How to use the G Drive PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

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How to use the G Drive PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

Can someone tell me step by step how I use the G Drive? I have a MacBook Pro that I know is about to die on me.....again. Apple guy told me to buy the G Drive and put what I want on it. This will be the second time my MacBook will die. This is also the second hard drive. The one that came with the MacBook kept rebooting, at least once a day, then more then once a day and then it just never came back on. Took it to Apple, they recommended a new hard drive. Did that. Good for about a month now its doing it again. So before I loose all the pictures I have I want to put them on my new G Drive. But I don't know what I need to do. I connect it to the MacBook but I don't know where I go from there.

Can anyone please give me step by step instructions, because non came in the box.

Thanks

MacBook Air (2018 or later)

Posted on Dec 30, 2018 7:03 AM

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Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Dec 30, 2018 7:09 AM in response to dogwalker 2

Use TIme Machine to backup your entire system to the external drive.

Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

Then when the drive is replaced you can use Migration Assistant to restore all your files.

How to move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Skydiver119

Level 9

53,489 points

Dec 30, 2018 12:47 PM in response to dogwalker 2

I think i’m as puzzled as macjack is. The G Drive is the brand of portable hard drive right?

You should just be able to plug it in and probably see it in finder. If not (sometimes you can set finder to not show things that are plugged in) you should still see an icon for the G Drive. You double click on that to open a finder window for the drive, then just drag things over. My G drive is also separately powered, so I not only have to plug it into my mac but also into a power outlet.

If things will not drag over you may need to format the G Drive to something that Macs like. I can’t recall how mine came if it was formatted for mac or if I had to. Is that the issue? Is the computer not allowing you to drag files to the G Drive due to formatting (the drive will probably say it’s in read only mode if it’s not formatted correctly)

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Answer 3

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Dec 30, 2018 12:00 PM in response to dogwalker 2

Then you just be able to drag anything you want to the the drive.

I'd save the whole Pictures folder. (From your Finder Menu > Go > Home > Pictures)

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Answer 4

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Dec 30, 2018 10:37 AM in response to dogwalker 2

If you can't boot the Mac then you can't use the external drive to save your files. There's no way to use the external once your internal fails. Another option if you have access to another Mac would be to boot yours into Target Disk Mode and use the other Mac to copy off the files.

How to use target disk mode to move files to another computer - Apple Support

Even, if all you want are Pictures your hard drive needs to be working. To do that only, follow the directions here:

Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 5

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Dec 30, 2018 11:24 AM in response to dogwalker 2

Does it show up on your Mac either on the Desktop, in your Finder Sidebar or in Disk Utility?

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Answer 6

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Dec 30, 2018 11:27 AM in response to dogwalker 2

If it's not showing up on your Mac you should check with their support:

https://support-en.g-technology.com

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Answer 7

dogwalker 2 Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 30, 2018 8:46 AM in response to macjack

But what happens when it completely crashes? The last time that happened I could not turn it on.

I only want the pictures. Not much else on it that I want or need.

If it won’t go on how do I get into my Time Machine? That’s why Apple guy recommended the G Drive

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Answer 8

dogwalker 2 Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 30, 2018 10:19 AM in response to macjack

I won't be replacing this hard drive. if I do it will be the second time. all I'm doing is putting money into it and not getting anything out of it. which is why I need to know how to use the G Drive. From start to finish.

Thanks

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Answer 9

dogwalker 2 Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 30, 2018 11:01 AM in response to macjack

Maybe I'm not explaining myself correctly. Right now it's working, it just reboots itself. I'm afraid it will crash like the last time and I will loose the pictures. So before that happens I want to save what I have. There isn't anything on this laptop that I want saved other than my pictures.

At some time in the near future I will be getting another laptop and the only stuff that will going on the new one will be my pictures, nothing else. I don't want anything that is in my cloud on my new laptop.

I'm sure this is a topic for another thread but I believe that there is something that I have saved in my cloud that is causing this reboot. Why else would the new drive start doing the same as the old drive. When it reboots I get the report to send to Apple, it looks like a foreign language to me. But I am sure someone can figure out what the cause is. I've tried to copy and paste so that I can put here as a post but it won't let me paste it.

I feel like I'm on a hamster wheel.

Anyway thank you for your help and patience. Much appreciated.

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Answer 10

macjack

Level 10

111,242 points

Dec 30, 2018 11:08 AM in response to dogwalker 2

I'm afraid I'm not not getting what you trying to do. If your drive is still working just copy off the pictures to the external, or use the link I gave you to copy the Photos Library.

I'm going to ask some others to jump in here to to help

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Answer 11

babowa

Level 9

78,562 points

Dec 30, 2018 5:29 PM in response to dogwalker 2

Ok, so, after you plug in the hard drive, go to your Applications folder > Utilities > Disk Utility. Launch that. Click on your G drive which should be listed in the left column. The look in the main window and click on erase. Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Give it a name (like "Photos"or whatever you want instead of "untitled" - that is what the title of the G drive will be). See the screenshot below of my OWC external drive (highlighted) and click on erase.

When that is finished, it is ready to use.

Do you use iPhoto or Photos app? If so, read through these instructions:

Move your Photos library to save space on your Mac - Apple Support

That should do it. Come back if you have more questions.

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Answer 12

dogwalker 2 Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 30, 2018 11:20 AM in response to macjack

I got that, but I don't know how to use the G Drive. It comes with no directions on what to do once I plug into my laptop. Thats my problem. I plug it in......then what?

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Answer 13

dogwalker 2 Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 30, 2018 11:33 AM in response to macjack

yes, it does show up on my desktop. when I click on it it then brings me to Finder. But the one thing I want to save is not listed so I can save it.....my photos.

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Answer 14

dogwalker 2 Author

Level 1

60 points

Dec 31, 2018 5:54 AM in response to babowa

That's what I'm talking about!!!! Thank you so much. :)

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How to use the G Drive PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

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