Western Digital hard drives not working after Big Sur update

FWIW, I don't think it's WD drives per se that is the problem. I have six WD drives, 4 powered and 2 portable drives connected to Macs running Big Sur. I suspect the WD software is the issue, which I've never used.

K Shaffer wrote:

With Big Sur upgrade, older HFS+ journaled, etc format isn't likely to work

with external drives; prior Catalina and earlier Mojave were OK with that.

HFS+ journaled formatted drives are nominally supported under Big Sur, at least according to Apple; in fact Apple recommends using HFS+ with a Big Sur computer to preserve compatibility with earlier MacOS computers, in case the drive must be used on both.

https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/file-system-formats-available-in-disk-utility-dsku19ed921c/20.0/mac/11.0

Under Big Sur, Time Machine drives must be APFS. Earlier MacOS required HFS+ for Time Machine.

With Big Sur upgrade, older HFS+ journaled, etc format isn't likely to work

with external drives; prior Catalina and earlier Mojave were OK with that.

External drives & some third party 'alleged solution' drivers don't play well.

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=about+APFS+and+Big+Sur+upgrade&ia=web

APFS has new rules and the Mac upgrade to that, runs. Adjust your usage.

Be watchful of Time Machine & its backups, the drive only likes APFS.

Are you using Western Digital's disk utilities with the drive?

This page https://support.wdc.com/downloads.aspx?p=294&lang=en has downloads/updates for Big Sur but you are really better off using the drive as a generic drive formatted appropriately for a Mac. The WD utilities may install special firmware or embed software on your Mac that might not work smoothly with Big Sur or some future OS update.

This was only a cautionary since the effect was fairly well known

as Big Sur arrived as beta and rough edges were rubbed off.

Format aside; I've found evidence online and in ASC about this.

And those mostly support what I'd repeated in this thread. As

I'd mentioned at one point, that I've not upgraded past 10.14.6.

Good luck & happy trails!

🌞🌿⛵️🌤🎣🏕⛄️🌻

K Shaffer wrote:

This was only a cautionary since the effect was fairly well known

as Big Sur arrived as beta and rough edges were rubbed off.

Format aside; I've found evidence online and in ASC about this.

Apple is still selling HFS+ drives in its Apple Store and these are sold as compatible with 10.11 and higher. I think it is misleading (and not correct) to tell the original poster that HFS+ simply "isn't likely to work" with Big Sur. I think he/she would be better served trying to troubleshoot the issue with his/her specific drive.

If the drive was being used for Time Machine is indeed must be reformatted to APFS as Big Sur requires that. But for general storage, HFS+ drives can be used with Big Sur.

Steve626:

Also the end users, as you are too, are advised to do their own troubleshooting

and if needed repairs to their devices. ~ I'm a bit further evolved than most with

about 30 years background in earlier Apple systems and newer changes.

My point was about the unsupported 'third-party' software; in topic threads

where I mistakenly replied (& was name-called) that had been problematic.

And among mac-user forums, more than a few participants have issue with

format as these systems evolve. There's many who have found problems after

Catalina, over Mojave upgrade; then found Big Sur with backups failed.

Hasn't been the first time in a decade where PC/Mac hardware maker offers

unnecessary software; provably bad for Mac, to "help" or "clean" something.

I've repaired & donated hundreds [x5] of Macs to charity in small AK towns.

And made no profit; while support time in person within 250+ mile radius.

Had 75 at time, ready to take 70-100 miles to charity thrift, at ends of the road.

Anyway, I am done with this ASC thread, and will remove "following" and

ASC notifications; as these send emails to me for each. I'm less interested.

Been part-time in discussions from May 2003, & used to be more fun here.

.Best wishes & happy trails.!

🌿⛵️🎣🌻🌤🌎🌙🌞🐝🐶

Hopefully WD will be able to help you. They have additional special utilities for troubleshooting that they don't post on their web site and that might enable you to get past the issue.

You said you "unlocked" the disk, that would be with WD's proprietary security software that "locks" a disk so access is denied until "unlocked?" Can Apple's Disk Utility see the disk?

See this in WD's support forums, it has some solutions that worked for some that had similar problems with WD's software/firmware:

https://community.wd.com/t/problem-in-connecting-passport-ssd-1t-to-big-sur/259297