2012 Macbook Pro with retina display won't recognize my External Hard drive.

Even 'power consumption' for MBP-Rs should not affect the USB 3 ports. Most of the people I see posting with USB 3 drive problems are using the new non-Retina display MBPs.

It seems that there's an 'issue' here - at least for the handful of users that have brought their problems here.

Clinton

Lets try a test... Turn off the computer fully. Then while you hold down the power key, hold down the option key. A menu should pop up. Once it pops up, you can let go of the key. Do you see besides the recovery disk and start up disk you external hard drive there as an option? If you do, then we know the computer can read it, and its just have trouble opening it or something. Let me know what the results are! Im curious.

what is it currently formated as? it should be mac os journaled (extended). Was the computer ever able to notice it?

I also made a video on how to clone hard drives if it helps to make sure you did everything properly.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtsxZtWUYU0

Again - many have reported problems with USB 3 drives and new USB 3 ports. Take your computer and drive into an Apple store (making an appointment first, of course) and see if they can diagnose the problem. There are just too many here with USB 3 HD problems.

Clinton

I just hope that this issue can be resolved via an update instead of having to go through the hassle of returning the MacBook.

I'm coming late to this discussion, but am interested because the new retina MPB I've ordered will force me to back up via usb at least temporarily - I'm more used to firewire hds. Is there any known correlation between problems with attaching usb hds and whether the drives are powered externally or over through the usb cable?

I'm having the same issue too. I'm using a verbatim insight external HD. It has an lcd on it that shows what's going on when you plug it it. Well, when I do it says scanning.... and it never stops. I've tried everything suggested on this thread and nothing. It has my time machine backup from my old MBP which I no longer have so I can't try it on it. I too hope its just a software issue that can be fixed with a patch and we all don't have to return these new machines. I'm noticing that more and more we the people are becoming the true testors of Apple products. And we find all the issues. Apple never used to be like this. Don't get me wrong I luv Apple but the last few years....you know.

I also went to the Apple store today as well, and they said the same thing. She tried my hard drive in a macbook air and it showed up just fine, but it still wouldn't show up on my MBPR or any of the store models either. She said that apple will come out with an update sooner or later to fix the problem, but until then I just we have to wait...

Well, at least you guys were able to replicate the problem and know, now, that it's a USB problem that can, in all likelihood, be fixed with a software update. Don't forget to send a bug report to Apple, though, through https://bugreport.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/RadarWeb.woa/wa/signIn.

Sorry so many of you are having trouble - this is not the typical Apple experience.

Clinton

i had the same problem the hdd lights up blue but the MBPR doesnt read it at all. i read around and found a temporary way around.

basically if your original cable looked like this:

http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/924839/9120273/0/1243672370/USB_3_0_CABLE_ASSEMBLY .jpg

you can instead use a micro usb cable(like the one kindle fire/blackberry uses)and connect to the computer with that and it was instantly recognized problem is that it uses USB2.0 speed also the light is white not blue 😟