External USB drive on Mac Mini (Catalina) no longer accessible on other macs (Catalina)
I've tried unticking the shared folder and ticked on again. Restarted all my macs. Stop not able to access that external HD from other macs.
Sharing is on.
Any suggestions?
Mac mini, macOS 10.15
Hi everyone,
This issue was solved after a little google searching. It was an easy fix. Turn off sharing in both macs (system preferences). Turn it back on. Then restart both machines. External hard drives were accessible again.
Thanks for the recommendations.
Hi everyone,
This issue was solved after a little google searching. It was an easy fix. Turn off sharing in both macs (system preferences). Turn it back on. Then restart both machines. External hard drives were accessible again.
Thanks for the recommendations.
Digable Planets Said:
"External USB drive on Mac Mini (Catalina) no longer accessible on other macs (Catalina): Hi everyone, This issue was solved after a little google searching. It was an easy fix. Turn off sharing in both macs (system preferences). Turn it back on. Then restart both machines. External hard drives were accessible again. Thanks for the recommendations."
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Please Specify:
Do your Part: What is the reference site for this solution you came across? Please provide it, as it may help many for certain.
Hello Digable Planets,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities. From your post, it sounds like a sharable folder is no longer accessible on other Mac computers. We'll do what we can to help.
Since they are all on the same version of macOS, the USB drive sounds like it should be on a readable format, but just in case check through Disk Utility and repair disk if needed: Repair a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac
Also, check to make sure the other Mac computers are seen by the Mac mini that has the USB drive. The easiest way to do this is try AirDrop: Use AirDrop on your Mac
To narrow it down, also be sure to check your Mac in safe mode: How to use safe mode on your Mac
Have a great day.
Digable Planets Said:
"External USB drive on Mac Mini (Catalina) no longer accessible on other macs (Catalina): I've tried unticking the shared folder and ticked on again. Restarted all my macs. Stop not able to access that external HD from other macs. Sharing is on. Any suggestions?"
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Any Security Software Installed?:
If you have Security Software of those other Catalina-installed Macs, then it is what is getting in the way here. It is probably having a firewall setting of sorts disallowing external items to successfully connect, seeing them untrusted devices.
If so...
Uninstall it:
So, if Security Software is installed, then uninstall it. Use an uninstaller, as just dragging-and-dropping its icon into the Trash will leave files laying about your Mac, most likely never removable, unless your drive were to be formatted.
Hi,
I’m really trying to find the website where I read this solution but now I can’t find it. Reading through this thread I must say that I do have NordVPN on all my machines. I cannot recall turning them off during the ticking/unticking of the sharing option but let’s just say turn them both (all) off to be safe. I did not have to uninstall NordVPN.
External hard drives are formatted for Mac (journaled). I’ll keep looking but that’s all I did in my situation before restarting both machines (actually 3 Mac minis) at the same time. Now with all machines on and NordVPN running, external hard drives are still accessible.
I will post when/if I find the website.
side note:
1 Mac mini (2014 / Catalina with 2 external hard drives)
1 (Mac mini (2012 / Catalina with 1 external hard drive)
1 (Mac mini (2011 / High Sierra with 1 external hard drive)
Basically a Mac Mini for each television. It’s a great streamer/extra computer when needed.
External USB drive on Mac Mini (Catalina) no longer accessible on other macs (Catalina)
