then of course I couldn't see 160 gig I could only see 127 gig. Anyways the newer comps have sata with much larger sizes, but they are not all the same. I am not sure as far as max HD sizes, but I know speeds are either 150 or 300 which is 1.5 GB/sec or 3 GB/sec. I'm not sure but I think in order to get the largest serial ata hard drives you need a sata 300 controller though it is only a theory.

June 11th, 2007, 11:06 pm

Evenhost wrote:

Yea, I'm pretty sure that if there is a HD size limitation it is over 1.5 or 2 terrabytes. Especially in the new Mac Towers since I know they can handle two terrabytes (4 internal 500 GB HD) I would imagine if there is a limitation it would be more of a running out of SATA connections problem than anything else

You can get 4x750 GB which would be 3 terrabytes