Apple Intelligence is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac!

📢 Newsroom Update

Apple’s new MacBook Pro features the incredibly powerful M4 family of chips and ushers in a new era with Apple Intelligence. Learn more >

📢 Newsroom Update

Apple introduces M4 Pro and M4 Max. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

External hard drive won’t mount to MacBook pro

I connected an external hard drive to MacBook Pro to back up. I’ve been using them for years and never had problems. When I connect the external hard drive to MacBook Pro, it usually shows an icon and I can start back up but I don’t see the icon anymore. MacBook Pro is working fine and external hard drive is blinking and vibrating but not mounted. I tried Disk Utility, selected side bar “backup” and click “mount” but nothing. I click “First aid” but error message says “it’s failed and backup disk is not connected”.

I also turn off and on MacBook Pro. Disconnected and connected the external hard drive but no luck.

Please help.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Feb 16, 2022 8:18 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 17, 2022 5:08 AM

coco0216 wrote:

I connected an external hard drive to MacBook Pro to back up. I’ve been using them for years and never had problems.

When I connect the external hard drive to MacBook Pro, it usually shows an icon and I can start back up but I don’t see the icon anymore. MacBook Pro is working fine and external hard drive is blinking and vibrating but not mounted. I tried Disk Utility, selected side bar “backup” and click “mount” but nothing. I click “First aid” but error message says “it’s failed and backup disk is not connected”.
I also turn off and on MacBook Pro. Disconnected and connected the external hard drive but no luck.
Please help.


It sounds like the drive has failed...


You can try —

  • a different port
  • a different cable
  • a different enclosure to test


Mount a volume that's been ejected using Disk Utility on Mac




Try a different drive and compare your results.


All drives will fail in time, not if but when...

3-2-1 Backup Strategy: three copies of your data, two different methods, and one offsite.


Similar questions

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 17, 2022 5:08 AM in response to coco0216

coco0216 wrote:

I connected an external hard drive to MacBook Pro to back up. I’ve been using them for years and never had problems.

When I connect the external hard drive to MacBook Pro, it usually shows an icon and I can start back up but I don’t see the icon anymore. MacBook Pro is working fine and external hard drive is blinking and vibrating but not mounted. I tried Disk Utility, selected side bar “backup” and click “mount” but nothing. I click “First aid” but error message says “it’s failed and backup disk is not connected”.
I also turn off and on MacBook Pro. Disconnected and connected the external hard drive but no luck.
Please help.


It sounds like the drive has failed...


You can try —

  • a different port
  • a different cable
  • a different enclosure to test


Mount a volume that's been ejected using Disk Utility on Mac




Try a different drive and compare your results.


All drives will fail in time, not if but when...

3-2-1 Backup Strategy: three copies of your data, two different methods, and one offsite.


Feb 23, 2022 4:55 PM in response to leroydouglas

I purchased a new cable and tried but no luck.

my external hard drive slight vibrate and light is blinking but cannot back up. When I tried to eject the hard drive, I got a message window says “failed to eject “back up drive” because it is currently in use” but cannot back up or open time machine.

couldnit be a damage on the hard drive and I have to pay a lot to bring all the data to a new hard drive so I can keep everything in the hard drive??

External hard drive won’t mount to MacBook pro

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.