dwctv
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Can open hdd anymore

Hi,

I used my external 4 TB hdd (connected to USB 3.0 to copy data via CCC to an other external hdd.

Somewhere in the middle it stopped.

When I try to open the 4Tb (by clicking on it) the finder crashes - every time.

I put the 4Tb hdd inside my MP but the same thing happens. The finder keeps on crashing, all desktop icons go away and that crash notice window: The last time you open Finder it unexpectedly quit..............................................

and it keeps on coming up.

I can access the hdd via CCC and copy the data out to other disks. But there are 3.92 Tb of data and I have to find space first.

In the PC world booting I would say the Master Boot Record is damaged. But I don't know what it is on a hdd in Mac Format.

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), Black Magic Extreme HD, GB RAM, 4 TB HDD

Posted on Mar 14, 2016 8:14 PM

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Q: Can open hdd anymore

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  • Helpful answers

  • by kahjot,

    kahjot kahjot Mar 14, 2016 8:52 PM in response to dwctv
    Level 4 (1,347 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 14, 2016 8:52 PM in response to dwctv

    Have you tried running Disk Utility on the affected disk?

  • by dwctv,

    dwctv dwctv Mar 14, 2016 9:10 PM in response to kahjot
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 14, 2016 9:10 PM in response to kahjot

    yes sure, first thing I did, but it says everything seems to be ok

  • by dwctv,

    dwctv dwctv Mar 14, 2016 9:32 PM in response to dwctv
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 14, 2016 9:32 PM in response to dwctv

    additional info:

    I just noticed, that other programs like Premier and Red Cine X can access the drive. Only Finder can not..... kind of weird. But from there I need it most !

  • by Eric Root,Helpful

    Eric Root Eric Root Mar 15, 2016 7:59 AM in response to dwctv
    Level 9 (71,175 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 15, 2016 7:59 AM in response to dwctv

    Might be a corrupt .plist.

     

    Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

     

    Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J.  When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder.  Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist.  Move the .plist to your desktop.

     

    Re-launch Finder by restarting the computer and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

     

    If the same, return the .plist to where you got it  from, overwriting the newer one.

     

    Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

  • by dwctv,

    dwctv dwctv Mar 15, 2016 8:06 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 15, 2016 8:06 AM in response to Eric Root

    good suggestion..but.......make 2 backups..? where to? That disk has 3.92 Tb of data loaded. I was able to back up 2.7 Tb, took the whole day.

    But I will see to scrap together some more disk space.... at least to have 1 backup.

    Then I will try your suggestion.

    Thank you!

     

    a question: I am using CCC now for the backup.

    What I dont like is, that I can not see how big the files are so it is very hard to find space.

    Which free software would show diskspace like in the finder? When I backed up the 2.7 Tb folder, I had no idea, that it is so big.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Mar 15, 2016 8:16 AM in response to dwctv
    Level 9 (71,175 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 15, 2016 8:16 AM in response to dwctv

    EasyFind – Spotlight Replacement


     

    Find Any File

  • by dwctv,

    dwctv dwctv Mar 15, 2016 8:43 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 15, 2016 8:43 AM in response to Eric Root

    Thank you

  • by dwctv,

    dwctv dwctv Mar 15, 2016 7:01 PM in response to dwctv
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 15, 2016 7:01 PM in response to dwctv

    Something came to my mind:

    if I backup all the data to an other drive (still doing it) would it be not easier just to format that drive again?

    Will it not be back to normal reading after formatting?

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Mar 16, 2016 10:42 AM in response to dwctv
    Level 9 (71,175 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 16, 2016 10:42 AM in response to dwctv

    You are welcome. I would try reformatting the drive as the next troubleshooting step.

  • by dwctv,

    dwctv dwctv Mar 17, 2016 6:44 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 17, 2016 6:44 AM in response to Eric Root

    Hi,

    meanwhile I followed your advice, but unfortunately, moving the com.apple.finder to the desktop and reboot did not do any changes.

    In the preferences I also found a file: com.apple.finder.plist.AEVz5iB

    which I also removed.

    I put the old plist back as you told me.

    I connected my 4Tb hdd to my MBP which has the same system. The same thing happen: the finder crash and all icons were gone.

    So the trouble must be within the hdd itself.

    I have not found enough space yet to save the other folders, so I wonder, would I have an other option before I reformat the disk?

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Mar 17, 2016 9:38 AM in response to dwctv
    Level 9 (71,175 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 17, 2016 9:38 AM in response to dwctv

    Unfortunately, I can't think of anything else to suggest. You could get another external drive to save your data to before reformatting.