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Hi, I have a new external HD which I backed files up with using my old MacBook. The external HD is formatted with ExFAT. When I plug it into my new MacBook Pro (2020) it isn’t recognised at all. The drive still works perfectly well with my old MacBook. Isn’t ExFAT supposed to be plug and play with both macs and PC? What do I need to do to start using the HD with my new MacBook?
MacBook
Thank you for that. No, I didn’t format it using my Mac as it was ExFAT and worked straight out if the box with my old MacBook Pro (I think it’s about a 2015 MacBook). For some reason my new MacBook doesn’t even register that it’s there when plugged in, using a USBC to USB adapter. Same with my GoPro though, and that’s direct USBC to USBC, no adapters
Thank you for that. No, I didn’t format it using my Mac as it was ExFAT and worked straight out if the box with my old MacBook Pro (I think it’s about a 2015 MacBook). For some reason my new MacBook doesn’t even register that it’s there when plugged in, using a USBC to USB adapter. Same with my GoPro though, and that’s direct USBC to USBC, no adapters
If you have a new M1 silicon Mac, then some of the external drive's USB controllers are not compatible with the M1 Macs. I know that the JMicron USB controller used by some drives is not compatible. Some other USB controllers may not be compatible either.
Thanks for your reply! No, it’s an intel i9 chip MacBook Pro. Only bought the MacBook a month ago. Also, when I USB-C my GoPro in, it doesn’t show up at all on my macbook, however when I put the SD card into the USB-C instead of directly from the GoPro, it’s recognised and can be used as an external device for transferring videos
Did you format the external drive using Disk Utility on the Mac? Sometimes macOS has trouble reading drives formatted on other systems.
Make sure not to use any third party anti-virus apps, cleaning apps, or third party security software as they may interfere with the proper operation of the Mac and your devices. It is also possible the most recent Catalina or Big Sur updates have introduced a problem.
Third party manufacturers don't always make their products truly interchangeable so it is not unusual to see external hard drives or cameras work on one computer and not work on another one. With any non-Windows OS your levels of compatibility will vary even more. Keep in mind any adapters, docks, or hubs can also affect compatibility and how a device will work or even be perceived by the computer. In theory all devices should follow the published standards, but so many vendors take short cuts to cut costs and the consumer suffers with these crazy compatibility issues.
ExFAT external drive not recognised by new MacBook pro
