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Q: external hard drive not recognized by computer

My MacBook Pro stopped recognizing my external hard drive, a G-force mini.  I tried it on my wife's MBP and again, no luck.  I switched cables and tried my Firewire cable - still no good.  The hard drive lights up, but I don't hear any noise coming from it.  How can I get it working again, or at least, recover the data on it?

Aperture 3, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Feb 15, 2016 6:39 PM

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Q: external hard drive not recognized by computer

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  • by eitan.kenneth,

    eitan.kenneth eitan.kenneth Jun 14, 2016 5:34 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 14, 2016 5:34 AM in response to lllaass

    I do not see the drive in Finder nor in Disk utility. I do not know the system profiler...

     

    The disks are on (their light) and sound as operating.

     

    One is recognized properly on a PC (I see the files), one is not - the Time Machine one (I think this has to do with the disk format not being recognized on a windows PC).

     

    USB, yes, and I tried another cable. The drives are powered thru the cable (as they are on the PC).

     

    Thanks!!!

     

     

    Eitan

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jun 14, 2016 6:59 AM in response to eitan.kenneth
    Level 10 (188,811 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 14, 2016 6:59 AM in response to eitan.kenneth

    Yes, a Time Machine disk will not show in My Computer on a PC but will show under Disk Administration

    Here is system profiler:

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

     

    A working disk will show both info abut the disk itself and info abut the enclosure.

    Look under USB when USB connected and under FireWire when FW connected.

     

    What model Mac?

    Did you do anything to the Mac since it last worked? Like update OSX?

    Does the does have a connection for a AC power supply?

     

    - Try resetting the SMC and NVRAM/PRAM

    Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

    About NVRAM and PRAM 

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063

    - Try starting in Safe Mode

    OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

    - Boot to Recovery and repair the startup disk

    OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

    - If it is repairable reinstall the OSX

    How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

    - If you do not have a backup use disk utility to restore the internal disk to an external disk so you can try to recover data.

    Then format the startup disk and do a fresh install of OSX

  • by eitan.kenneth,

    eitan.kenneth eitan.kenneth Jun 18, 2016 3:42 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 18, 2016 3:42 AM in response to lllaass

    Hello

     

    I have tried all these steps - but reformatting the drives, no change.

     

    However, this morning, I tried again (after a couple of days), and both drives were recognized. I have worked with both. Dismounted, and than mounted again - the drives are not recognized again!!

     

    Any idea?

     

    Thanks

     

    Eitan

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