I recently got a Patriot Memory 1 Gig USB 2.0 drive, which was labeled to work with both the Mac and PC platforms. As I plug the drive into my computer, it seems to work fine, but for some reason it brings up two drives, as though it had been partioned. Does anyone know how to completely erase and unpartition the two drives into one? I tried using DiskUtility, but couldn't figure it out. ***JBMac***
First, I can't figure out which device is the parent device. I assumed that its the one with more alloted room. Secondly, I did as you said and it reformated that part of the drive itself. It didn't take away the other. In disk utility it shows up as two completely different drives. No one has a solution for me? ***JBMac***
Ok, since no one here seems to be able to resolve my [bold]Partitioned USB Drive Question[/bold], I decided to ask the Apple Store Genius', who, by the way, always seem to know everything except my specific questions for them. After a good drive, I finally get to the Apple Store in the Grove. The very first thing that I am confronted with is a sign blocking the stairway saying "Top floor closed do to an Apple Event" and a body guard blocking the path. But, the Apple Genius' are on the top floor. Unless I return another day, which would be hard because of the drive and the time, I still won't have my problem resolved. Looking around, I decided to ask one of the normal Apple employees. Yet, looking around, no one looks like they'd know anything about what I have to ask. "Alright", I say to myself, "Lets hope I'm wrong". As I make my way through the store, I see a crowd of employees coming together - about 4 or 5 of them. "Lucky me", I thought. Now, all I have to do is ask the question aloud and any of them could answer. I make my way over there, and immediately one employee asks "Can I help you?" "Yeah, I'm looking for someone who could help me resolve a problem I'm having with my USB drive", I replied. Almost immediately the other employees scatter, and the one whom I asked points to another standing a little off to the side, then leaves. So, I walked up to this employee and after a few minutes of explaining to him my problem and how I tried resolving it, he begins to ponder. After a moment of thinking, he then looks at me as if he's found a solution, and says "You know, this is actually a question for the Apple Genius', but that section is closed, so maybe you could come back another day." "Alright", I replied. About to leave, I, for some reason, went ahead and tested my luck again. This guy wasn't apart of the other employees who I had asked and he looked a bit smarter. So, I asked my question, and immediately I received the same answer. Frustrated and about to leave, I suddenly remembered something. "There's an elevator in this store." I walked to the back, pressed the up button, walked in, and was taken upstairs. As soon as the doors opened, I made my way to Genius Bar. But, being confronted by the Apple employee who I had first asked my question to, I had no other choice but to go back downstairs and leave with my question still unanswered. So, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, HELP ME RESOLVE MY PROBLEM!! My USB drive has been partitioned since I bought it, and It's bloody annoying! Isn't there anyone who could help me resolve this? ***JBMac***
Thanks for the help MasterChu, but by just looking at your picture I can see that the situation that you are working with is different than mine. Here is a link to download a snapshot of my DiskUtility window. http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=118406 Following your instructions las time, I ended reformatting both parts of my drive trying to figure out which one was the parent device. Now, I have two "My Drives". In your picture it shows one drive with one partition underneath it. In mine, it shows two totally separate drives. The one idea that I had, was that it was partitioned on a PC and it needs to be unpartitioned on a PC. But, it's just a guess. ***JBMac*** P.S. Not impatient, just desperate. I've been dealing with this issue for awhile and that was the first opportunity in a long time to go to the Apple Store. Appreciate the help though!
Check this out... After trying what you said, MasterChu, my drive wouldn't show up in the Finder anymore, even though I could still see both partitions in DiskUtility. After this, I decided it would be best to stop messing with it, and let one of the Apple Genius' fool around with it. I let the Genius look it over and try different things to solve my problem, until he finally started to give up. Right before he gave it back to me, he had an idea. He had me hold on a minute, and then after a few minutes of looking at things on his computer, turned the screen towards me. I never imagined this would be the outcome... Here is a quote from the manufacturer's ("Patriot Memory") website... I would have never guessed this was the problem - that the manufacturer made it this way! I still don't understand how this works with a mac. When I plug it in, it brings up two separate drives and anyone can get into both. So how is for security? Anyways, from trying different things you mentioned, MasterChu, I was able to corrupt the smaller of the two drives so that only one shows up in the Finder when I plug it in. This seems to be the only option from here. If you have any suggestion further, I'd be glad to here them. Thank you. ***JBMac***
