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Time Machine (Encrypted) Not Auto-Mounting on Boot with 10.14.4

Ever since the update to 10.14.4, my external SSD (Journaled, Encrypted) which serves as my Time Machine backup disk does not automatically mount on start-up as it used to.


There are also no prompts for password to mount the disk.


I have to manually mount it each time in Disk Utility.


Anyone else experiencing the same?


PS. I have tried removing and re-selecting the aforementioned external SSD as my Time Machine backup destination.

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Mar 26, 2019 8:07 PM

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Posted on May 13, 2019 9:35 PM

Issue resolved in Mojave 10.14.5 update today - an OS update via System Preferences/Software Update returned Mojave to its previous and expected behavior of auto-mounting password-saved external encrypted disks on boot/UI login without user intervention.

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77 replies

Apr 8, 2019 12:23 AM in response to removetxtforward

I got the missing in my ideas here, @removetxtforward


First, I had the same issued that is encrypted Time Machine Volume can not auto mount at startup / boot. So in the first-time boot into 10.14.4, I did not see the Time Machine Volume.


Second, I open the Disk Utility and then mount it, and it required me about Keychain password. I typed it, and clicked Always allow.

After that I reboot, Time Machine volume still not auto mount. So I have go to Disk Utility again and click mount, this time, it did not ask password Keychain again.


So, I finger out that is only add the UUID of Time Machine Volume to make it automount at startup/boot.

And then I followed the link https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7942 to add UUID into automount.

That is the a temp solution for this version 10.14.4. And it works with my Macbook Pro.


PS: this is the first version macOS I met this issue.


Apr 5, 2019 10:40 AM in response to removetxtforward

Hi,


same problem here. macOS 10.14.4 (18E226). Two external drives: one USB-Drive for Time Machine, one Thunderbold-Drive for "normal" Stuff.


What I have figured out so long:


  • Both drives will not auto-mount after a start, but will mount fine via Diskutil
  • Decrypt the drive: the drive will just fine auto-mount as before the update to 10.14.4
  • Encrypt the same drive again: drive will not auto-mount (and yeah: de- / encrypt an 4 TB drive will take AGES... :-))
  • BUT: If I boot and login WITHOUT the drives powered on, and power the drives on AFTER the login, the encrypted drives will just auto-mount normal


So, it seems that Apple has an issue here. I don't know, how this could be overseen in the beta-stage ... but it was. So, at the moment I will keep my drives Decryptes until Apple will come up with a solution. I can't trust the encryption-mechanism at this time...


C.


Apr 16, 2019 9:21 PM in response to Community User

I found another method and it works again with my mac.

Go to Applications -> Utilities -> Keychain Access.app , open it.

  • Keychains, select "login"
  • Category, select "All items"

After that sort list by click Kind column and find Kind "encrypted volume password", where have the name is your Volume name can not auto mount. Right click and Delete it. If have more than two, please remove all.

Then reboot.


After boot, if it do not auto mount and required input password, OPEN Disk Utility and mount it. When it asks password please type and click Always allow.

Done! You can reboot and see the result.


Thank you.

May 16, 2019 9:51 AM in response to vaporland.

It has worked once since 10.14.5, hopefully that means it is fixed.

I use an Apple Time Machine to backup. The issue, as observed through disk utility was

  • Timemachine disk didn't mount when it was powered up (or at reboot already powered up)
  • Once backup preparation started it did mount but then for some reason dismounted
  • An error explained that the disk could not be mounted
  • My Time Machine isn't encrypted and has no password, so different from most other posts.
  • Behaviour looked similar under 10.14.5 but this time the disk stayed mounted and the backup was successful.
  • So it looks as though Apple has identified the problem (though not admitting what it was despite sending numerous customers looking for red herrings up their garden paths to mix a few metaphors...)
  • Happy that it appears to be fixed, or at least no longer broken.

Mar 27, 2019 11:48 PM in response to Chriz555

i have no idea. but your not being clear. do you mean "Disk Utility" mounts the drive without asking for a pass? But your problem is it's not auto mounted, so that issue is not yet arrived, because your first problem is it's not automounted.


/Users/you/Library holds personal settings, app data specific to you (perhaps that disk you made encrypted - the auto settings were in Library and are not part of upgrade). Library settings are not always upgraded perfectly because apps have tons of options and some old options are not supported and some option combinations are simply not predictable (for 75 options calculate 75! (75 factorial) and see how many loose ends there can be).


your first problem is to find out if this is a disk setting (to change on that disk - perhaps in extended partition type), an OS default setting, or a user/Library stored setting


(the below wrong for your problem, but an example. also note 'defaults' can list all categories / items that have settings on the system)


$ defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE


(here we see that mojave has a breadth of tools from the Terminal app. i have no time to chase down this issue though. open terminal:)


$ man man

$ man diskutil


<snip>


SEE ALSO


     hdiutil(1), mount(8), umount(8), diskmanagementd(8),


     diskmanagementstartup(8), diskarbitrationd(8), corestoraged(8),


     fdesetup(8), ioreg(8), newfs_hfs(8), fsck_hfs(8), authopen(1),


     hfs.util(8), msdos.util(8), ufs.util(8), drutil(1), vsdbutil(8)



i assume diskarbitrationd is interesting and should be running (but ends up not being the issue)


I would instead check Launchpad->Console, which is very thorough, and see what messages arise concerning the disk when it is mounted. If there are no "hang ups" or errors, then you can assume mounting is normal and your issue is that the disk is simply not selected for automount.


did you try?


$man autofs


it could simply be that your disk has a mount point to a directory that autofs no longer auto mounts in mojave


on the other hand, if you have a backup, your intuition that it wouldn't be a bad idea to "re-create" the encryped drive. perhaps the filesystem is different and the old one, if encrypted, is not automounted, may be right


I see advice on how to prevent automount but not how to "re-enable it" since it's rather automatic.


Just because it's hard to find advice on it may be reason enough to do it "the long way".


I really can't help more because i don't have an encrypted journal (which mac format?) drive to run tests on. sorry.

Mar 28, 2019 12:34 AM in response to Chriz555

I initially thought this was a Time Machine related issue, but as you (and other redditors) note and I have since observed, the same problem is present on my other Mac when updated to 10.14.4 too - a MacBook Air + External HDD (partitioned with 2 volumes - APFS + HFS, both encrypted).


So it would seem it is an issue with how macOS has been changed to handle auto-authentication (via keychain-saved disk password) > auto-mount for external encrypted disks regardless of format or use (Time Machine or not).


PS. Interesting comment on no prompt for passphrase if it's the same as login -- did you mean you at least get a password prompt even if not auto-mounted iff your disk password is different from your login password?

Mar 28, 2019 6:09 PM in response to removetxtforward

I have to log on with my password to open my session. Once I'm in, I can mount the drive via Disk Utility without a password (Right-click + Mount). No prompt for a password, but as I said, it's the same password for both my account & my encrypted drive. So probably a normal behavior at this point.


I haven't tried changing my account password and try mounting the drive again. I'll give it a try soon and will post any update.

Time Machine (Encrypted) Not Auto-Mounting on Boot with 10.14.4

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