The disk "Volume Name" can't be unlocked. How to fix this flummoxing problem?!?

Question

The disk "Volume Name" can't be unlocked. How to fix this flummoxing problem?!?

After relaunching my mac mini with macOS 15.1.1 Sequoia, I was able to unlock four external hard drive connected via USB cables to the mac mini. However, the fifth one had the dialogue box popping up for the prompt to unlock. Then, all of the sudden, the dialogue box "shook" and disappeared. When I checked the Disk Utility, I could see the external drive as connected (Storage Device and Container), but the volume was greyed out. After clicking on First Aid to run the diagnostic tool, I saw this error message popping up:

The disk "Volume Name" can't be unlocked.

A problem was detected with the disk

that prevents it from being unlocked.

I do not know what led to this error message. This has happened to me a few times. Using the search engine to locate the fix has not helped me because some of them were thinly disguised as "articles" written by the third-party companies that provide the disk utilities apps. Some of them mention this problem but offer no fix. So frustrating!

I perused the third-party disk utilities apps, which were able to "unlock" the external drive and listed the data. The thing is that I am not willing to spend $130 or so on those apps to extract all of the data and transfer them to other drive.

Apple could have done better with providing us the tools to fix the password lock problem caused by Apple.

Anyone knows how to fix this problem?

Thanks!

Mac mini, 15.1

Posted on Nov 23, 2024 12:36 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Zurarczurx

Level 2

392 points

Nov 23, 2024 4:25 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

A few questions to clarify your situation.

Were the drives encrypted (locked) before you had this problem?

If the drives were encrypted by you, how did you do the encryption? Did you use a proprietary app (e.g. one that came with the drive) or did you do it with MacOS when you set up the drives?

Did the drives open OK in the previous version of Sequoia?

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

245,489 points

Nov 23, 2024 7:29 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

If people keep posting the nonsense and unhelpful tips...

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

245,489 points

Nov 23, 2024 2:42 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

Is this how you checked the Disk?

Boot into Restore mode,CMD+r keys...

Look at top of screen for Utilities menu...

In Disk Utility>View, select Show all Devices, highlight the top left entry.

Run Disk First Aid on all items in the left panel, from top down.

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Answer 4

PRP_53

Level 10

91,825 points

Nov 23, 2024 3:02 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

Normally, Password Protecting an External Drive is done via the methods provided By Apple, in the link below

It is done from within Disk Utilities which is part of macOS from Apple

Encrypt and protect a storage device with a password in Disk Utility on Mac

Based upon your earlier remarks, it would seem the user may have used some Other Method to encrypt this drive ?

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Answer 5

Nov 23, 2024 5:00 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

Then I'm stuck and can' help, I'm afraid. I've just checked 2 of my encrypted drives on 15.1.1 and they open OK. I know it's not much help to you, but good luck in fixing it.

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

245,489 points

Nov 23, 2024 8:17 AM in response to PRP_53

I'm not taking a chance... just so the OP can quit worrying.

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Answer 7

Nov 23, 2024 2:56 AM in response to BDAqua

Yes, that is one of several methods I have already attempted. This didn't resolve the issue on both Silicon mac mini and Intel MacBook Pro. Both reported the same error message.

I even tried my old MacBook Pro running High Sierra: same result.

Thanks, anyway.

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Answer 8

Nov 23, 2024 4:23 AM in response to PRP_53

Sigh, I am not sure why you implied that I need to encrypt and protect drive even though I have already done in the first place. The problem is that I got the error message dialogue box when unlocking the external drive, and Apple hasn't done anything to help me other than telling me it couldn't be unlocked. I have tried several other methods such as CMD-R, Terminal, and like. The only thing that could help me was the third-party apps that recover the data, which cost $130 and more. If the third-party apps could unlock and access the data, why can't I do that, too?!?

Any reason why you didn't read my posting carefully and thoroughly before responding to it? I was pretty much clear when describing what I faced.

If people keep posting the nonsense and unhelpful tips, I would have to take down my posting.

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 9

PRP_53

Level 10

91,825 points

Nov 23, 2024 4:25 AM in response to OliverTwist7878

Actually, the posting was read carefully

At not time was it suggested to encrypt the dive

It was being asked if the drive had be encrypted from Disk Utilities

Or, if some other Third Party Software had been used to Encrypt the drive

Good luck on various fronts including this computer issue

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Answer 10

Nov 23, 2024 4:48 AM in response to Zurarczurx

Yes, all of the external drives were formatted and encrypted using macOS Disk Utility app. All of them are formatted in APFS. I was able to use First Aid successfully only for first two levels: Storage Device and Container. It couldn't proceed with Volume, citing the inability to unlock the volume.

Last question: yes, the drive in question worked fine for a several months prior to the update from 15.1.0 to 15.1.1. Recently, DriveDX tested all of the external drives and reported no issues with any of them.

I did recall experiencing the same issue a several years ago with one of the external drives. I had to pay $90 for the third-party app that successfully accessed the drive and transferred all of the data. The licence was for one year so I am not willing to pay again for the third-party app since Apple ought to include this sort of app and the ways for us to fix the "unlocking error".

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