Should I disconnect external hard drive before updating to yosemite

I have an external hard drive (time machine) connected. Should I disconnect before upgrading to Yosemite?

It shouldn't matter since the install only affects the internal drive.

Similar Messages

  • Should I erase my hard drive before updating to Yosemite?

    I am planning on updating to OS X 10.10 Yosemite on my late 2009 3GHz 4GB RAM iMac soon from 10.9.5 Mavericks, and I've always heard it is best to erase the hard drive and wipe it clean when installing a new version of the OS.  Is this still true? 
    And since the OS no longer comes on an install CD disc, is it still recommended to erase the HD before installing fresh?  If so, how is this best accomplished without such an install CD?  Copy the downloaded installer to a flash drive or CD/DVD or external hard disk?
    Or has the Mac OS progressed enough that simply using Software Update is now the best and recommended way to upgrade OS X?
    Any best practice recommendations would be most appreciated.  And as always, I backup all of my important stuff before I perform such an install (though I do not use Time Machine as yet).

    You don't say how you are backing up, other than that you don't use Time Machine (which is not a bad thing, given the reports of problems with the reliability of Time Machine backups). I'd suggest that you buy Carbon Copy Cloner and use it to make a complete, bootable backup of your system on a second hard drive.
    4GB of RAM is borderline skimpy. You may need to at least double what you have installed now: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/iMac/DDR3_21.5_27
    Download DiskmakerX: http://diskmakerx.com/, and get an 8GB flash drive. You can use DiskmakerX to put the Yosemite installer on the flash drive.I'd also suggest that you try to re-download the Mavericks installer before you do any other steps, and store it in a safe location outside of your Applications folder. You may want to revert or re-install at some point. You can also make a flash drive for Mavericks, if you have succeeded in downloading it.
    "Install OS X Yosemite.app" (or or any installer later than Snow Leopard) is downloaded to your Applications folder. When the download is complete, the installer application launches. It is at this point that you quit the installer and copy (not move) it to a safe location outside of your Applications folder, perhaps in the folder of backups you (should) maintain for stuff like system updates and installers. You need to do this is because "Install OS X Whatever.app" very unhelpfully deletes itself after the installation is complete.
    Make your flash drive installer at this point. When you are done, locate the copy of the Yosemite installer that is still in your Applications folder, launch it, and upgrade the system on your internal drive. With a cloned, bootable backup, you can easily revert to Mavericks if Yosemite doesn't run well.

  • I have seen so much response about the Mountain Lion update slowing down computers.  I am updating from Mac OS x 10.6.8.  What can I do to ensure the upgrade will go fine?  Do I unplug my external hard drive before installing, or keep it plugged in?

    I have seen so much response about the Mountain Lion update slowing down computers.  I am updating from Mac OS x 10.6.8.  What can I do to ensure the upgrade will go fine?  Do I unplug my external hard drive before installing, or keep it plugged in?
    Also, I have the 08 version of iWork. Will this cause problems for the update?  Can I update this AFTER I update the processor?

    Welcome to Apple Support Communities
    There's no reason to think that Mountain Lion will slow down your Mac. Just make a backup of your data before upgrading with Time Machine > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1427
    Also, check that your apps are compatible > http://www.roaringapps.com Upgrade them to a compatible version or delete them before upgrading.
    The external drive won't make the OS X Mountain Lion installer fail, but it's better to unplug it during the upgrade.
    iWork '08 is compatible with Mountain Lion. iWork '09 includes OS X Mountain Lion features and can be purchased at the Mac App Store.
    To upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion, I recommend at least 4 GB of RAM. You can check how much memory you have in Apple menu > About this Mac

  • Upgraded to Yosemite, now need to upgrade iPhoto.  Should I leave external hard drive plugged in during update so that software is "compatible"?

    I upgraded to Yosemite after having not updated my software since purchasing my iMac about 5 years ago.  (I know, bad...)  I have an external hard drive that has 20,000 pics on it and I need to know if I should leave it plugged in during the update.  I'm afraid if I do, something will happen to my pics.  But at the same time, I'm wondering if I unplug it, will the new iPhoto recognize the "old" software and be able to open up the pics on my external hard drive?  I know this can be a problem because I tried opening my EHD on my neighbors computer and our iPhoto versions were different and it wouldn't open on hers.  Thank you in advance for you help!

    When I go to the EHD and try to open it that way, it says the iPhoto library must be updated.  Should I just let it update that as well?  People have told me to copy  my pics to the EHD and store in a safe place, but will I have to get it out and update it everytime I do an update so that the software will be compatible? 
    Before you let iPhoto update the iPhoto library make a backup copy of your iPhoto Library. Updating a large library can take a long time, and if something should interrupt this update, the library may be left in a inconsistent state. It is much safer to have a backup you can revert to, just in case.
    But at the same time, I'm wondering if I unplug it, will the new iPhoto recognize the "old" software and be able to open up the pics on my external hard drive?
    Are the "Pics" on your external drive your iPhoto Library? Or simply folders with image files?
    If your iPhoto library is on that drive, what is the filesystem of this external drive?

  • Should I add external hard drive so I can update to os10?

    I was trying to get a new printer for my 266 slot loading I mac. A mac nerd at Fry's said I could connect an external hard drive (USB) and move my applications to it which would free up room on the imac to load os10 (I assume Panther). Does this sound feasible? I have 256 ram. Do I need more ram than that??I'm not a techie but have a son who is a mac addict and could help. (new printers mostly want os10)

    Your iMac 266 has the old/slow USB 1.1 bus, and it doesn't provide a bootable option for an external hard drive. Even running applications from it would be slow, so I wouldn't advise doing that, just to free more space on the internal hard drive for an OS X installation. A larger internal hard drive is a more viable option, but does require mechanical aptitude for disassembly of the iMac. You'd need to install more RAM for OS X, and lacking onboard FireWire would rule out the current OS 10.4.x (Tiger). You'd probably have to settle for Jaguar or Panther. If you add the costs of the OS X installer CDs, more memory, and new hard drive, you could be applying the same $$ toward a newer (even used) Mac.
    What type of printer do you need/want - inkjet or laser? As an alternative to upgrading the iMac, have you considered purchasing a used printer, that would be compatible with the iMac and its pre-OS X software? As an example, the (now-discontinued) Epson Stylus Color 740 or 740i is a good, photo-quality inkjet printer, that's supported for use with Macs via USB and the older serial interface. It's also compatible with PCs via the parallel port interface or USB, so it can be shared between the two platforms. I've purchased 5 or 6 of these printers (used) at thrift stores, because I've always been satisfied with the one I purchased new in 2001. They're more than adequate for most print jobs - including very satisfactory color photo printing, and cost me less than the prices of the replacement ink tanks. If there are any thrift stores in your area that accept donated computers and related peripherals, you might want to check them out for one.

  • Disconnecting external hard drive error - PLS HELP!

    im an iMac newbie so i didnt know i was gonna encounter a problem when i manually disconnected my external hard drive from the USB port. when i disconnected it, an error message popped up saying something like the USB device was not properly disconnected..make sure to eject the device... this may cause loss of data, etc. So when i tried to plug in my external hard drive again, a message box popped up saying something like "the device is not compatible with this computer.." so i went and tried to connect the external hard drive on to my PC... as i expected, an error message popped up saying that it is not formatted yet and it was asking me if i want to reformat it..
    what should i do??? did i permanently lose all the data in my external hard drive?? is there any way to restore the files?? please help..

    As indicated in the previous post, you need to 'eject' the drive before you disconnect the cable or power down the external drive.
    to eject:
    click on the drive icon then press command-e
    right click or control click on the drive icon then select eject
    plus other methods
    I'd plug in the device & power up the device before starting the mac. This will force a drive check.
    With the device connected & power up, then run disk repair.
    harddrive > applications > utilities > Disk Utility
    On the left you will see a list of devices with the partitions on the device below the device icon. Select the device icon of the external device. Be sure to select the device not the partition on the device.
    Select the First Aid tab. See lower right.
    run verify
    run repair
    run verify
    what should i do??? did i permanently lose all the data > in my external hard drive?? is there any way to restore > the files?? please help..
    If the repair doesn't work you need to try a utility like disk warrior. If that dosn't work, you will need to try a commercial recovery firm.
    Robert

  • Should I backup my hard drive before I do a disk repair in disk utility?

    I want to do a disk repair but I don't have an external hard drive to backup information on, so I'm wondering if I can just not back it up and do the disk repair? Does it kill information? How does disk repair even work? Is it a defragger?

    You should always have a reasonably current backup and especially before any major software change such as an OS upgrade and, in this case, a disk repair.  Running without a backup is like walking a tightrope without a net.  External disks are inexpensive.  Your data is not.  Choose an external USB 3.0 disk that is double or more the size of your system disk and dedicate it as your Time Machine backup.
    Time Machine Basics: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1427
    Most commonly used backup methods: 
    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3045
    A disk repair is actually a filesystem repair.  It updates links that are in the filesystem directory.  Usually this runs quickly and repairs any faulty links with no issues.  It is a fairly safe action.  Sometimes the directory cannot be repaired and the cure is to erase the disk, reinstall the OS and reload the data from a backup.  Of course one does not erase the disk until they have completed the backup.
    When you are ready to repair the disk:
    Disk Utility 12.x: Repair a disk
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH5836

  • ITunes Library Locked on External Hard Drive after Updating to 10.8.2

    Hello.  I just updated my iMac to 10.8.2.  My iTunes library is located on an external hard drive attached to the iMac.  After the update, I tried to open iTunes and I get an error saying that the iTunes library is on a locked disk or I don't have permissions for the folder?  Everything worked before the update.  Has this happened to any

    This probably has nothing to do with Apple, it sounds like your system may be badly corrupt or has some other serious problems.  Try some of the troubleshooting techniques in the second half of Understanding upgrade nightmares*.
    * Disclaimer: links to my pages may give me compensation, and should not be taken as endorsement of my services by Apple.

  • How do I delete photos from an external hard drive before downloading to my new Mac?

    I have a Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex external hard drive that has all my photos from my old computer on it  Because there are thousands, I want to delete a bunch of them before downloading onto my new Mac.  However, when I click on the photos, they say "locked."  Once I have the photos trimmed down, how do I get the to download to my Mac?

    Don't touch that one !
    I was hoping that in addition to that there should be another device listed, namely the USB External HD you've got plugged into the USB port. It should show up something like this:

  • Time achine. Each time I wake up my Mac. it says that I did not eject the disk properly. Do I have to eject the external hard drive before putting the Mac. to sleep?

    Time Machine. Each time I wake up my Mac. it says that I did not eject the disk properly. Do I have to eject the external hard drive each time I put the Mac. to sleep?

    If you do eject or disconnect that external drive before sleep, do you ever get that message?
    Some Drives & chipsets will not work right with sleep, what brand/model is it?

  • Safely Eject External Hard Drive Before Sleep

    After returning from a state of sleep, my computer always gives me this error message:
    This is referring to the "unsafe ejection" of my external hard drive which I have hooked up to Time Machine for backups. I would think that the Mac has some sort of shutdown script it would run before going to sleep to safely eject the hard drives connected to the machine, but apparently it does not.
    Does anyone know how I can avoid this message? In other words, is there a way to have my computer safely eject all drives before going to sleep?

    In case anyone remembers the "good old days" - a few years back (mostly during OS 10.4 - Tiger), there were multiple problems reported with either USB and/or Firewire externals on wake-up; this included hard drives and hubs mostly. I was experiencing problems myself continuously with one of my hubs. Apple finally came out with one of their articles stating that the problems arose because, upon wake-up command, the computer would get confused momentarily as to what to start with first - internal HD, external HD, hub, or whatever and suggesting that you simply unmount (before sleep) whatever was causing the problem. The second suggestion was to unplug/plug in the USB or firewire cable after wakeup, which is what I had to do to get my keyboard and mouse working which were plugged into the hub. That was when I started to unmount and unplug my externals unless I actually needed them and I'm actually still doing that (habits!). I haven't had a problem with my hubs for a while now, but I'm wondering if it could be the same type of problem.

  • I,have,a,Galaxy,S,and,want,to,clear,out,some,memory.,All,my,epics,are,in,the,cloud,(I,think),but,I,want,them,on,my,external,hard,drive,before,I,delete,them,from,my,phone.,,Do,I,have,to,upload,all,of,the

    I have a GalaxyS5 and want to clear out some memory.  All my pics are in the cloud but I don't want to keep all of them.  After I sort and cull how to I move the keepers to my external hard drive?  Can I do this directly from the cloud?

    rwethereyet,
    Keeping your pictures safe is definitely important! Once you have synced the saved pictures to your phone you can transfer them from the phone to your computer. Are you using the Verizon Cloud Desktop app?
    JohnB_VZW
    Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
    If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

  • HT1284 Do I need to reformat my external hard drive before I backup to it?  It shows very little free space when in fact it is empty.

    I am new to Imac.  I want to use an external hard drive to backup to but the drive shows very little free space when in fact it is empty.  Do I need to reformat it and, if so How?  Thanks

    What is the external disk?
    Is it new?  If so, maybe it has a Windows file system on it (FAT, exFAT, or NTFS).  If so then reformat to "HFS+ Journaled".
    What backup utility are you using?  TimeMachine, Carbon Copy Cloner, SuperDuper, etc...?  If the external is suppose to be bootable because you are using a cloning backup (CCC or SuperDuper), then it is also important that the disk partition table be GUID.
    You can find out this information via Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility, select the disk (not volume on the disk) and the partition time will be shown at the botton of the window.   Now Select the volume and it will tell you how the file system on the disk is formatted.
    Also do you want to leave room for a recovery partition on the external disk?  Then repartition it with a small (2GB) partition that can hold a bootable recovery partition that you can setup via the Apple "Recovery Disk Assistant" which can be downloaded from Apple.

  • Purchasing external hard drive before upgrading to Snow Leopard

    I have an early 2009 iMac running OS X 10.5.8. We are planning on purchasing Snow Leopard to upgrade to 10.6 and beyond but would like to back up what we have on an external hard drive first. Is there anything specifically we need to watch out for or be aware of when buying an external hard drive? Thanks in advance.

    I second rkaufmann87's recommendation of OWC's external hard drives.  I have 6 and have had no issues.

  • How do I import favorites onto a restored system from a backup that I made on an external hard drive before I had exported the favorites?

    I have downloaded Firefox to my laptop, which crashed, and could not be restored by my backup software. All files reside on an external hard drive, including Firefox. I had not exported my favorites prior to the crash. How do I import those favorites from the external hard drive?

    Favorites or '''bookmarks'''? Firefox can't handle the "favorites" data, you need to restore that data to IE, and then export it in bookmarks.html format which is what Firefox can import.
    http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Recovering+important+data+from+an+old+profile
    http://support.mozilla.com/en-us/kb/Profiles#How_to_find_your_profile

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