Restarting my computer with an external hard drive attached

I just recently installed an external hard drive (WD My Book Essentials) to my Mac since it was running out of memory. I haven't restarted or turned off my computer since then, I don't know if I need to shut off the external drive first or what? Can I keep my external drive on while restarting?

You can shut down with the disk still running: you can start up with the disk already running: or you can start up without the disk running and when you plug it in or switch it on it will mount automatically.
What you mustn't do is unplug it or turn it off without first ejecting it (drag it to the Trash or click once on it and hit command-e): once it's disappeared from the Desktop you can turn it off. Failure to observe this will corrupt the Directory.

Similar Messages

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    I use Time Machine to back up my entire computer with my external hard drive. I am getting a brand new iMac this month and was wondering what is the process of using this back up to restore my new computer exactly how my old computer was? I want to make sure I will still have various important files on my new computer, like my songs in iTunes, my photos in iPhoto, etc, etc. Thanks so much in advance!

    Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
    When you turn on the new iMac for the first time, Setup Assistant will ask you to restore a backup, so connect the external disk and follow steps to restore all your files to your new iMac. Your new Mac will have the same settings and programs as your old computer.
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  • Trouble starting my MacBook with an external Hard Drive attached.

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    bump...

  • Using Itunes with an external hard drive

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    Thanks for the help. I should point out that there is only one powerbook involved, not 2. Anyway, I have done that and indeed my ION external hardrive shows all the music files, but they are no longer featured in itunes at all. i thought i would see th titles of my library there, but the actual files would be on my external hard drive.
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  • Hi, ive been backing up my computer to an external hard drive (with time machine). When i buy a new macbook will that hard drive put all my info on to the new computer?

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    When you boot the new machine for the first time, you'll be prompted to import your data from a Time Machine backup.

  • I've been getting the error message "The disk you inserted was not readable by the computer". I can't open system preferences, disk utility, or Time Machine. I'm guessing it has something to do with my external hard drive, although it hasn't been touched.

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  • How do i transfer all my information from old computer to this one with a external hard drive

    how do i tranfer old info from my other computer to the new one with a external hard drive?

    Copy what you want from the old computer's Home folder to the external drive. Connect the drive to the new computer and restore that data to the proper locations in the new computer's Home folder.

  • Problem with Time Capsule used with an External Hard Drive (with it's own power supply)

    I have a mid 2012 Macbook Pro with Mavericks installed. I have the latest Time Capsule (802.11 ac) with an external hard drive hooked up via the USB port. The external hard drive was taken from an older Mac desktop machine and is formatted correctly (Mac OS Extended Journaled). The external hard drive has it's own power supply and shows up fine when connected directly to my laptop.
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    Welcome to Mavericks.. and its new concept of network drives not just being hard to find like in Mountain Lion but totally invisible.
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  • Can you help me with my External Hard Drive?

    Hey everyone,
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    Have you tried opening them in a Finder window? Also, you might boot to your Install DVD and launch Disc Utility to verify and repair both permissions and your drive.
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  • HT3275 My Time Capsule has been backing up without any problems and all of a sudden it stops reading on my computer. The external hard drive beeps three times and the motter wont run within. What happened?

    My Time Capsule has been backing up without any problems and all of a sudden it stops reading on my computer. The external hard drive beeps three times and the motter wont run within. The light that usually blinks while in use is no longer blinking and is on constant. What happened?

    abailey46 wrote:
    My Time Capsule has been backing up without any problems and all of a sudden it stops reading on my computer. The external hard drive beeps three times and the motter wont run within. The light that usually blinks while in use is no longer blinking and is on constant. What happened?
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  • Going to upgrade to Lion.  First have to back up computer.   What external hard drive should I buy to back up computer using "time machine".  Have 320 gb hard drive.

    I am going to upgrade to Lion.  First have to back up computer.  What external hard drives should I buy in order to use time machine.  I have a 320 GB hard drive.  Don't have too much on computer.

    patmc102 wrote:
    I am going to upgrade to Lion.  First have to back up computer.  What external hard drives should I buy in order to use time machine.  I have a 320 GB hard drive.  Don't have too much on computer.
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  • IMac 10.5.8 is stuck on Apple logo loading screen , how can I back up my files with an external hard drive ?

    so my iMac (10.5.8 its pretty old ) got stuck on the apple logo loading screen (as I call it lol) and it will not go beyond that .I've already made and appointment for the genius bar but now would I back up my files with an external hard drive ? No unfortunately I don't have any other laptop or computer just the external hard drive. how would I back it up? Does it have something to do with "target disc mode"?

    Hi,
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    You wasnt to know we didnt live in  USA.  We will try to get the full retail version of Leopard off the net.  We will also phone round the apple resellers.
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  • I have a computer with a "partitioned" hard drive.  The "C" does not have enough space to backup and upgrade my iPhone 4.  How can I backup to my "E" drive instead of my "C"?

    I have a computer with a Partitioned hard drive... the "C" drive, where everything defaults, is almost full and will not allow me to back up and update my iphone 4... can you tell me how to back up to my "E" drive?

    Format the HDD in Disk Utility>Erase to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and the open System Preferences>Time Machine and set up the external disk as the Time Machine HDD.  Then look at the Options, and exclude what you do not want backed up.
    Ciao.

  • My New Computer and My External Hard Drive Not Compatible

    I just purchased a brand new Dell Inspiron with windows 8.  I had a Seagate back up hard drive on my old Dell.  I wanted to move some things (especially my pictures) to the new computer from the external hard drive, but when I tried to install, I get a message "Operating System Not Supported".  Now what?  I'm somewhat technologically challenged.
    Thank you.

    You need to go into your BIOS settings and make sure that the external drive isn't set to boot.
    An easier way around this is to unplug the drive from the computer until it has fully loaded.
    If that doesn't work, post back.
    If you like my post, or solution to your issue/question, go ahead and click on the little star by my name and/or accept the post as the Solution. It makes me happy.
    I'm NOT an employee of Best Buy, or Geek Squad, though I did work as an Agent for a year 5 years ago. None of my posts are to be taken as the official stance that Best Buy will take on your situation. My advice is just that, advice.
    Unfortunately, that's the bad luck of any electronic, there's going to be bad Apples... wait that's a horrible pun.

  • Need help with networking external hard drive

    Hi,
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