Unable to mount an external USB-C G Drive in Monterey. Unable to verify and repair fully in Disk Utility. Gives a problem with disk management when trying to mount/unmount or eject. Looks like a new software issue. Anyone else have this problem?
iMac Line (2012 and Later)
Heads up regarding Maggot’s response. Not completely correct. Apple website states this for the 0.8m cable - link at the end
About the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Cable
Connect a device that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port to a device that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C port.
The Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Cable(0.8 m) connects a Mac that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port to a device that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C port.
Video
Use this cable to connect your Mac to a display that uses Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C for video, such as the LG UltraFine 5K Display or LG UltraFine 4K Display. It supports DisplayPort High Bit Rate 3 (HBR3) video output.
Data transfer
Use this cable to connect your Mac to a device that uses Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C for data transfer, such as an external hard drive or dock. It supports Thunderbolt 3 data-transfer speeds up to 40Gbps, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 data-transfer speeds up to 10Gbps. It also supports Target Disk Mode. Check the specifications of your device to determine which data-transfer standard it supports.
Charging
This cable also connects to Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C devices for charging your Mac notebook computer or other device. It delivers a maximum of 100W power to any connected device.
Compared with Apple USB-C Charge Cable
The Apple USB-C Charge Cable is longer (2 m) and also supports charging, but data-transfer speed is limited to 480Mbps (USB 2.0) and it doesn't support video. The Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable has Thunderbolt 
logo on the sleeve of each connector. Either cable can be used with the Apple USB-C Power Adapter.
Learn more
I've the same problem with my MBP 13" 2019 (Intel) and a G-DRIVE USB-C after I have updated to Monterey.
After some time spent with Apple support they suggested me to try with an other cable usb-c to usb-c and... surprise: with the original Apple cable (that I use to charge my MBP) the G-drive works perfectly!
I think it's caused by a bug and I hope Apple resolve it with next minor update.
Speckled James wrote:
Heads up regarding Maggot’s response. Not completely correct. Apple website states this for the 0.8m cable - link at the end
About the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Cable
Connect a device that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port to a device that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C port.
https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/macbookpro/apple-thunderbolt-3-usb-c-cable.jpg
The Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Cable(0.8 m) connects a Mac that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port to a device that has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C port.
Video
Use this cable to connect your Mac to a display that uses Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C for video, such as the LG UltraFine 5K Display or LG UltraFine 4K Display. It supports DisplayPort High Bit Rate 3 (HBR3) video output.
Data transfer
Use this cable to connect your Mac to a device that uses Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C for data transfer, such as an external hard drive or dock. It supports Thunderbolt 3 data-transfer speeds up to 40Gbps, and USB 3.1 Gen 2 data-transfer speeds up to 10Gbps. It also supports Target Disk Mode. Check the specifications of your device to determine which data-transfer standard it supports.
Charging
This cable also connects to Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or USB-C devices for charging your Mac notebook computer or other device. It delivers a maximum of 100W power to any connected device.
Compared with Apple USB-C Charge Cable
The Apple USB-C Charge Cable is longer (2 m) and also supports charging, but data-transfer speed is limited to 480Mbps (USB 2.0) and it doesn't support video. The Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable has Thunderbolt
https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/il/thunderbolt-icon.png
logo on the sleeve of each connector. Either cable can be used with the Apple USB-C Power Adapter• .
Learn more
Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) allows six devices in a chain, so you can use this cable between your Mac and each device in the chain.
• Adapters for connecting to the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port on your Mac
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208368
Sorry Speckled, but you've made an erroneous assumption. The cable whose specs yu're quoting above is not the Apple USB-C charge cable, but rather their (more expensive, highest transfer rate) USB-C to USB-C cable. It does NOT work with any of the afflicted drives, as far as we all know.
The charge cable, with its slow transfer speed, does mount the external drives.
Also have an issue with an external USB-C drive that keeps on disconnecting after updating to Monterey.
Works for a moment and then I get the disk not ejected properly error message.
Had no issues on Big Sur.
When I use it via a USB-C multi port dongle it works fine.
MBP M1 Monterey 12.0.1
I am also having this problem with an external NVME drive on an M1 Mini. When I plug it in with USB-C, it ejects improperly. Tried swapping cables, same problem. When I plug it into another Mac running Big Sur, it works fine. When I plug it in with a USB 3 cable it works fine. I tried plugging in another USB-C drive, same problem –ejects improperly. This problem started as soon as I upgraded to Monterey.
Interesting, the G-Drive is a mobile USB-C drive 3.1 Gen 1 which comes with both USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A adapters. I have two of these drives and both power up and can be seen in Disk utility using either of the adapters. However they cannot be mounted and therefore cannot be manipulated, read/write, repair or ejected. I have an old internal Hitachi disk formatted Journaled HFS+ running for a second Time Machine backup through a USB 3.0 Icy Dock that has not had an issue. Must be a new software glitch that does not like G-Drive. I'll just have to await the next Monterey software update to see if I can get them mounted again. Such is life!
I've never had any disk issues before Monterey.
I could leave the drive overnight with M1 sleeping, and it would still be there the next morning when waking from sleep...
Really hope they fix this, don't want to drag the hub around to use my drive.
I am having a somewhat similar issue. I have a few WD external spindle drives (USB-A). Plugged into a thunderbolt-3 docking station and a separate USB-A to USB-C dongle. On both occasions, it took a good 45 seconds to a minute for Montery to recognize and mount the drive. Once it mounted, it seemed ok. Took about the same amount of time to eject as well. Tried multiple drives with same result as well.
Running a new M1 Pro 14" Macbook Pro.
Hey leobatta, that is brilliant, great to hear that Apple gave a solution.
I saw many similar problem comments on the G-Technology community website and it appeared that WD G-Tech support did not have an answer.
Now, why didn't I think to do that? As soon as I connected the G-Technology G Drive with my Apple USB-C to USB-C cable, in fact I tried 2, the drive immediately mounts and is a quarter way through the back-up. Thanks
Now to await a software update so that I can use the drive's original cable.
Same problem. New 14” MacBook Pro. Bought WD G-drive, supposed to be plug and play. 4 hours later with multiple calls with WD, their solution was to find another computer and try and connect the drive and reformat it to exFAT. Didn’t want to do that, old format, not sure other limitations. So then the tech wanted me to type some code in the command line which I refused (his typing was poor so I was concerned i would screw something up on my laptop), then he wanted to remote in to my computer (no way), so I asked for my money back and was told I would have to pay shipping etc. really poor customer service from WD.
So then I happened on this thread and thought, what the heck, order a USB-C to USB-C cable from Apple as suggested, and … voila!!! It recognized it, set it as backup drive, works terrific. So until or if Apple/WD fixes their incompatibility. Consider spending $20 for an Apple cable. thanks Leomaster!
Except that the USB-C to USB-C charge cable only supports speeds up to 480Mbps, which renders it pretty much useless as anything more than a stop gap solution. It’s not a fix. Apple needs to take this seriously.
Sorry to be a 'partial' wet blanket Leobatta, but I've tried every cable imagineable with my 14"MBP and none of them has worked with my 5Tb G-Drive. The only way I can connect is through the hub on a Thunderbolt drive (ie usb-2) and it's grindingly slow.
I bought a new USB-c- to USB-c from apple and that doesn't work either.
So - not solved here!
best
I'm with Maggot here - it's no kind of a solution if it's USB-2 Speed - and doesn't work with a high speed apple cable either.
But I'm not alone in having it not work at all when connected with the computer - whatever cable.
If Apple read these discussions it would be really bad for there to be a 'solved' tick against it . . . fortunately I bet they don't 😂
It needs to be fixed - I also use high speed SanDisk SSD cards and I didn't pay a fortune for them to work slower than the average 10 year old hard drive!
Hi There
The point about this 0.8 metre Thunderbolt cable is that as far as I'm aware it doesn't work with anyone's G-Drive connected to a Mac loaded with Monterey it certainly doesn't work either with my 5Tb G-Drive or my 2TB SanDisk -
whereas the 2m charge cable works (very slowly) for some drives (but not mine).
That is OK Jono. Just adding what it says on the Apple website re cables for other users information. My 2 x 0.8m cables work with my 2 by 4TB G-Drives and Monterey 12.0.1 whereas my G-Drive cables do not. My cables are charging cables from iPads so not Thunderbolt 3 or 4 cables as they do not show the Thunderbolt lightning flash.
Whatever way, it is a Monterey software issue not allowing the G-Drives to be mounted and not a drive issue. It is nearly a month since Monterey so the first patch must be due soon.
Unable to mount an external USB-C G Drive in Monterey.
