Apple Intelligence is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac!

📢 Newsroom Update

Apple unveils the new iMac with M4, supercharged by Apple Intelligence and available in fresh colors. Learn more >

📢 Newsroom Update

Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Difficulty initializing an external hard drive

While attempting to intialize an external hard drive, my iMac running Catalina will suddenly shut down and restart. (Before this problem the HD would, on occasion at night, simply shut down then restart.)


iMac 27", macOS 10.13

Posted on Apr 9, 2020 1:59 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 9, 2020 4:02 PM

Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode?


Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.


You can save us asking dozens of questions by submitting a report...

EtreCheck is a simple little app to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac.

http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck


Pastebin is a good place to paste the whole report...

https://pastebin.com/


Or use the paperclip at the bottom of a Reply to attach the full report here. :)


Workable but harder for me to work with...the Note tool on the bottom of this editor's toolbar, as shown in the image, to copy and paste the output from EtreCheck.


There is also free Malwarebytes which may take care of it...

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac/

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 9, 2020 4:02 PM in response to richardfromthornhill

Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode?


Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.


You can save us asking dozens of questions by submitting a report...

EtreCheck is a simple little app to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac.

http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck


Pastebin is a good place to paste the whole report...

https://pastebin.com/


Or use the paperclip at the bottom of a Reply to attach the full report here. :)


Workable but harder for me to work with...the Note tool on the bottom of this editor's toolbar, as shown in the image, to copy and paste the output from EtreCheck.


There is also free Malwarebytes which may take care of it...

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac/

Difficulty initializing an external hard drive

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.