David Roggendorff
Level 1 (5 points)

Q: External disk and launch Disk Utility don't work

Only when I

     (A) connect the external disk and

     (B) launch Disk Utility,

it both

     (1) says "Loading disks" and

     (2) just the spinner graphic

forever.

 

Thx for your help.

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2), Early 2008

Posted on Dec 23, 2015 8:27 AM

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David Roggendorff

Q: External disk and launch Disk Utility don't work

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Dec 23, 2015 9:29 AM in response to David Roggendorff
    Level 9 (70,250 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 23, 2015 9:29 AM in response to David Roggendorff

    Might be a corrupt .plist.

     

    Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

     

    Quit the application.

     

    Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J.  When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder.  Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.DiskUtility.plist.  Move the .plist to your desktop.

     

    Restart the computer, open the application, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

     

    If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.

     

    Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

  • by David Roggendorff,

    David Roggendorff David Roggendorff Dec 23, 2015 11:28 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Dec 23, 2015 11:28 AM in response to Eric Root

    Thx for your help. 
    I followed you until: "That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder."


    I'm running:

                                            System Software Overview:

                                              System Version: OS X 10.11.2 (15C50) OS X El Capitan

                                              Kernel Version: Darwin 15.2.0

                                              Boot Mode: Normal

                                              Computer Name: MacBook Pro 08 NDown

                                              Secure Virtual Memory: Enabled

                                              System Integrity Protection: Enabled

                                              Time since boot: 5:39

     

    Is mine different than other OS?

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Dec 24, 2015 11:30 AM in response to David Roggendorff
    Level 9 (70,250 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 24, 2015 11:30 AM in response to David Roggendorff

    You are welcome. When you selected your user/home folder and then go command - J, do you see what is below?

     

    Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 2.24.05 PM.png

     

    You should now have a folder named Library in your user/home folder.

     

    Screen Shot 2015-12-24 at 2.28.02 PM.png

  • by David Roggendorff,

    David Roggendorff David Roggendorff Jan 2, 2016 8:38 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 2, 2016 8:38 AM in response to Eric Root

    No.

     

    When I checked "Show library folder" nothing happened. 

    Screen Shot 2016-01-02 at 9.59.11 AM.png

    Apparently, OS X 10.11.2 works different.  

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jan 2, 2016 10:43 AM in response to David Roggendorff
    Level 9 (70,250 points)
    iTunes
    Jan 2, 2016 10:43 AM in response to David Roggendorff

    10.11.2 works the same. The screen shot I posted works for me.

     

    Try this. In Finder hold down the option/alt key while selecting the Go menu item. Select Library.