My external hard drive is working fine but I can't see any of the files

Question

My external hard drive is working fine but I can't see any of the files

I've been using a goflex external hard drive to store photos for a little over a year. It has been connected to my Mac desktop for about three months and it is still working but now when I try and view it or any of the files nothing shows up. I can still edit and manipulate files through apps like aperature, but I have no access to those photos? Is there any trick to being able to view these files again?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Dec 1, 2012 6:23 AM

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Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Dec 1, 2012 8:42 AM in response to colemanfromportland

A little more information please:

Does the external HDD appear on your desk top?

Does it appear in Disk Utility?

When you click on the HDD, does a window open?

Are there files visible?

What happens when you click on the files?

Ciao.

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Answer 2

Dec 1, 2012 9:58 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Thanks for the response.

The hard drive is visible on the desk top.

I currently can't find my disk utilities...its a newer computer and I'm not sure I've ever opened disk utility on this computer. ???

I can click on the hard drive and a window opens but there are no files visible.

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Answer 3

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Dec 1, 2012 10:03 AM in response to colemanfromportland

Disk Utility is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.

Click on the HDD icon COMMAND I (the letter that rhymes with aye, aye or eye) . This should generate a window that among other things should show the capacity of the HDD and the amount of data on it. What are those numbers?

Ciao.

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Answer 4

Dec 1, 2012 10:32 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Its using

477.89 GB out of 2 TB capacity

1.52 TB availabe

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Answer 5

Dec 1, 2012 10:34 AM in response to colemanfromportland

And it does show up in disk utilities by the way

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Answer 6

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Dec 1, 2012 10:42 AM in response to colemanfromportland

Download from the Internet OmniDiskSweeper (free). Attach the external HDD and open OmniDiskSweeper. Select the external HDD from the widow that has been generated and click on 'Sweep Selected Drive.

Let me know the results.

Ciao.

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Answer 7

Dec 1, 2012 10:50 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Nothing is coming up once I sweep the external HDD

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Answer 8

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Dec 1, 2012 11:12 AM in response to colemanfromportland

Attach the HDD to your MBP and open Disk Utility. Take screen shots of of the HDD and the volume. Please note the differences. View the examples from mine:

Ciao.

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Answer 9

Dec 1, 2012 1:48 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

So before I didn't have the option of repair disk or verify. But now I do. I ran repair disk and it seemed to solved the problem. The files are now visible, not sure why but it worked. Thanks so much for the help

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Answer 10

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Dec 1, 2012 1:53 PM in response to colemanfromportland

Well you went directly to what was going to be the next step, I very pleased that you have your HDD back in operation.

Ciao.

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