Won't recognise external hard drive.

Hi there I don't know If this is the right section, If not please forgive me.
Right I have a MacBook an I connected my external hard drive to it for time machine. I have windows installed on my laptop an I wanted to transfer a few files between the partitions so tryed connecting the hard drive, but it doesn't seem to sense that it's connected. It recognises mini USB sticks so it's not a USB problem.
Has anyone experianced anything else like this? An know how I can get windows to recognise my HD?
Thanks for any help u can give

Windows can't read Mac Extended formatted drives (which is the drive format that Time Machine requires). Two options are: either connect the drive back on the Mac, and use network sharing, or purchase MacDrive if you think you'll need regular drive sharing between the two machines.
Matt

Similar Messages

  • Mac won't recognise external hard-drive

    Hi there,
    I've just tried to transfer some files from my external hard-drive which I usually use with my OS 10.5, onto another PC, and was unsuccessful. Then when I plugged the hard-drive back into my mac, the device doesn't appear on screen as it usually does. I've also looked in my computer and the hard-drive isn't showing and I can't access any of the files on it. Does anyone know how I can resolve this issue please? Would really appreciate some help!
    Thanks.

    How is the HD connected - USB or Firewire?
    USB and FireWire Quick Assist
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1151?viewlocale=en_US
    What to do if your computer won't recognize a FireWire device
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=88338
    Dealing with FireWire problems (drives not mounting, devices unrecognized, etc.)
    http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20041221081432908
    Common fixes for USB device issues (unrecognized, etc.)
    http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20070824012114701
     Cheers, Tom

  • IMac won't recognise external hard drive

    My iMac with OSX 10.8.4 won't recognise my external disk drive via either Firewire or USB Cable. It also doesn't show up on desktop or in Disk Utility. Disk drive and cables work fine with my old computer on Snow Leopard. It also wouldn't recognise my old computer via Firewire, when I tried to migrate info across to it (this was before updating system to 10.8.4). However, flash drives show up fine. Any suggestions?

    The EHD is a 2.5" WD SATA
    Two things:
    1) WD drives are fine. It's their enclosures that are useless. I had a desktop WD drive that was nothing but trouble with an older PPC Mac and a newer Intel iMac. Stalled, overheated, and generally made it impossible to use Time Machine.
    I ripped the WD bare drive from the enclosure and dropped it in an OWC Mercury Elite Pro and now the WD drive that apparently was the Devil's Own is working flawlessly.
    2) Drives that must get all their power from the USB cable can fail to be recognized. As electric motors wear, they can demand more powr. Eventually they need more power than any USB port can provide.
    Always get a desktop drive for a desktop computer. Having suffered through serveral "Name-brand" external drives, I now spend the extra money for the OWC products. They are made for Mac and very reliable.
    Possible fixes for your old drive:
    1) First, make sure the computer is set to "see" the drive. By default, it is not. While in the Finder, open Finder Preferences and make sure "External Disks" is checked:
    2) Reformat it as "Macintosh Extended (Journaled)" with Disk Utility. That often wakes up the drive.
    3) Get a POWERED USB hub. It makes up the power the drive can't get from teh port.

  • Time capsule won't recognise external hard drive, even when formatted correctly and connected to a powered USB hub

    Hey
    i have an apple time capsule (not the very latest one, but the one before that) and i am trying to connect my 1.5TB toshiba hard drive to it. i understand that it needs to be powered, so i purchased a usb hub ("usb hub man" by Gadget Geek) and bought an adapter to power it.
    The hard drive won't show up in finder or disk utility, however i can see it in airport utility.
    it is formatted correctly - Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) and works perfectly fine from my macbook pro usb port.
    Also, when i connect a smaller hard drive to the hub (16GB) that shows up in finder as normal.
    so it seems that everything is perfectly fine, however this 1.5TB hard drive just wont show up in finder.
    Does anyone have any suggestions as to why this is the case? my guesses are that i need to get a better quality usb hub, or that i might have to get a powered hard drive altogether rather than trying to power it with the hub.
    Thanks

    The hard drive won't show up in finder or disk utility, however i can see it in airport utility.
    You would not expect it to show up in disk utility .. it does not work on network drives.
    Finder may or may not be able to see it.
    If the airport utility is showing the drive you have some possibility.
    Did you GUID partition the drive .. or is it still MBR.. ie if it was originally formatted for PC it will be MBR and won't work.. so put it on the Mac again and change the GUID partition.. I would also set a smaller partition size.. the internal drive of the TC is partitioned though you cannot see them.. put a first partition less than 1TB and see how it goes.
    In finder.. don't forget ML has issues with network drive.. make sure you tick all the extras in finder preferences.. and if the drive won't mount try to do it manually.. go .. connect to server.
    AFP://TCname or TCIPaddress.. where you use the actual name or IP.
    Also is the power supply for the hub at least 2A preferably more.. so the hub is powered but the disk is not powered??

  • Why won't my external hard drive show up anywhere? Something wrong abt NTFS.

    Why won't my external hard drive show up anywhere? Something wrong abt NTFS. After my OS turn to OS X Lion, this problem occur. I couldn't solve it, anybody?

    It doesn't make sense.
    Anyway, I found the solutions. Download software for solving this problem.
    Here is the link:
    http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/24481/ntfs-3g

  • Desktop or Disk Utility won't show External Hard Drives

    The Desktop or Disk Utility won't show  2 of my old external hard drives and so they are currently unsusable. My computer however recognise other external drives.
    320GB Western Digital MyBook Premium model number: WD3200D032-000
    500 GB Western Digital MyBook Premium model number: WD5000E032
    I have same issues both of these external drives.
    The blue circle lights come on so power is getting to it.
    Tried 2 USB cables, one I know for sure is working - Nothing.
    I am using Lion 10.7.4 on a mid 2009 13" MacBook Pro
    All efforts to help much appreciated

    No they haven't worked on this computer before. I using them on my old MacBook Pro (a computer which is no longer working)  which ran Snow Leopard.
    The 500GB drive  "stopped working" with that old MBP too
    But the 320GB drive was always working with old MBP if I remember correctly.
    Cheers

  • Recognising external hard drive problems

    My new Macbook Pro won't recognise the external hard drive I'm trying to read. The external EIDE interface HDD is from my dead G4 Powerbook (OS X 10.4.2) and it is in a 'Mobile Disk' external data storage case that is allegedly compatible with Macs. The instruction booklet says that the necessary software is on my version of OS X (10.6.5) and that "all devices must select and jump to Master Mode".
    I've plugged in but my macbook pro cannot see the external HDD, although it is ok with my usb flash drives. Can anyone help? How do I get my macbook to select and jump to Master Mode and then recognise the external HDD

    The "select and jump to master" comment is an instruction for you to do with your hardware on your notebook EIDE drive. The drive has a 44 pin connector, of which 40 pins are used for data, and the other 4 are generally used for setting Master/Slave/Cable Select, just like with a desktop drive. You need to determine which pins to short together to force the drive into "master" mode. That is usually drive specific, so you would need to get that info from the support site of your drive's manufacturer.

  • Why won't my external hard drive mount?

    Hi
    I am having problems getting my new iMac to recognise an external hard drive.  It is a 40gb Western Digital hard drive that I copied over photos and music from my old computer (not an Apple) on.  When I plug it in to the USD port it recognises the hard drive but then drops it after about 2 minutes and then it won't recognise it again until I restart the computer at which point it recognises it again for 2 minutes.
    The hard drive work's fine on my Thinkpad and my Dell desktop.
    Can anyone help?
    Thanks.

    It doesn't make sense.
    Anyway, I found the solutions. Download software for solving this problem.
    Here is the link:
    http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/24481/ntfs-3g

  • Recognising external hard drive

    I just got my laptop wiped at the mac store, because it was slowing right down, but now it won't recognise my external hard drive any more! is there anything I can do to get it recognised again? Just to clarify, before I wiped the laptop, the hard drive was recognised, and has all my document back up. Help!

    Finder > Preferences > General
    Make sure:  External disks   is selected.

  • Macbook won't recognize external Hard Drive and issues with Time Machine

    Hello everyone,
    I have just bought a new Macbook Pro with Mountain Lion and I am currently having problems with Time Machine.
    The issue begun in Snow Leopard: Time Machine was taking too long to backup, and would often not finish the backup because the external hard drive would be unwillingly ejected.
    Now with Mountain Lion I have reformated the drive (Mac OS Journaled) and about a third of the way through had the same issue: the drive was ejected before the backup could be finished. I restarted the machine and it happened again. However, now the computer won't even recognize the external drive when I plug it in. I have also tried to power off/on the drive itself to no progress.
    I have tested the USB port with another drive and the port is fine. I have also tested the usb cable and it is fine. And Disk Utility does not recognize the drive (even when I try the >diskutil list command in terminal).
    Now, I can hear the drive humming normally when I turn it on, and it is not usb-powered (my electricity current does fluctuate).
    Could the interrupted backup procedures have damaged the drive? And if so, wouldn't the computer recognize it anyway?
    It is a 4 year old WD 1 TB that is used exclusively for TM and has never left the house.
    Thank you for your time reading this and let me know if you need any more information that could help out.
    Cheers!

    From your description, I'd suspect a failing drive. Maybe time for a new external, especially as you've already re-formatted and it's still playing up.
    I had a similar problem with one of my clone backups a few weeks ago - it failed, I erased it, re-cloned, worked a couple of times and then it failed again. Disk Utility didn't throw up any errors after re-formatting. I guess all disks die at some point.

  • Time Machine Won't Recognize External Hard Drive

    Hi there,
    My father has a 2009 iMac running Mac OS X 10.8.3. Recently, Time Machine stopped recognizing his external Maxtor OneTouch backup hard drive.
    I've tried the whole litany of ideas and tips listed in this forum and other websites:
    Rebooting both the desktop and the external hard drive
    Changing USB ports
    Checking Disk Utility (won't even display)
    Can you offer any solutions? He hasn't had an issue before, so it seems to be an isolated incident. This desktop is for his business, so it's very important for the files to be backed up.
    Thanks.
    Update: After submitting this, I received a dialogue box that said the computer cannot read the external hard drive.

    If the drive has more than one interface (USB, FireWire, Thunderbolt, eSATA), try one of the other interfaces.
    Check that the data cable is securely inserted at both ends.
    Try a different cable.
    If you're connecting the drive through a hub, connect it directly to a built-in port on the Mac.
    If you're connecting it directly, try a different port.
    Disconnect all other devices on the bus, or as many as possible.
    Test the drive with another Mac. Test another drive with this Mac.
    If the drive is bus-powered, but has an AC adapter, connect the adapter.
    Boot into Recovery and launch Disk Utility. Is the drive recognized?
    Start up in Safe Mode and test.
    Reset the System Management Controller
    If the drive doesn't work under any of the above conditions, and if another drive does work with the same Mac, then the drive has failed. You may be able to salvage the mechanism by removing it from the enclosure and installing it in another one, or in a drive dock.

  • IMAC won't recognize external hard drive anymore

    I am running snow leopard on my IMAC with all the latest software updates. I've been using a LaCie Quadra external hard drive with time machine for backups for awhile with no problems. From the beginning is was plug in the hard drive and go, the mac recognized it. Now, suddenly, it won't. When I turn on the LaCie to back up, the icon no longer pops on the desktop. It is also not listed in the Time Machine preferences anymore. I tried to open the LaCie from Mac systems preferences and get a message with something like "64 bit cannot recognize 32 bit" I am asked to close and reopen system preferences, which would change to 32 bit. I tried that and it did not work,and a report was sent to Apple. Has anyone else been experiencing this? Thanks

    jraguseo wrote:
    Thanks. I don't disconnect the drive, only turn it off with it's own power switch. According to LaCie, this should not be a problem.
    No, it's not a problem for the drive, but neither is leaving it (and Time Machine) on. Most externals will "spin down" after a few minutes of activity, but even if they don't, modern drives are built to run 24/7.
    Time Machine was designed to do quick hourly backups of changes, and will protect you best that way. Just leave both Time Machine and the drive on; they'll be fine.

  • Window 7 on macbook pro not recognising external hard drive

    Hello
    I have windows 7 installed on my macbook pro.My new external hard drive,western digital black caviah 2.5' 1tb with cradle is not recognised.I want to use it to back up my windows side of my macbook pro.Does anybody have any ideas?
    Thanks
    John

    canofsoup,
    in Windows 7
    press start, find computer > right click on computer and then  in the drop down menu select manage
    in the Computer Management window:
    Select> Disk Management by click on it in the left menu
    Right click on your External Drive > select mark partition as active
    Format and enjoy
    Cheers,
    Sidonsoft

  • Why won't my external hard drive open

    So I downloaded mavericks when it came out and now one of my external hard drives will not open but disk utility Will recognize the hard drive but I cannot access the lights on the hard drive work you can feel it spinning but it just won't access I've tried everything I know the hard drive fine why won't my Mac read my drive?

    Please read this whole message before doing anything.
    This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
    The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
    Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you turn on the computer, and again when you log in.
    Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
    Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.
    The login screen appears even if you usually login automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
    Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
    After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

  • Suddenly won't recognize external hard drive

    Hi,
    Yesterday, while my 3- or 4-year-old external hard drive was plugged into my MacBook Pro but not being actively used by me, I heard a faint "click" come from the external drive. Since I was done with it, I tried to drag the icon to the trash to eject it, but the icon turned a faded grey color, and a message popped up saying something like "The disk was not ejected properly, etc."
    Now when I turn the external drive on, I can hear it starting up and the lights come on as always...but the icon won't show up on my desktop.
    I can find the external drive in Disk Utility, but that's it. I clicked "Repair Disk" and "Verify Disk", but the icon still won't show up on the desktop.
    My buddy tried connecting it to his PC laptop, and the same thing happened -- his computer knew it was there, but he couldn't open it and actually USE it.
    -It's not the power supply, because it turns on.
    -It's not my laptop's USB slots, because both of them detect other devices.
    -It's not the USB cable itself, because the computer detects the hard drive via the cable.
    -I opened up the enclosure, which is made by a brand name called "Anvesome" or something (The icon itself is called Afterthemac, and the sticker inside the case says Western Digital, and it was manufactured in 2005. The hard drive came in a box with less-than-perfect English grammar, if that means anything.
    I had been using this external drive on my eMac for a few years, and about 7 months on my MacBook Pro with no problems. If anyone knows what's wrong with it, or how I can recover the data, that'd be great!
    Thanks!
    -Andrew

    The enclosure should come with its own set of instructions. One end of the hard drive will have some pins, and it will just plug into a cable or connector. I personally like OWC enclosures, and here is a link for installation instructions for their external enclosures:
    http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/basictrob.cfm
    Not knowing exactly which drive you have, I can't make a specific recommendation. I'm guessing that it may be a 3.5 inch SATA drive if it was bought to be used with an eMac, but you would probably have to find out for sure from the serial number. However, if you look at a set of installation instructions, you should be able to gain some insight as to how to remove the drive from its current enclosure.
    You may also want to check with Western Digital, as they do have a link to some data recovery services should you ultimately need them:
    http://support.wdc.com/recovery/index.asp?lang=en&selregion=americas
    However, professional data recovery can be very expensive, and if you can place the drive in a different enclosure and use one of the links eww gave you, you may be able to recover your data for a fraction of the cost.
    Go ahead and get your new 2 TB drive and get your stuff backed up. I don't think it would hurt to let the old drive sit until you figure out what you want to do with it, as long as you don't let it sit for years and years.
    At this point, we don't really know if the drive has physical damage or not. If not, data recovery costs shouldn't be too bad. If the drive actually has failed, then expect to pay a lot.
    Good luck!

Maybe you are looking for