Change hard drive name

[mikesync]

I just upgrade my old hard drive to a Samsung 850 EVO SSD drive. The drive is untitled and when I try to change the name it says that I have to use a shorter name not matter the size of the name. In Mac OS Sierra how do I change the name of the startup hard drive?

 

[anon(9602380)]

Welcome to iMore!

If I'm not mistaken, you can not just rename your drive after the OS X is installed. It needs to be done when you format the drive originally for use in your Mac. The reason being is that the drive name will be part of the path used to find files that the OS X requires to operate properly. If you want to change it you would have to reformat you drive and start from the beginning.

 

[mikesync]

Thank you, I guess I will have to maybe reformat

 

[Sicily1918]

If I'm not mistaken, you can not just rename your drive after the OS X is installed. It needs to be done when you format the drive originally for use in your Mac. The reason being is that the drive name will be part of the path used to find files that the OS X requires to operate properly. If you want to change it you would have to reformat you drive and start from the beginning.

That's incorrect -- the absolute path in Unix (BSD) is '/' (root) -- for the boot drive (you're right that all other drives mount to /Volumes/[Device Name]). The name (e.g., Macintosh HDD) is fairly meaningless as even the mount is done by Unix device (usually /dev/disk1).

Thank you, I guess I will have to maybe reformat

No, see above.

Once the OS is up, have you tried to simply click on the drive once, hit "Enter" and rename? What happens when you try a couple of letters -- say, "abc"?

Alternately, if you boot into recovery -- Command (⌘) + R -- right after the Apple 'gong' sound, you should be able to go into Disk Utility and rename the drive.

 

[anon(9602380)]

Thank you, I guess I will have to maybe reformat

Just checked something out. Go to Finder>Devices>(your hdd). Click on it and then hit Command + I. That will open the Info Menu on your hdd. Unlock it and under Name & Extension, you can change the name of your drive. Close it and you will be good to go.

 

[anon(9602380)]

That's incorrect -- the absolute path in Unix (BSD) is '/' (root) -- for the boot drive (you're right that all other drives mount to /Volumes/[Device Name]). The name (e.g., Macintosh HDD) is fairly meaningless as even the mount is done by Unix device (usually /dev/disk1).No, see above.

Once the OS is up, have you tried to simply click on the drive once, hit "Enter" and rename? What happens when you try a couple of letters -- say, "abc"?

Alternately, if you boot into recovery -- Command (⌘) + R -- right after the Apple 'gong' sound, you should be able to go into Disk Utility and rename the drive.

Thanks for the information. Just gave the OP an easier alternative for renaming his drive.

 

[Sicily1918]

Nice!