External Hard Drive doesn't mount, not showing in Disk Utility

I have had this Western Digital external hard drive for a few months now and until this evening it worked fine. It won't show up on my Macbook Pro and it is not present in the Disk Utility section. The light on the external hard drive is on so it doesn't appear to be a power issue. I have another of the same exact hard drive and it works fine. I tried switching USB cables and even power supplies and I can't get it to work. Does anyone know how to recover the files or is the hard drive toast?

Something's wrong inside the case; it's either a problem which is preventing the computer from properly connecting to the drive or the drive itself is dead.
Data recovery from a failed drive can only be done by a professional service, which can charge hundreds or thousands of dollars.
(93717)

Similar Messages

My WD hard drive won't "mount" it shows in disk utility but can't be repaired. I'm thinking this is a software issue since the disk is being recognized.

I
I have a WD drive that won't "mount". Tried repairing, turning off and back on, unplugging and nothing has worked. Can anyone help?

The WD Passport has no independent power supply, relying instead on getting power from a USB port on the computer. AS the drive ages it can need more power to spin the platter and many USB ports on notebook cannot provid that much.
Anther issue is the WD drive itself. WD uses an odd proproprietary formatting scheme that makes the drive not always behave like typical Mac drives.
If the drive contains nothing you need to access, use Disk Utility to reformat it to "Macintosh Extended (Journalled)"
If the drive contains important data, there are a couple of inexpensive ways to get more power to it:
1) Get a "Y" conenctor cable like this:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/USB2AYMBPB/
It draws power from two USB ports and ofter that is enough to make the drive work.
2) Get a powered USB Hub:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/USB2HB7PRO/
It has its own power brick and that is usually enough to get an older USB external drive recognized.

WD 400 GB external hard drive doesn't mount after software update.

I had been using my WD external hard drive with TimeMachine for almost a year. Just recently the WD doesn't show up on desktop, however you can see it under the Apple's "System Profiler". Any suggestions?
External HDD:
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: Yes
BSD Name: disk1
Version: 0.00
Bus Power (mA): 500
Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Western Digital
Mac OS 9 Drivers: No
Partition Map Type: Unknown
Product ID: 0x0900
Serial Number: 57442********************938
Vendor ID: 0x1058

c14user,
Looking back at your original post: "Partition Map Type: Unknown" is a little suspicious. I'm wondering if, while the disk was formatted correctly, perhaps the partition scheme was not changed from Master Boot Record when you first began using it. I made that discovering recently on a drive that I could no longer select as a Time Machine disk. If so you'll need to re-partition the disk either GUID or Apple Partition Map.
*_How Should a Time Machine Hard Disk be Prepared?_*
For Time Machine to work properly, the hard disk must be formatted “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” and its’ Partition Scheme should be either GUID or Apple Partition Map.
Time Machine is incompatible with disks partitioned as Master Boot Record (MBR). Unfortunately, this describes nearly every hard drive you can buy because MBR is a Windows partition scheme. (Naturally, this DOES NOT apply to Apples’ Time Capsule.)
For some, Time Machine begins to perform as expected with a new external hard disk. But then the initial full backup or subsequent incremental backups fail. The user only later discovers the hard disk was still partitioned as Master Boot Record (MBR).
One article on Time Machine made this observation: “Virtually everybody will have to open Disk Utility and repartition the disk as APM or GUID. It doesn't really matter which one because the Time Machine disk will not be bootable anyway. APM allows a disk to boot a PowerPC, GUID allows the disk to boot an Intel processor but both are easily digestible by Time Machine on either kind of processor.” [http://www.girr.org/mac_stuff/backups.html]
Procedure
Connect the hard disk you wish to use for Time Machine backups.
Launch Disk Utility.
It will appear twice in the pane on the left. (Make sure you recognize that it is different from the 2 icons that represent your Macs' internal drive.) The upper entry represent the device as a whole, including the controller inside. The lower entry represents the hard disk contained within the device.
Click on the upper icon of the external hard disk.
Select the "Partition" tab.
For "Volume Scheme" choose "1 partition". (Chose 2 partitions if you intend on storing other data on the disk besides your Time Machine backups.)
Name the disk.
Format should be "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)".
Click "Options".
Select either GUID or Apple Partition Map. (See above for significance)
Click "OK".
Click "Apply". Then click “Partition”.
Once the external hard disk is repartitioned, select it again in Time Machine preferences and use it for your backups.
Let us know if this was helpful.

External Hard Drive Doesn't Mount on Desktop through FireWire 400

I have an external hard drive that mounts on the desktop when connecting to my iMac via USB, but it fails to appear on the desktop when connecting via FireWire 400. It was glitchy in Tiger as well, and had problems since installing Leopard. I was able to get it to work once, after using Leopard Cache Cleaner (a 3rd party program), disconnecting the hard drive, and unplugging the iMac. I moved my computer this week, and had to unplug it and when I powered it back up, the hard drive doesn't appear on the desktop again through FireWire 400 (still works fine with USB). It also doesn't appear in Disk Utility through FireWire.
What good are FireWire if they fail to recognize a hard drive so often?!

upgrade to latest system, that computer will accept, then try again

My external hard drive won't mount and shows a 'sibling link error'. I've seached the forums but need a very dumbed down set of tips for the computer illiterate- help?

The forums have suggestions on this topic but I don't understand the lingo used.

Remember card catalogs in libraries? The computer has its own card catalog that tells it where all the files are. That's known as the directory.
Sibling link error indicates something is wrong with one of the cards, making the computer lost. Now the computer will put forth a bunch of gobbledy gook to fix this error, but you can do it.
Since the issue is with the external hard disk, you must select it with Disk Utility's First Aid selected. There you will repair the disk. If it can't repair the disk, you will need to use a more powerful tool. The question is, is your data backed up elsewhere, or is it not? If it is not, the same symptoms of a bad directory can also implicate a dying hard drive. You'll want a data recovery tool if you aren't backed up. If you are backed up, and there is nothing that can't be replaced on that external hard drive, get Alsoft Disk Warrior. This should fix most bad sibling link errors repair disk can't. When it can't, you can give up on the external hard disk.
P.S. Permissions has NOTHING to do with the directory. Do not worry about issues with permissions or attempting to repair it at this stage.

Macbook Pro 2012 HDD not mounting/not showing in disk utility

I opened the macbook to find all apps freezing, nothing would work. So i did a hard shutdown and restarted the machine, and when it booted i just got the flashing folder icon. I re-booted into internet recovery, and went in to Disk Utility and found that the hard drive was not mounting and showing in there. I swapped the hard drive with a spare SSD and it worked fine, so it's not the cable. Also when i boot up, i can hear the hard drive spinning so its not completely dead. I have booted it up as a target disk with the iMac and it still will not appear. There's some photos and other bits that i really want to recover from this drive. Any advice?

Okay, so i have held off going to an Apple store because i wanted to recover the data from the hard drive before repair/replacement. I fitted a 120GB SSD drive which worked fine until today when i opened it up and the same thing occurred. It would seem that it is not the hard drive that had a problem, but perhaps a software issue. I managed to boot up once after the crash and the error report listed a kernel panic as the root of the problem. Here is the full report, which i also got the first time it happened...
Anonymous UUID:       810341CF-8185-F411-7C6C-347DC4B4CDBA
Wed Aug 27 01:24:36 2014
panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff80226dc24e): Kernel trap at 0xffffff802267bf83, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0x000000000000003c, CR3: 0x000000004de2c03d, CR4: 0x00000000001606e0
RAX: 0x0000000000000000, RBX: 0x0000000000000000, RCX: 0x00000000cbb09500, RDX: 0x0000000000000821
RSP: 0xffffff8144263ac0, RBP: 0xffffff8144263af0, RSI: 0x0000000000000000, RDI: 0xffffff8022c9f500
R8: 0x0000000000000000, R9: 0x0000000000000000, R10: 0xffffff8022cd1600, R11: 0x0000000000000000
R12: 0xffffff8022c9f500, R13: 0x0000000000000000, R14: 0x0000000000000000, R15: 0x0000000000040000
RFL: 0x0000000000010286, RIP: 0xffffff802267bf83, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0x000000000000003c, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x1
Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff8144263750 : 0xffffff8022622f79
0xffffff81442637d0 : 0xffffff80226dc24e
0xffffff81442639a0 : 0xffffff80226f3746
0xffffff81442639c0 : 0xffffff802267bf83
0xffffff8144263af0 : 0xffffff80226705a1
0xffffff8144263b70 : 0xffffff80226706b0
0xffffff8144263b90 : 0xffffff80226711a0
0xffffff8144263bd0 : 0xffffff8022695c5b
0xffffff8144263c00 : 0xffffff802268f39d
0xffffff8144263c30 : 0xffffff802268e5ec
0xffffff8144263c70 : 0xffffff802267e58c
0xffffff8144263d80 : 0xffffff80226825cf
0xffffff8144263db0 : 0xffffff802263d9e3
0xffffff8144263df0 : 0xffffff80229cec5e
0xffffff8144263e60 : 0xffffff80229e25ed
0xffffff8144263ef0 : 0xffffff80229e2967
0xffffff8144263f30 : 0xffffff8022620b3b
0xffffff8144263f60 : 0xffffff80226dc883
0xffffff8144263f80 : 0xffffff80226f3712
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: xpcd
Mac OS version:
13E28
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 13.3.0: Tue Jun 3 21:27:35 PDT 2014; root:xnu-2422.110.17~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: BBFADD17-672B-35A2-9B7F-E4B12213E4B8
Kernel slide:     0x0000000022400000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff8022600000
System model name: MacBookPro9,2 (Mac-6F01561E16C75D06)
System uptime in nanoseconds: 85519367877618
last loaded kext at 85449604909270: com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMCEReporter      104 (addr 0xffffff7fa44d8000, size 49152)
last unloaded kext at 83626591194872: com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMCEReporter    104 (addr 0xffffff7fa44d8000, size 32768)
loaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMCEReporter 104
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC      1.60
com.apple.filesystems.autofs    3.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager        4.2.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver    124
com.apple.driver.AGPM   100.14.28
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformShim        1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA       2.6.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient        3.5.13
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver       2.6.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltIP     1.1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.3.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC   1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU    2.0.4d1
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC       1.7.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl       1.2.5
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics       8.2.8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelFramebufferCapri     8.2.8
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport     4.2.6f1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.0d1
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X   7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHWAccess 1
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor        3.0.4d1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons      240.2
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController      325.7
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard     240.2
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless     1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeLZVN 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.BootCache     35
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient      3.6.6
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter     404
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage      2.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI    5.0.2
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331       700.20.22
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 3.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSDXC      1.5.2
com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet    3.8.1b2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub    683.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI   660.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBXHCI   683.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager       161.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons       2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC       2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET      1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS    2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC    2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC      1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient     217.92.1
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall       153
com.apple.security.quarantine   3
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement   217.92.1
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.7
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib     2.6.3f4
com.apple.vecLib.kext   1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily   1.9.7fc2
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib    1.14
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP    2.2.6
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController     2.6.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily     2.6.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.12d1
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert   1.0.4
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformPlugin      1.0.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 5.7.1d6
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController   1.0.12d1
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport   2.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2    98.22
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl    3.6.22
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport   4.2.6f1
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface       91.1
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily        2.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily       4.2.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC       3.1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter    3.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily        3.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 1.4.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch     240.9
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 660.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub       650.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite      656.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 3.6.6
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily       1.7
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily      1.7.1
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily       1.7.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI       2.6.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily   3.6.6
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI    2.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily     3.3.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily        4.5.5
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family   640.36
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily    2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController 1.0.3b4
com.apple.driver.mDNSOffloadUserClient 1.0.1b5
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily      3.2
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 660.4.2
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily     683.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime        2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily     2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily   1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox      278.11.1
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch       1.0.0d1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 7
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2
com.apple.driver.DiskImages     371.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.9
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 23
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore       28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform      2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily     2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily    1.4
com.apple.kec.corecrypto        1.0
com.apple.kec.pthread   1
Model: MacBookPro9,2, BootROM MBP91.00D3.B09, 2 processors, Intel Core i7, 2.9 GHz, 8 GB, SMC 2.2f44
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Built-In
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3431554638424455352D474E2D4620
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3431554638424455352D474E2D4620
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0xF5), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.22)
Bluetooth: Version 4.2.6f1 14216, 3 services, 15 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1
Serial ATA Device: Samsung SSD 840 EVO 120GB, 120.03 GB
Serial ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-8A8
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
USB Device: BRCM20702 Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
USB Device: IR Receiver
Thunderbolt Bus: MacBook Pro, Apple Inc., 25.1
Any help or ideas what may have caused this? I can't boot into safe mode, and i cannot mount the drive to repair in disk utility. Is there a way to resolve this myself?

External hard drive doesn't mount

I have a Thermaltake dual bay with two 1.5TB hard drives set up but the RAID got corrupted. I re-partitioned one of the hard drives so that I can just do a copy but somehow the other drive was not working...guess it didn't see the RAID. I deleted the RAID "slice" and not the drive just shows disk2s2 on the partition and won't mount. Using the iskysoft freeware I can recover the files it seems but it's $90. Is there a way to mount the drive?

Run Disk Utility to copy a partition disk2s2 image dmg.
Then connect this image in Disk Utility and try to repair the disk.
If it does not use a professional data recovery software such as Disk Drill (you can check whether the recovered files in the free version) or DataResсue.
Do not write to the disk you want to restore!
Alex
Apple Support Professional

External Hard Drive via firewire - files not showing up

I have a new external harddrive formatted for mac and keep having the following issue:
when clicking into the harddrive I see folder but when I go to a folder to see the files they are all gone. If I use spotlight to search then I can open the file. I can re-boot and the the files appear.
Anyone have a clue on what this might be. I hate to keep rebooting it is making think I went back to windows
the external harddrive is a seagate

Hi Will
Never seen the problem myself with either of my FireWire Drives, but open Disk Utility in your Utilities Folder select First Aid, then the External HD's icon and run Repair Disk.
Dennis

Cannot see external hard drive in finder even though listed in Disk utility

I have a major problem with my G5 after file vault became corrupted and I had to erase the user account with all my data after consultation with an Apple Store Genius.
I have an external Iomega external back up but the finder does not list it anymore and it does not appear on the desktop. It is seen by disk utility however and I have run disk repair which says its fine. When it is not mounted, the icon next to the hard drive name (in disk utility) is a firewire external drive, but when I do mount it it appears as the unrecognized file type icon (the icon with the piece of paper with a bent corner). It also doesn't show up when I enable hidden folders.
It does however mount on my son's iMac. All my data is on this external disk and its my only copy left.
Please can you help me or point me toward a previous thread. I have tried ejecting it and remounting the HD after turning it off but no luck.
Yours
Mr Desperate

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
 Cheers, Tom

Installed new hard drive, and it is not detected by disk utility.

Tried 2 other hard drives with same result. Original hard drive (failing) is detected normally. Mountain Lion can install and boot if hard drive is in external enclosure. But once hard drive is installed into MacBook Pro, the system does not detect it. It has been formatted as a GUID partition, and the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) file system. I'm at a loss as to why this isn't working. I've tried everything I can think of.

Drive Preparation
1. Boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
When the formatting is completed quit DU to return to the installer. You may now install OS X.

My external hard drive doesn't show up in finder, is it dead?

My external hard drive doesn't show up in finder.Time machine can't find it. Does this mean my external hard drive is dead?
I borrowed a friends and switched mine with hers. My acted the same way in her macbook. I switched the cords on the external drives, no change.
Also, Is there a way to retrieve the information from my sick external hard drive? Thanks for your help.

If the Disk Utility sees it, you might be able to repair it or recover the data on it with a product such as DiskWarrior or Data Rescue.
If the Disk Utility doesn't see it, contact professional support.
(64290)

External Hard Drive Won't Mount- Need to recover files

Hello Everyone,
I am hoping that one of you fine mac experts may be able to assist ~
Problem: External Seagate FreeAgent Desktop USB external hard drive
won't mount on desktop=ie: no access to my important files.. Please Help!
Details:
External seagate freeagent 500 GB Desktop USB HD ( only 2 months old)
(using for document / file backup-not as a startup disc)
on my Mac G3 350 MZ Blue & White Tower /768 ram/ running OSX 10.1.5 & OS9.2~
~
Problem: Started using the external 500 GB HD 2 months ago -with no problems-until this morning. Tried to double click to open it to access files
and got the "beach ball of death" and needed to restart.
My trusty G3 started up fine, however, the external HD was now
not showing up on the desktop as normal. I troubleshooted -by restarting,
trying different a/c plugs/ different USB ports , ran disk utility..called
seagate -not much help . Seagate said to try the HD on another mac-which I did-
a G5 tower- same problem.
~
The External hard drive will show up in disk utility, but is grayed out.
and when click "mount" same two messages keep showing:
message 1: "a disk attempting to mount as unknown has failed verification or has failed to
mount.please use disk utility to check the disk"
~
message 2- when unplugging and repluggin the usb in-and upon
restart:" you have inserted a disk containg no volumes that mac osx
can read to use unreadable volumes,click initialize to continue with the disk inserted ,click continue"
~
( I really need access to these files- and do not want to re-initialize the HD!!)
I ran Disk Utility /first aid "verify & repair , the following info came up:
Repairing disk "main backup 2007 ".
Checking HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file.
Checking Catalog file.
Invalid key length ( <<<IN RED )
Repair completed. "
~~
Though it said the repair was completed, the "invalid key length" issue
still comes up when re-running disk utility...Hard drive would still not
mount on desktop-even after restarting .
~~~~~
If there is a mac genius out there that can help?- it would be greatly
appreciated. I have tried to call seagate several times in the last several hours-
1st time-they disconnected me after being on hold 10 minutes-2nd call
I was put on hold for 40 minutes ..Finally spoke to someone ( they are not mac users or mac experts!)and he said I would need to send it to Seagate's Data Recovery-... for a fee of course!
~~~
At this point, I am hoping to just get the files and photos off
the hard drive- I heard about Disk Warrior-should I use that and if so
what version?
Thank you very much!
L

Will zapping the PRAM be of any use in getting the external to mount on the desktop?
Your external Hard drive is already recognized. But it cannot be mounted on the desktop due to its directory damage. You can certainly Zap the PRAM, and it will not hurt anything, but I am skeptical that it will change the situation.
Do you think the Disk Warrior 4.0 cd will even work on my G3 350MHZ running Mac OS 10.1.5?
If you boot from the CD and run it from the CD, absolutely yes. If you attempt to INSTALL it from a download or a CD, probably not.
Have you ever used Disc Warrior and is using it complicated?
I own and use Disk Warrior. You select the drive to be rebuilt, it builds a proposed new directory from the information and file fragments available.
When complete, it will provide a list of problems encountered, tell you what files have been placed in the "Rescued Items" folder, and allow you too look at your drive using the proposed new directory. Your only decision is whether the new directory seems to be an improvement over the old \[in your case, hopelessly corrupted] directory. You then tell it whether to replace the old directory with the proposed new directory, or to abandon its work and leave your Hard Drive unchanged.
Is there a good chance that the ext HD will still have my files on it- or do you think from what I've described that they are gone ?
From what you have described, your files are very likely to still be there. Sometimes in a situation like this, a handful of files cannot be recovered.
My other thought was to take the external HD there and have them try to recover the files.
Make sure you completely understand the costs involved. File recovery using a service like DriveSavers can run into many hundreds of dollars. They are prepared to disassemble your drive in a clean room and replace controller boards and read/write heads to achieve success. Your drive has serious, but not fatal, Directory damage. The Hardware, and most of your files, are likely just fine.

Didn't eject my external hard drive now it will not reconnect

I just got my MacBook Air, been using a PC up until now. Earlier this morning I plugged in my external hard drive and transfered some music onto my MacBook Air. When I removed my external hard drive I didn't not eject it, now when I plug it in my MacBook does not even see it. I tried different hard drives and I can see them. I even tried using that hard drive on my old PC and it works. How do I get my MacBook to recognize the hard drive again? Still new to the whole MacBook experience.

I did the same and was able to see it in Utilities, but not mount it. I read this article and followed the steps and it fixed the problem http://osxdaily.com/2013/05/13/mount-unmount-drives-from-the-command-line-in-mac -os-x/
Utilities - Terminal
Type: diskutil list to find your drive (mine is disk2s2)
Unmount the drive: diskutil unmount /dev/disk2s2
Mount the drive: diskutil mount /dev/disk2s2
The drive immediately appeared on my desktop allowing full access with no damaged files or corrupt disk.

How do I view and open all my files again that are on my external hard drive?? Error message saying 'The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer' Three options are Initialize, Ignore or Eject.

I have recently purchased Toshiba 1TB hard drive and I set it up and I was able to transfer all my files onto it such as my music, photos, documents. I had correctly ejected and used it again and all these files were safely stored and accessible afterwards. However after I rebooted my computer as it had been going slow and I had too much clogging it up once I reconnected the external hard drive I have error message saying 'The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer' Three options are Initialize, Ignore or Eject. How do I access all my files? I set it up to work on both mac and windows. I have tried both another mac and windows computer and same issue occurs?? I am worried that all my personal files are gone but am confused as the drive has had absolutely no damage to it as it was in a very short time frame and its never left the same spot. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Thanks for your quick response. I had a look at your discussion... I tried it on a Windows machine and I thought that was compatible with ExFAT?
Therefore I need to attempt to use my external hard drive with a machine that boasts OS X 10.6.5 or above and then it should work?
Thanks

External hard drive won't mount, even after disk repair.

My Toshiba external hard drive won't mount on my MacBook Pro 10.8.5. I can see it in my disk repair, and when I repair, "the partition map appears to be ok." But I can't access the icon to be able to open the hard drive contents on my desktop. Help!

Hello maccynicwhoalwayshasmacs,
Thanks for the question. After reviewing your post, it sounds like trouble with an external HD mounting. I would recommend that you read this article, it may be able to help you resolve or isolate the issue.
USB and FireWire Quick Assist
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Have a nice day,
Mario

External Hard Drive doesn't mount, not showing in Disk Utility

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