Hi
I’ve been scratching my head for a while trying to resolve an odd issue with my WD My Book for Mac 3TB external drive (model WDBEKS0030HBK-01) after I was forced to reformat due to frequent disconnections. After reformatting with WD Utilities (mac and PC versions) the drive now reports only 1.8TB available and not the expected 3TB. I tried both JHPS+ and exFAT options in WD Utilities which are both GPT (as I understand it).
I have tried converting the partition to GPT using a number of tools however they all report no unallocated space available like you would see if it was a true MBR-GPT limit issue.
Thought I’d put it out there to see if there is something stupid I have missed or not done!
try some 3rd Party Software if WD Utilities is not doing the job.
nope … they are “File Systems” ie. you can format a hard drive exFAT with MBR Partition or exFAT with a GPT Partition.
Why ? Converting is only used if you don’t won’t to delete files on the drive.
My Advice is to completely Delete/Format the Partition … Wiping all Data and Partitions
Then start again the format process … pick whatever file system you want, but make absolutely sure you select GPT (GUID Partition Table) in your tools.
I have a GPT partition and I have tried a number of formatting tools that all report the drive as being 2TB even when blanked out to RAW unallocated and reformatted fro scratch. My other drives are all ok and work fine.
Is there a reset technique to get the controller to understand it has a 3TB hard drive? (so the OS can format it to 3TB)
I purchased it from a retail store about 6 yrs ago. Worked fine until I was forced to reformat last month as it kept disconnecting.
I suspect the SATA to UBS controller is malfunctioning - I will open the enclosure and inspect the controller for duff joints and perhaps reflow the controller IC. (also check the drive out first and try a different WD 3TB Green drive to confirm its the controller)
I am having a similar size limitation issue.
I have a MyBook essentials 2TB unit. My storage has grown to where I need more backup space. So when recently building out my daughter’s computer I figured to do what should be a simple swap. I took the 2TB WD Green drive out of the the MyBook to put into her computer. I then installed a brand new WD Blue 4TB drive into the MyBook unit enclosure.
My problem is that for whatever reason the components will not recognize or go beyond 2TB useable space.
When I use my iMac disk utility it shows up fine. I get all the different formatting options available to choose from. However, no matter what I select it is stuck at 2TB.
When I use the WD Utilities for Mac app, I again get different options. However with a sliver of hope - In the window above it correct shows it as “MyBook 4TB”, but when I format/erase the drive it does so at 2TB.
When I plug it into my Windows 10 laptop. Same issue. Stuck at 2TB in disk manager. Using WD Utilities for windows, however, it does not show it as 4TB like on the Mac. Shows only as “MyBook 2TB” in windows. This does not change no matter what is selected for format type.
I am now suspecting that this is a hardware/firmware limitation inherent in that little SATA adapter board that screws onto the hard drive. Why WD, Why!? Whatever it is, can this please be programmed out, such as a firmware update, so we can use larger drives?
The situation as it is now, I have a newly purchased (Amazon) brand new WD Blue 4TB drive that I cannot use. Unless there is a known simple fix fo this It is looking like my only options will be to throw this WD MyBook unit into the trash bin and go buy a standard external hard drive enclosure to put my new 4TB drive in. Or return the new Blue 4TB drive to Amazon and go buy something else.
Very frustrating is an understatement. Why does something so simple have to be blocked or be so hard? Why WD? Why!!?
How old are these drives? I have one 3.5" SATA enclosure that will not work beyond 2TB but that is made crystal clear in the specs and it was sold as an empty enclosure. I’m sure has an older SATA controller.
That doesn’t explain why Ivan90’s 3TB drive won’t properly reformat, but it might explain FaceDeAce’s problem with his 2TB enclosure.
Ivan90, have you tried using Disk Utikity to reformat instead of the WD Utilities?
I did some research and a number of people mentioned that the early drives made by WD were formatted differently than normal with 512 block size instead of 4096 normally associated with larger than 2TB drives. The little SATA to USB board then did something special to present it as a single 3TB drive (probably a couple of sub 2TB partitions). More to follow when i get a moment to test further…
FYI - WD Blue drives, I have another My Book 3TB drive which when i opened it I found a 3TB BLUE drive. The case will not work with WD Greens or Blacks, so I’m assuming its firmware locked to WD Blue drives. I havent tried the BLUE in my troublesome case yet just in case …
Hi All,
FYI - I worked out the issue i’m experiencing comes from a malfunctioning prom 25LD020 (marked ‘U2’) on the circuit board, which I believe holds some of the enclosures software. Cutting leg 8 disables the chip and allows the whole 3TB to be made available to the OS (as opposed just 2TB as before).
Ivan
Found your old Post here while doing a quick search of how to use a 3TB-Disk in a 1.8TB MyBook and had to reply!
Thought your hint is scam or a joke. Tried it out with a Scrapped MyBook Essential 1.8TB to use a WD Green 3TB. This WORKED!
looked up the 25LD020 Chip to figure out were PIN 8 is (Google for 25LD020, there will be plenty of Pinouts! Pin 1 was marked on my Chip. Then you can count Pin 8)
gently ripped of pin 8 with a sharp kitchenknife
powered the MyBook.
The WD Drive Utilities wont recognize the MyBook after this hack anymore! But
after this Hack the MyBook reports the 3TB-Hdd to Windows, you have to format / initialize it like a regular USB-Drive / SATA-Drive!
Ivan90, you made my day! Rescued an old MyBook from beeing scrapped!
