Formatting and Partitioning

Your LaCie 6big/LaCie 12big is shipped as unformatted. When first connecting the device to a computer, you are prompted to format the default RAID 5 array. Before formatting the array, review the chapter on RAID to learn which RAID level is best for your working environment. If you want to change the RAID level or create multiple arrays, see the instructions in the LaCie RAID Manager user manual.

When formatting the array, consider the operating system on your computer. If you intend to use LaCie 6big/LaCie 12big with Mac computers, format the array as Mac OS Extended (HFS+). If you use the device exclusively on Windows, format the array as NTFS. See the details below for more information about system formats.

About file system formats

NTFS: since it is the native file system for Windows, volumes created in NTFS are read and write with computers running Windows. Mac OS can read NTFS volumes but cannot natively write to them.
Mac OS Extended (HFS+): the native hard drive file system for Mac. Windows cannot natively read or write to HFS+ (journaled) hard drives.
exFAT: generally compatible with Mac and Windows. exFAT is not a journaled file system which means it can be more susceptible to data corruption when errors occur or the drive is not disconnected properly from the computer.
FAT32: compatible with Mac and Windows. However, FAT32 is a legacy file system designed for low capacity hard drives and it is not recommended for modern hard drives or operating systems. A FAT32 partition can reach up to 32GB when formatted on a Windows PC.

How to choose the file system format

Use NTFS if:

…the storage device is connected to Windows PCs.

Use HFS+ if:

…the storage device is connected to Macs.

You can use exFAT if:

…the storage device is shared between Mac and Windows computers.

Use FAT32 if:

…the storage device is connected to older Windows and Mac computers. FAT32 is not recommended for modern operating systems and computers.

Formatting instructions

The steps below help you format and partition a storage device.

Windows

1. Make sure the storage device is connected to and mounted on the computer.
2. Go to Search and then type diskmgmt.msc. In the search results, double click Disk Management.
3. From the list of storage devices in the middle of the Disk Management window, locate your LaCie device.
4. The partition must be available to format. If it is currently formatted, right click on the partion and then choose Delete.
5. To create a new partition, right click on the volume and select New Simple Volume. Follow the on-screen instructions when the New Simple Volume Wizard appears.

Mac

1. Make sure the storage device is connected to and mounted on the computer.
2. Select Go > Utilities in the Finder menu bar.
3. In the Utilities folder, double-click Disk Utility. 
All connected storage devices, partitions or disk images are displayed in the left column.
4. Select the LaCie hard drive in the left column.
5. Click the Erase tab.
6. Choose a format from the drop-down window.
7. Enter a name for the volume.
8. Click Erase and confirm your selection in the pop-up window.