Photos.app & Portable External HDD Constantly Ejecting Causing Error

Question

Level 1

19 points

Photos.app & Portable External HDD Constantly Ejecting Causing Error

I'm having an issue with my USB-C portable drive connected to my Macbook Pro 2023 16-inch. Running Sonoma 14.2.1

When traveling, I use the external drive for my Photos Library and have my library set to download originals to this Mac. I often import photos from an SD card into the library and leave the machine on with the Photos. App open.

I noticed that the external drive ejects after 15-30 minutes, and I get a warning that the drive was disconnected before dismounting.

After testing leaving the drive connected WITH and WITHOUT the Photos app open, it appears that the drive only ejects when the Photos.app is open. When it's not open, it doesn't appear to disconnect. However, soon after the app loads, the drive then disconnects, causing the error.

So logic tells me that something Photos is doing something that causes the USB-C portable drive to eject.

I should note when I'm home, I have a duplicate Photos Library on an external 3.5" drive in a powered enclosure and when connected at my home set that library as System Library so that it will sync with all the photos imported when traveling and imported into the library on the external portable drive.

Does anyone experience similar behavior?

Posted on Feb 26, 2024 8:59 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 26, 2024 9:52 AM in response to MacMyDays

I'm not seeing this happening. Have you checked the Battery section of settings to see if there's some power saving feature you should turn off? It's interesting that the powered drive doesn't cut out.

I think when I've seen things like this in the past, it has been the cable -- when I changed the cable, interruptions have stopped.

Of course, it could be the hard drive, itself. Do you have another portable drive you can use to test?

Reply

Photos.app & Portable External HDD Constantly Ejecting Causing Error

Similar questions