MacBook Doesn't See SSD

[dkotelko]

I tried a Patriot SSD v2 in my 2GHz MacBook Core Duo (MA255LL/A). The OS 10.4 installer and its Disk Utility could not see the SSD.
I used my OS 10.5 Mac Pro to successfully format & install OS 10.4 on the SSD, but my MacBook boot picker still cannot see it.

I'm not sure if the problem is the OS (is 10.5 needed?) or my old model of MacBook. Has anyone else got Mac OS 10.4 working on an SSD?

[Patriot_Ben]

Hi,

Have you tried formatting the drive in a GUID Partition Table?

[dkotelko]

Yes, the format i used was GUID.

[Patriot_Ben]

Yes, the format i used was GUID.

Make sure you use the disk utility at the beginning of the install as well as setting it to GUID. Try a HFS + Journaled Format. It worked here for the 10.1 OS (Desktop) we have here.

[larsst]

I just bought a v3 256GB, and my macbook can't see the disk in diskutilities.
Tried to create GUID with a partition, but still can't see the disk in diskutilities.
I can see that the disk is attached in system profile under Serial-ATA
Any solutions?

[mkjolerbakken]

I just bought a v3 256GB, and my macbook can't see the disk in diskutilities.
Tried to create GUID with a partition, but still can't see the disk in diskutilities.
I can see that the disk is attached in system profile under Serial-ATA
Any solutions?

I have the same problem

[chalettu]

I seem to be having the same issue. Has anyone come up with a solution or workaround for this yet????

[xs_roller75]

I have the same problem with a Mac Mini Core Duo 1.66 +SSD Warp 32Go V2.

I've sent an email to the support. But I don't have any answer yet. But for me, it doesn't have anything to do with the OS. I think it should be an issue with open firmware (bios form Apple) and AHCI mode.

[earls]

Good point, xs_roller75. Is everyone on the same, latest bios?

[xs_roller75]

Apple provides the updates automatically. And there no updates ont that point, since a long time.

Important too : user can't access open firmware or EFI. There's a way to have a terminal window just after start up. But you need to know the exact command lines to do something. Because, there is no GUI like a PC Bios.


Is there a way to solve that issue by updating the firmware of the SSD ?

[xs_roller75]

Please find below email from the support !!!! LOL


Greetings,

The Drive itself needs to be formatted and partitioned before it will be
recognized as a functional drive. I would suggest since you can access
the drive while used as an external drive, through USB, to do so before
plugging it in as a primary drive.


Thank you for contacting Patriot Memory Support.


I've answered him that he should find something else. i'll keep you in touch.

[drkrab@mac.com]

I did this and it still does not recognize the drive.

[FanCarolina]

I'm experiencing these same problems with a Patriot Warp v.3 128gb and my 2008 Mac Mini. I cannot see the drive in the Disk Utility in order to partition and/or format it. I do see the drive under the System Profiler; however it lists the Allocation Table as Unknown.
I've already tried using Mac Drive 8 under Windows and formatting the drive with a HFS+ partition however this seems to have made no difference.

Note to Patriot: Don't list your drives as Mac OS X compatible if they don't work.

[FanCarolina]

As a follow up I would like to post that I've gotten the Warp v.3 to show up on the Mac Mini. In order to get it to recognize you must initialize the disk as a GPT Disk first. You can do this using the Disk Management utility under Administrative Tools located under Windows Vista or Windows 7. You can right click on the drive when it has no partitions and convert it to a GPT Disk. Then simply connect to you OS X machine and it will recognize and allow you to partition and install OS X.

[macgizmoguy]

I'm experiencing these same problems with a Patriot Warp v.3 128gb and my 2008 Mac Mini. I cannot see the drive in the Disk Utility in order to partition and/or format it. I do see the drive under the System Profiler; however it lists the Allocation Table as Unknown.
I've already tried using Mac Drive 8 under Windows and formatting the drive with a HFS+ partition however this seems to have made no difference.

That's kind of suprising, the SSD should be rather platform agnostic and Apple's Disk Utility should have let you partition it as you want. So you're saying you HAD to format it on a Windows machine to get it to the point the Mac could even recognize it?

---
Just an FYI for Mac readers out there: It's critical for INTEL based Macs to be formatted with a GUID Partition Table for a drive to be bootable in OSX. Those with G4 or G5 processors should NOT use GUID and just format a solid state drive as the default standard OSX Extended (Journaled).

Lastly, I've NEVER been a fan of setting up multiple partitions on a single drive. On those that were, I've seen some real data corruption nightmares that were irretreivable. For your own - and your data's sake: 1 drive - 1 partition. Keep it backed up religiously and run Disk First Aid regularly. Trust DISK WARRIOR when you encounter directory corruption that Disk First Aid can't fix; it's a great utility.

[JohannesLauesen]

Hi all.

I have been fighting like all of you to get my Patriot 256GB v3 working on my MBP 15,4 inch unibody 2.8Ghz

I have totally given up using the traditional way.
I have found a method that works every time:

Take out the internal disk.
Plug in a SATA USB adapter and plug the Patriot disk on that adapter.
Then boot up the install cd/dvd.
You usually need to partition it as GUID partition table every time....* using the disk utility.
Then continue the installation as normal.
When done take the Patriot and put it inside the mac and close it up.

It should now boot up nicely... it is a bit slow at detecting the drive, but it works for me.

It performs quite well for me...
Read 220MB/s
Write 150MB/s

* BUT!!!!!! every now and then the machine hangs... and a few of the times it hangs the data on the disk is CORRUPTED... i have tried to be patient, but after 4 times with crashes leading to the machine not being able to boot i decided that the disk was not mac compatible :-(
Untill now i have been able to get the data out when it failed... only system files "died".

I love SSD and i love the performance i had with my patriot disk... but i simply cant live with data corruption and never knowing when it is the last time i can boot my machine...

Hope someone apple or patriot can do something about this, the disk was almost $ 1K so i think it is a bit frustrating that it is claimed to work on apple and then it is not really working.

[wdbutrym]

Has there been any progress on solving the problem that Johannes has been seeing. This has happened to me several times as well. I have actually needed to swap the drive for a new one 2 times. I really don't want to fail another drive. I have a new 13" MBP and a 128gb Torqx drive.

Hopefully new firmware comes soon for this drive to help the issue.

[wdbutrym]

I am cautiously optimistic that the issue has been resolved with firmware 1819. For the first time I was able to install Snow Leopard on my 13" MBP without a hang during the installation process. So far it has been solid under use as well, I have been trying to stress the system to invoke the system hangs that I was getting in the past but so far so go.

I am running EFI firmware 1.7 to get the full 3 Gb/s on the SATA bus without issue as well. Time will tell if this issue is truly solved.

[wdbutrym]

Another update

I have been able to install win7 via boot camp for the first time, the first 2 drive under firmware 1517 would fail durring the install.

My system appears to be fully functional now hopefully it will last.

[freemymind]

I have a mid 2009 MBP 15" and the Patriot Torqx PFZ256GS25SSDRC 2.5" 256GB SATA II Internal Solid state disk (SSD) - Retail from Newegg.

I can get the drive to install and boot from USB adapter from the mac but once I install it to the mac it will not boot. If I boot to the Snow (10.6) install DVD I can see the drive and select it for the startup device. I have tried both versions of the firmware (is there a way to verify the firmware?) This is frustrating as I went through the same issue with the Corsair CMFSSD-256GBG2D 2.5" 256GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid state disk and tech support with them. After refunding that drive I emailed jsmith@patriotmem.com and asked what drive I should get with my setup and he recommended:
"You’ll want a regular Torqx not an M28"

Here is a link to some screen shots in hopes it will help resolve the issue or help others with deciding what drive to go with.
Screen-shots (http://tobey1.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=306)

Apple support simply tells me that not all drives are supported and the only way to be sure it to order one from them.

[freemymind]

I ordered the hard drive cable someone at this post recommended. Link (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2054387&tstart=0&messageID=10694812#10694812) (I doubt this will fix my issues but it is my last option before giving up. I will update as soon I I give it a try.

I also got a response from Patriot tech support and they basically asked if I tried everything in this post. If this does not work out and Newegg not allowing refund on drive what other options do we have?

[freemymind]

Installed the new hard drive cable then installed the SSD that I installed from the USB adapter. It looked like it was going to boot up (that is farther than it has ever gotten) but stayed at the gray screen with the status circle just spinning. Tried to perform a clean install again and erased and reformatted the drive. The installation just fails. Going to try one more install from USB adapter then try and boot it from the drive installed again and see what happens.

Trying to install one last time with drive installed I see this error in the install log:
Error writing cache to /Volumes/Untitled/Library/Caches/com.apple.FindSystemFiles.plist
Failed to enumerate /Volumes/Untitled/Library/Caches/, cannot prune
Could not create mutable product

then wants me to restart and try again, once I restart the install dvd does not recognize hard drive. Nothing shows up under install destination or under launching Disk Utility (other than the CD rom drive in disk utility)

hung SSD on USB adapter install goes flawless can boot and perform all updates fine (FROM USB adapter) once I install in mac...just sits trying to boot but never does. Also noticed EFI 1.8 released (TODAY!) but does not apply to my mid 2009 15" and also does not mention this sort of problem only some startup noise link (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL975)

[freemymind]

Another update.

I tried booting the Mac after installing OSX and installing all updates from the USB adapter. Now when I boot the computer I get a kernel panic to show through on the gray screen.

panic (cpu 0 caller 0x559b29): "Unable to find driver for this platform: \"ACPI\".|n"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-1486.2.11/iokit/Kernel/IOPlatformExpert.cpp:1389

hope this will help though I doubt it. I realy hope Patriot will allow me to RMA this Torqx for one of the new KOI's mentioned in the other thread here in the forums.

[freemymind]

Another error when booting verbose mode (command -v)

efiboot loaded from device:Acpi (PNP0A03,0)/PCI (B10)/SATA(0,0)/HD(Part2,Sig11497 BAB-1681-4EF2-B76B-BB3F0954DBF9)
boot file path: \System\Library\CoreServices\boot.efi
.Loading 'mach_kernel'...
.................................Read file failed: status 6, buffer size 0x130000
Error loading kernel 'mach_kernel' (0x6)

so from this I can see the exact file it cannot read and the issue...please someone smart figure this out! ;)

[Patriot_Ben]

Freemymind,

Which firmware are you on? Have you tried the latest?

http://www.patriotmemory.com/support/firmwarep.jsp

A few Mac customers are reporting success with this.

[freemymind]

I have tried both 1571 and 1819, looks like I am going to RMA the Torqx for a KOI and pay the difference. As long as it works I do not mind doing that for sure. Thanks for the input.

[webrendezvous]

Still can't boot on Patriot Torqx SSD 256Go on my MacBookPro5,5 (Mac OS X 10.6.2)
Anybody can help ?

[wdbutrym]

Still can't boot on Patriot Torqx SSD 256Go on my MacBookPro5,5 (Mac OS X 10.6.2)
Anybody can help ?

I think there is some combination of incompatibilities between SSD and the MacBook Pros as well as hardware failures on both the drives and the MacBooks.

I have a MBP 5,5 and I needed to RMA the drive 2 times and wait for the 1819 firmware before I have finally found a successful combination. I would try getting a new drive first before looking further.

From looking around the Apple forums it appears that many other people have been having similar issues and a few have found success by replacing the drive cable. Apparently they are easily damaged and/or compromised from the beginning.

With a working system now I am really happy, the computer is incredibly fast and responsive. Programs open nearly instantly and the computer boots up in around 12 seconds. Although you shouldn't have to keep on it and you should find a working combination.

[freemymind]

I have replaced that hard drive cable I also have 5,5 mid 2009 MBP. The cable did not help.I am now waiting for the RMA to finish so I can exchange the torqx I was told to order for my mac to the KOI line drive.

What drive is in your mac currently wdbutrym?

thanks

[wdbutrym]

I am using a standard Torqx 128gb drive. Although I am on my third but this one appears to be working quite well.

[freemymind]

Just got the KOI RMA replacement and I am having the same issues with one exception. Now the Mac continues to see the SSD drive however will not boot to it or install to it with it connected to the Sata connector in the mac.

I can install and boot all day from the USB adapter plugged into the mac but once I install it into the mac I get the Apple boot screen with the loading (small sun looking icon) and it sits spinning.. will not boot (waited over 30 min)

any other ideas?

Thank you

[freemymind]

Another update I have tried every available Firmware for this KOI drive and get the same results. I tried 1881 first then 1819 and also the 1571. I ended up going back to the 1881 and tried loading OS X 10.6.2 from the USB adapter and then hook it up inside the macbookpro... no luck!

I have replaced the hard drive cable as I read in another post that could of been the issue. love having a 700.00 external USB drive :( I am almost sure it is a issue with the Mac sata bus or controller somehow or could just be a setting but my original 5400 RPM sata II drive that came with the MBP works fine and boots fine from USB adapter or inside mac. But the KOI, TorqueX or Crucial 256 gig SSD are all giving the same issue. At least with the patriot units I can reflash the firmware and fix it when it starts showing up in the bios as 2.2 TB drive!

[stevec5000]

If an SSD won't work in a laptop what good are they and why are WD and Patriot selling them? I tried to use one in my T20 but it isn't recognized. I suppose it could be installed in a small USB case and used as a thumb drive?

[gunny2k9]

Its not realy just the fault of the SSD's it also the fault of ur Laptop Maker IBM/LENOVO and Apple trying to lock you out of using certain things to buy there Certified Hardware which is more expensive cause as that hardware maker pays apple or ibm etc to get a licens e to stick Apples etcs name on there Product !!!!

stevec5000 u have WD and ThinkPad so there for your questions should be Posted on WD and IBM/Lenovo Forums not Patriot ! and to top it off Steve SSDs are experimental tech evolving each day and before you blame them for selling un finnished goods ......look at Wireless Routers ...... Wireless N has been experimental for YEARS!!!! ......... its still in Draft stage ...cause we have Wireless N 150mbs Draft, Wireless N 270mbs Draft, Wireless N 300mbs Draft and now soon Wireless N 450mbs Draft, then there will be Wireless N 500mbs Draft and then at some stage Wireless N 600mbs Final Spec and then moving on to the next Wireless Tech .... so my advice is do ur research !

Full 3D tvs coming out now are a load of BS as well as you need the glasses to see the 3D and there already developing 3D Displays for the next gen 3D Tvs that wont need the Glasses ....... so hopefully u get the picture ...... want the latest Tech now a days you got to get used to paying the price somewhere guys !

[stevec5000]

Its not realy just the fault of the SSD's it also the fault of ur Laptop Maker IBM/LENOVO and Apple trying to lock you out of using certain things !
That's total nonsense!
SSD's weren't even around when the laptops were designed.
If these memory companies are selling memory that looks like a drive and is sold to replace a drive it should work like a drive or they shouldn't be selling it!

[gunny2k9]

Your SSD is made by Western Digital ...who (*FACT!*) are a Hard Disk Drive Manufacturer/Maker .... NOT a Memory Product Maker who moved into the SSD world being the first proper HDD maker to move into the SSD World !

Patriot who (*FACT!*) are a Memory Manufacturer/Maker who moved into the SSD world like all other memory product makers !

so if your statement was to be True u should not be having an issue with ur WD SSD as its made by a HDD maker so stop trying to blame everyone for your problem ....if you moaned at WD i m sure they would help..... moaning here aint gonna solve JACK!! as i will say it again YOU HAVENT GOT A PATRIOT PRODUCT ISSUE !!!!!!!!!!!!

and cheers for your reply to ur own thread as LOL grow up i m only trying to point u in the right direction to get your problem sorted by talking to WesternDigital and IBM/Lenovo about it as there the ones that can sort you out with either a BIOS fix to the laptop or a Firmware Update to the SSD

Link To SteveC original post Here Peeps - SteveC updated info there
http://www.patriotmemory.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4071

[philpug1957]

gunny2k9 not to attack you in any way at all but i purchased 2 inferno drives for 2 identical mac mini's. one works and the other does not so is my problem apple or patriot?

these macmini's have worked with intel hdd's and with ocz hdd's and with corsair ssd's. I just wanted a bigger hdd with a longer warranty and One was good and not the other. the bad one did not get seen by any enclosure I have. the good one was seen by all the enclosures I used. I have intel processors in both minis both are 2.66ghz. I have put over 250 drives into over 70 mini's. sometimes they are duds. I am just saying the ssd's may be bad not the gear.

[gunny2k9]

yes in that instance your right its not the mini's fault as that would be a bad SSD but then as well on the other side of the shoe even if you got 2 identical HDD and put them in identical mini's whos to say that maybe you could end up with 1 bad HDD too ...

OK a DOA HDD is very rare now a days but it does still happen and i ve even bought a Seagate brand new 500gb for someone and had it die in less then 12 months and to think its taken how many years for hdds to be so reliable at times ...... i ve still got a working 80gb IDE HD but yet when i bought new 120gb IBM drives IDE when they came out both failed on me .....

so far i ve got 2 patriot ps-100 32gbs 1 from December 09 and 1 from like March 10 and both still working fine *touch wood* .. but i do expect them to die soonish as i dont think SSDs will be as reliable as HDD for at least another year or 2 and unfortunitly they cant make things 100 % right from the start as things do require real world use and testing = us ... best Example i have here is back to post above with Wireless N

but in stevec's instance the SSD works via USB on his laptop but once in the laptop it doesnt see it ...yet same SSD in another laptop this time a later made one it works. laptop sees the SSD, so that isnt just teh SSD makers fault it could also be the laptop at fault for not seeing the SSD

[krjchen]

Hi,

I've had the same issue with mac os x 10.6.3 installation cannot recognize the SSD drive. Here's what I did to fix this issue:
1) Get an USB external drive. I bought an 1TB drive
2) Use "Disk Utility" application to partition the drive to the size of your SSD drive. In my case, I partitioned a 250GB partition.
Disk Utility -> select your USB drive -> Under "partition" -> Select under "volume scheme" 2 partitions -> set size to 250GB for one -> click on option -> Selection GUID to make it bootable -> click on apply
3) Now you will have 2 partitions on your USB drive
4) Use your OS X installation disc, install Mac OS 10.6.3 on to your 250 GB USB disk partition.
Insert OS x disc -> click on install Mac OS x -> Agree -> select "show all option" if you USB 250 gb drive does not show up. Install OS x onto the USB drive
5) After installation then restart
6) Fill out first time registration info, computer account info etc
7) Restart computer again, hold down "option" key during startup, select your usb drive so that it boots from that drive
8) setup wifi and download "carbon copy cloner" from http://www.bombich.com/
9) Use disc utility to format your SSD drive
Disk Utility -> select your SSD drive -> Under "partition" -> delete your partition -> add a partition -> click on option -> Selection GUID to make it bootable -> click on apply
10) use carbon copy cloner to copy your 250gb USB partition to your SSD drive
11) after it finish copying, go to system preference -> startup disc -> select your SSD HD to boot up

This should work

[Timmermt]

I'm having the same issue od the BIOS not finding the drive. Mine was working for 2 years then failed. Now it cannot see it at all.

[Patriot_Ben]

Apple provides the updates automatically. And there no updates ont that point, since a long time.

Important too : user can't access open firmware or EFI. There's a way to have a terminal window just after start up. But you need to know the exact command lines to do something. Because, there is no GUI like a PC Bios.


Is there a way to solve that issue by updating the firmware of the SSD ?

It depends on the drive. Unfortunately, our Warp V2 does nor have a firmware upgrade available.

Furthermore, the firmware updates are all windows or dos-based.

For those with Macs that have drives with firmware updates available that need an upgrade,
you can open up a support ticket and send the drive to us and we'll be glad to do this:
http://www.patriotmemory.com/support/techSupportp.jsp

(Drives will available updates: PS-100, Torqx/Koi, Inferno, Torqx M28, Torqx TRB,)
http://www.patriotmemory.com/support/driversp.jsp

[Timothyier]

Apple has updated automatically. And there are no updates that point long ago been received.

It is also important: the user can not access the Open Firmware and EFI. There is a way to have a terminal window, just after the start. But you need to know the exact command line to do something. Since there is no graphical interface such as a PC's BIOS.