Why can't I read any USB storage devices? Since the first few updates after Big Sur on my 2015 Macbook Air (the Big Sur update went off fine, macOS 11.1), none of my USB storage devices can be mounted, not even an SD card. Hasn't this yet been addressed?
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.13
Thanks, Luis, for your effort. An authorised repair service proved to be helpful with the solution, which I sketch out below.
After the authorised repair service backed up the SSD and re-installed Big Sur (re-installing the files and applications from their back up), all USB ports (incl. TB-2) began working again. I was able to repeat the backup in TimeMachine and clean re-install Big Sur, successfully. Restoring my TM-backup helped ensure that my own clean install of the MacOS couldn't be compromised by older versions of items that had been grandfathered through various years of system upgrades. Thus, the upgrade to Big Sur proved to be the least forgiving, i.e., the most error-prone in comparison to all previous upgrades, beginning with my upgrade to Snow Leopard.
Ergo: Everyone ought to best be prepared in future to first flatten the system and then clean-install newer OS versions, using a full TimeMachine backup to restore user files. Fallback: Keep a clone of the last running system ready in case any upgrade leads to new unexpected issues. It's no fun to lose USB-device service and have no second Mac handy to help you get things working again.
Thanks, Luis, for your effort. An authorised repair service proved to be helpful with the solution, which I sketch out below.
After the authorised repair service backed up the SSD and re-installed Big Sur (re-installing the files and applications from their back up), all USB ports (incl. TB-2) began working again. I was able to repeat the backup in TimeMachine and clean re-install Big Sur, successfully. Restoring my TM-backup helped ensure that my own clean install of the MacOS couldn't be compromised by older versions of items that had been grandfathered through various years of system upgrades. Thus, the upgrade to Big Sur proved to be the least forgiving, i.e., the most error-prone in comparison to all previous upgrades, beginning with my upgrade to Snow Leopard.
Ergo: Everyone ought to best be prepared in future to first flatten the system and then clean-install newer OS versions, using a full TimeMachine backup to restore user files. Fallback: Keep a clone of the last running system ready in case any upgrade leads to new unexpected issues. It's no fun to lose USB-device service and have no second Mac handy to help you get things working again.
Big Sur can of course handle all those devices.
There is some particular issue with your setup. We need more information to help in troubleshooting.
Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.
Uninstall the WD software. Your mac does not need drive manufacturers' software to use your drives, and it is quite possible that it is interfering with drive access.
Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.wdc.WDPrivilegedHelper.plist
Executable: /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.wdc.WDPrivilegedHelper
Details: Exact match found in the legitimate list - probably OK
Oh wait.... first uninstall THIS!
Kernel Extensions:
/Applications/2020 Acronis True Image.app
[Not Loaded] fileprotector.kext - com.acronis.fileprotector (2.4.4 - SDK 10.14)
and this
/Applications/JetDriveToolbox.app
[Not Loaded] com_smi_scsi_driver_VendorType00.kext - com.smi.scsi.driver.VendorType00 (1.0 - SDK 10.7)
You also have this HIDEOUS thing:
[Running] CleanMyMac X HealthMonitor (MacPaw Inc. - installed 2020-12-04)
Modern Login Item
/Applications/CleanMyMac X.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/CleanMyMac X Menu.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/CleanMyMac X HealthMonitor.app
Any mac that has been touched by cleanmymac is to be considered tainted, and should eventually need a clean install.
There are several points to consider before attempting the upgrade to Big Sur. The most important is Due Diligence on the part of the User and is a Prerequisite for a smooth upgrade.
Are the installed Applications / Extensions compatible with Big Sur. Check with the Developer for compatible Apps / Extension or do they offer updates. Same goes for Third Party Drivers for Printer, Scanners, External drives and Camera etc.
Third Party Manufacturers have had the chance to test their devices and their Software against Big Sur, even Before Big Sur was released to the Public.
If one is having issues with drivers - suggested contacting the Manufacturer for support and / or updated drives compatible with Big Sur.
Apple is not going to re-write the OS to make all devices compatible. That is the Manufacturers responsibility to make their device compatible with Big Sur
The external drives are formatted to what filing system ?? Are the SD Cards formatted by a Third Party device - like a camera.
Sure, and why shouldn't they be (=formatted by a Third Party device - like a camera)? That has always worked before in macOS. Why not now? (i.e., What good is my MacBook if I cannot upload my camera photos from an SD for further processing?) My Thunderbolt 2-drive also fails to mount, and it was formatted using the latest macOS standards: Could not mount “AppleAPFSMedia”. (com.apple.DiskManagement.disenter error 49180.). A standard USB thumb drive formatted with FAT32 should also continue to be mountable / readable (Could not mount “SANDISK-U32”. (com.apple.DiskManagement.disenter error 49180.),
but not even my macOS recovery thumb drive can be read: Could not mount “Install macOS”. (com.apple.DiskManagement.disenter error 49180)
Thanks for your attention to this issue.
Greetings,
D-in-Berlin
I think you are missing the point: The internal USB devices are no longer mounting SD cards, thumb drives (no extra driver required!), and the Thunderbolt port also refuses to mount. These are ALL internal Apple hardware devices that no longer work after Big Sur updates (not the original upgrade from the previous macOS version to Big Sur, that worked) and Apple assures us that MacBook Air 13" notebooks are compatible with Big Sur and its security updates. The onus is on Apple, not on any third-party hardware manufacturer.
Don't start alleging due diligence failures on the user side, that is presumptuous and shows a lack of boundaries and acceptance of Apple's responsibilities.
All your and good luck
Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any change in the USB issue following the uninstalls.
This is a newer Etrecheck report. Does it help?
Thanks,
D-in-Berlin
Why can't I read any USB storage devices?
