External SSD not detected!

Question

Level 1

0 points

External SSD not detected!

Hi,

I'm running Mac OS X Lion (latest version) on a MacBook Pro mid-2010 model. OS X Lion was installed via recovery tools a few days ago.

Today I plugged in a brand new Crucial M4 SSD via USB and it got detected. I restarted the laptop in recovery mode using cmd + R and chose to install Lion on the external SSD. For this I first had to partition the SSD before it showed up as a valid drive where Lion could be installed.

The installation went almost to the end, but then stopped rather strangely for a very long time. So I decided to cancel the installation and restarted the laptop normally. Since then the Crucial M4 SSD is not being detected at all (doesn't even show up in Disk Utility).

Can anyone help me here? What can I do to make it show up?

Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Apr 14, 2012 6:57 AM

Reply

Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Apr 14, 2012 7:13 AM in response to tenorish

I would try a different cable and/or attach it to another computer and see if that will detect the SSD. Also try a different enclosure. If it is not detected, you may have a defective SSD.

Ciao.

Reply

Answer 2

tenorish Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 14, 2012 7:28 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Hi,

Thanks. But I don't have access to another computer or another enclosure. The enclosure I have has an in-built USB cable.

The SSD DID get recognised and I almost installed Lion on it completely, but then what I said above happened.

Is there any other alternative?

Cheers.

Reply

Answer 3

tenorish Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 14, 2012 9:06 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

I've even tried resetting the PRAM, without success.

The USB ports seem to be working fine because I can charge my iPad through both of them. It's just this external SSD that doesn't show up via USB when connected. The enclosure and the SSD are basically some 6 hours old and I haven't dropped or mishandled it..

Reply

Answer 4

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Apr 14, 2012 10:59 AM in response to tenorish

What I am trying to do is to determine if there are any mechanical problems in connecting the SSD to your MBP. Until it gets recognized by the MBP, there is nothing you can do about installing Lion on it. You could contact the vendor and see if they have any useful suggestions.

Did you format the SSD before you started the Lion installation?

Ciao.

Reply

Answer 5

tenorish Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 14, 2012 11:32 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Yes, I formatted it using the disk utility, that's why the Lion installation could start in the first place. Something must have happened during the installation because after a certain point it stopped and since then the SSD didn't get detected.

Reply

Answer 6

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Apr 14, 2012 1:27 PM in response to tenorish

I think I'm running out of ammunition. The last thought I have is to swap the drives, (put the SSD into the MBP) and pull out the original installation disk and proceed with installing Snow Leopard. If the installation disk does not recognize the SSD, then I have to assume it is faulty. If it recognizes it, then there is a problem with the external hardware or perhaps the USB connections..

Ciao.

Reply

Answer 7

Mahman

Level 1

0 points

Jul 11, 2012 8:34 AM in response to tenorish

Hi,

I am facing the exact same problem. Did you figure out the fix?

Thanks,

Reply

Answer 8

xiantez

Level 1

4 points

Feb 22, 2016 8:39 PM in response to tenorish

So I think I have the same problem, however I can boot to my external SSD, however I have to go into boot manager and reseat my external SSD in order for it to show up as a bootable option... This is annoying because I want to be able to boot to this SSD by default.... Does anyone know how to force a mac mini late 2014 model to initialize the external SSD upon boot?

Reply

Answer 9

XRiter

Level 1

18 points

Apr 2, 2016 4:43 AM in response to xiantez

Can you explain what you do exactly when you're talking about: "go into boot manager and reseat my external SSD in order for it to show up as a bootable option". What do you mean with "reseat my external SSD"?

I think I'm having kinda the same problem: my external SSD is not recognized in the boot manager...

Reply