spyderweb23
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Q: iMac won't recognize backup drive

I have an iMac running 10.6.8, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR# Memory.  Since purchased new, it has been hooked up to a Lacie Hard Drive for a backup, using Time Machine and working fine. Occasionally I will get the message that the backup drive is full, and do I want to erase the oldest version on it.  When I answer yes, it produces a fresh backup and continue fine until it is full again, sometimes a month or more later. 

 

Today I get the message:  "Time Machine could not complete the backup, The backup disk is not available".  Lacie is plugged in and light is on.  I have restarted it, I have removed and reinserted the connector cable, and I get the same message.  If I try and enter Time Machine I get the message:  Your Time Machine backup disk can not be found".  

 

I have done nothing different with the computer recently, and have neither added nor updated software recently. 

 

Why won't the iMac recognize the backup drive suddenly, and can this be fixed?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 4 GB Memory

Posted on Sep 13, 2015 2:54 PM

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spyderweb23

Q: iMac won't recognize backup drive

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  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Sep 13, 2015 3:11 PM in response to spyderweb23
    Level 10 (189,435 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 13, 2015 3:11 PM in response to spyderweb23

    - Does it show in Finder?

    - Does it show in Disk Utility? If so are the parameters correct?

    - Does it show in System Profiler under USB? You should see the chipset in the enclosure as well as the HD itself

      OS X: About System Information and System Profiler - Apple Support

    - Does it show when connected to another computer?

  • by spyderweb23,

    spyderweb23 spyderweb23 Sep 14, 2015 4:19 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 14, 2015 4:19 PM in response to lllaass

    It does show up in System Profiler.  It also lists its capacity, but not "available capacity".  I noticed on my daughters IMac her backup drive lists both.

     

    It does not show in Finder. 

     

    When connected to another computer it only shows on System Profiler, same as mine.

     

    It is listed in Disk Utility. Not sure what you mean by parameters.   When I hit "Verify Disk", It shortly stated, "Error:This disk needs to be repaired.  Click Repair Disk".  I clicked that and it shortly stated, "Volume Repair complete" and "Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required".  It has been churning on this for the last 4+ hours. 

     

    Should I assume it is really taking that long (it is a 1 TB disk) and let it continue, or is it likely stuck in some loop and not really doing anything. 

     

    Thanks for your input.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Sep 14, 2015 4:22 PM in response to spyderweb23
    Level 10 (189,435 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 14, 2015 4:22 PM in response to spyderweb23

    I suspect a bad disk since the repair never completes.