How to open app store. Your Mac not recognizing an external hard drive can be cause for panic. But try to remain calm — it’s unlikely that anything has happened to your files. All of your data will still be on the hard drive, it just that, for whatever reason, you can’t access it.
An excellent app to clone Mac OS, Chrononym is a great option to backup data and clone hard drive. The app creates a backup of all the redundant and useless files on the Cloud. This also creates more space on the system. WD My Passport For Mac (Best Overall) The Western Digital 2TB My Passport For Mac is the perfect. Question: Q: Installing Apps on External Hard drive Is it possible to install / copy Mac apps on an external hard drive as i only have a 128gb SSD which is filling up fast, or any suggestions. Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD – Red USB 3.0 for PC Laptop and Mac, 1 year Mylio Create, 2 Months Adobe CC Photography, (STHN1000403) 4.6 out of 5 stars 124 $52.49 $ 52. 49 $55.72 $55.72.
Just so that you worry not about losing data, get Disk Drill. Available via Setapp, the app is the best tool that will rescue your files.
Download Disk Drill Free
Fortunately, there are ways and means of getting the hard drive back up and running. Let’s get into some of them right now.
Why a flash drive is not showing up on Mac?
If you’ve plugged in a flash drive or USB drive and it’s not showing up on your Mac at all, it could be down to a faulty cable or USB port.
Before you try any system troubleshooting tips, start with the basics.
Check that the drive is probably plugged in.
Check the USB connector — does it look damaged or misshapen in any way?
Check the cable — is it frayed or are there any wires exposed?
If the external hard drive is plugged into a wall outlet, try a different outlet.
Try a different USB cable — even cables with no visible defects can fail.
Try connecting the hard drive to a different USB port — it could be a hardware issue.
Try the drive in another Mac — if it works there, the problem is with the USB ports on your Mac.
Test the hard drive on a PC — it could be formatted for PCs and not readable on Macs.
Reboot your Mac — a simple on and off is sometimes all it takes.
Reboot USB drives by shutting down your system and restarting it, holding Command+Option+P+R as you do. When you hear a sound and see the screen flash, release the keys and let your Mac boot up as usual.
If you’ve carried out visually inspections, tested your hard drive with different cables and power outlets, and tried different systems with no luck, it’s time to put your Mac to work.
1. Change the Finder settings
One of the most common reasons for Mac not recognizing external hard drives is due to the system not being set up to display hard drives on the desktop. There’s a simple fix for this:
Open a Finder window.
Go to Preferences > General.
Check that the External disks option is enabled.
If your Mac is not recognizing a USB or external hard drive after this, you’ll have to try mounting it manually.
2. Mount an external hard drive on Mac
Best Hard Drives For Mac
If Mac isn’t automatically recognizing your external hard drive, it’s time to force it to. Connect your hard drive and follow these instructions:
Go to System Preferences > Disk Utility.
Check that the external disk is listed in the left sidebar.
Highlight your hard drive and select Mount. It should now appear under devices in the Finder.
If the hard drive still isn’t playing ball, the next step is First Aid.
3. Run First Aid on an external hard drive
Download latest nvidia drivers mac. Mac’s built-in First Aid tool is designed to verify and repair a range of issues related to corrupted files and apps, startup issues, and, crucially, external hard drive problems.
If your issue has to do with wanting to know how to open a flash drive on Mac that’s displaying but not allowing you access to files, First Aid might be able to help.
Go to System Preferences > Disk Utility.
Highlight your external hard drive and click on First Aid.
Select Run to start running diagnostics and prompt Mac to automatically fix any issues.
If First Aid is successful in repairing any faults, your hard drive should be available to mount. If not, you’ll need to try the next option.
4. Delete potentially conflicting apps
How recent is the problem? If a flash drive not showing up on Mac was completely fine a few days earlier there could be an app causing conflict. If you’ve downloaded any new apps recently, uninstall them one at a time, connecting your hard drive after each uninstallation to see if the issue is resolved.
You can delete apps using the Launchpad or by dragging them to the Trash, but neither method is recommended in this situation. Best free screen recording app mac. You see, while an app might appear to be deleted, associated files will be left on your system — files that could be preventing access to your external hard drive.
Instead, let CleanMyMac X take care of it. CleanMyMac X has an Uninstaller tool that can define your installed applications and associated files and remove every trace of an unwanted app.
And it couldn’t be easier to use.
Download CleanMyMac X (for free).
Launch the app and select Uninstaller.
Click on View All Applications and select a recently installed app.
Click Uninstall.
If you’ve worked through all recently installed apps and are still no further forward, your hard drive may have crashed or, worse, be completely broken. In this case, you’ll need a heavy duty tool like Disk Drill to rescue files.
5. Repair disk permissions
Disk permissions keeps your files secure. Every file and folder has an associated set of permissions. Unfortunately, these can get messed up without you realising it, which can cause serious problems. You can fix these two ways. Either manually, as we mention in this article, or using CleanMyMac X, which is far easier.
All you need to do is:
Click on Maintenance from the left sidebar menu.
Check the box next to Repair Disk Permissions.
Click Run.
The program will scan and fix any it finds that are broken or faulty. Your Mac should be running as good as new.
To prevent an external hard drive not showing up on Mac turning into an all-out disaster, always backup files on your system hard drive and in the cloud. Anytime you use an external drive, unmount the disk properly and store it safely. And finally, use CleanMyMac to uninstall apps and run regular Maintenance on your system to prevent applications conflicting with hard drive performance.
These might also interest you:
Hard Drive App Mac Ios
Macs aren’t immune from hard disk corruption and failures. They’re just as common on Macs as they are PCs. Although most Macs have solid-state drives, even these systems can have problems. Apple’s built-in utilities and some third-party programs will get you up and running.
Symptoms of a Hard Disk Problem
Asp number app mac. The worst noise you’ll hear from a mechanical hard disk is a clicking or grinding noise. That means the drive is failing. At that point, the drive isn’t repairable. It’s time to back up your data and then replace the drive. You already have a backup though, right?
Not all drives exhibit symptoms in this way. Sometimes you’ll get the prohibitory no symbol at startup or a flashing folder with a question mark. After turning off your Mac and turning it back on, the system boots just fine. Other times you’ll get the spinning rainbow wheel, letting you know your Mac is waiting on something. That could be because your Mac is waiting on the hard drive.no symbol at startup or a flashing folder with a question mark. After turning off your Mac and turning it back on, the system boots just fine. Other times you’ll get the spinning rainbow wheel, letting you know your Mac is waiting on something. That could be because your Mac is waiting on the hard drive.
Diagnosing the Problem
If you suspect your hard disk is failing, it is time to make a backup. Now. Again, you should already have a backup of your Mac. Don’t proceed before you try to make a backup. Apple’s Disk Utilityis the first place to start. Reboot your Mac and hold down the command and r key down at the same time to enter Recovery Mode.
Best External Hard Drives For Mac
Don’t have recovery mode? You’ll need an offline Mac installer to run Disk Utility off a USB drive.
Some Macs have a built-in hardware diagnostic. Reboot your Mac holding down the D key. That runs a full hardware test on your Mac. The diagnostic will report any problems, including the hard drive.
Does your Mac Support Apple Diagnostics? Apple explains which models support this here.
Your Might Have a Confused Hard Drive
The Mac’s journaled file system usually keeps things in order. Glitches and improper shutdowns might leave things scrambled. If Disk Utility reports a problem it can’t fix, it is time to try a third party utility. My favorite is Disk Warrior. It often fixes problems Apple’s utility can’t. It can also do more diagnostics on your drive.
You’ll need to boot your Mac off a Disk Warrior flash drive to do testing and repair. The program creates a Recovery flash drive. During its diagnostic process it will repair and optimize the drive. If it detects a hard drive error, the program warns you.
Sometimes it isn’t the Hard Disk
If you’ve tried all this and are still having problems, there could be something wrong with your Mac other than the hard drive. If you have a MacBook Pro, the ribbon cable that connects the hard drive to the rest of the computer can go bad. The Mac exhibits all the same symptoms as a failed hard drive. The best way to figure this out is to remove your hard drive and try it in another Mac. If the hard drive works on another computer, then it isn’t your hard drive.
Check to see if the repair is free: Check your serial number with Apple. Your Mac may still be under warranty.
The other typical problem is operating system errors. https://buddiesnew221.weebly.com/download-total-360-for-mac.html. A system update or upgrade was interrupted leaving your Mac in a confused state. You can reinstall your operating system from the recovery mode. That won’t erase any data on your Mac.
Rarely the problem is in the Mac’s System Management Controller (SMC) . Before you give up hope, try Apple’s procedure for resetting the SMC.
What if You Have a Solid State Drive?
Solid State Drives (SSDs) don’t make the typical noises of a mechanical hard drive. After all,they have no moving parts. The testing procedures are the same. You won’t be able to easily remove the hard drive to test it in another machine. Programs like Disk Warrior are smart enough to change the optimization procedure for an SSD drive.
Replacing the Hard Drive
Some Macs have easy hard drives to replace. Some Mac models hard drives aren’t replaceable by end users. Most Mac-savvy retailers know the difference and can guide you towards the right repair. Replacing your hard drive with an SSD will give you the best performance, but may limit your storage space. We cover the differences here.
What is the best app for gmail on mac os. ALSO READ:DaisyDisk: The Best, Most Intuitive App to Find Large Files on Your Mac’s Hard Drive
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Also See#data recovery #hard disk
Did You Know
National Geographic has one of the most followers on Instagram.
More in Mac
A Detailed Guide to Fixing MacBook Speaker Volume Issues