Software Update/External Hard drive

My macbook pro (2009) seems to be slowing down. I am running Snow Leopard. Could it be time for a software update? Also, any suggestions on an external hard drive to buy for backup?

kellynfromal,
the cause of your MacBook Pro’s slowdown is not due to some sort of Snow Leopard expiration. Try downloading and installing EtreCheck, and please include in your reply the output from a run of EtreCheck — it could provide some clues as to why your MacBook Pro seems to be slowing down.
Different people have different preferences regarding hard drives; I like Hitachi drives with five-year warranties myself.

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Mac Update/External Hard Drive

Today I finally let my software updater do it's thing and it installed these 4 updates:
Quicktime (7.6.2)
Java for Mac OS X 10.4 Release 9 (1.0)
Itunes (8.2.0)
Security Update 2009-002 PowerPC (1.0)
I then rebooted and tried to plug in my Seagate External Hard Drive and I get a prompt that says:
DISK INSERTION
The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer.
What gives? It was working 10 minutes before... any ideas?
BiddyB

Hi BiddyB, and a warm welcome to the forums!
Could be many things, we should start with this...
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Mac OS X Tiger Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then try a Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it completes.
(Safe boot may stay on the gray radian for a long time, let it go, it's trying to repair the Hard Drive.)
The usual reason why updates fail or mess things up, is if Permissions are not fixed before & after every update, with a reboot... you may get a partial update when the installer finds it doesn't have Permissions to change one obscure little part of the OS, leaving you with a mix of OS versions.
Some people get away without Repairing Permissions for years, some for only days.
If Permissions are wrong before applying an update, you could get mixed OS versions, if Directory is the slightest messed up, who knows!
If many Permission are repaired, or any Directory errors are found, you may need to re-apply some the latest/biggest updates.
May even need to do an Archive and Install if you have room on the HD, but saves all your files and gives a new OS...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120
I only use Software Update to see what is needed, then get them for real via...
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
That way I can wait a week or so, check the forums for potential problems, and get Permissions & such in order before installing.
If all the above fails, then it appears to be time for a relatively painless Archive & Install, which gives you a new/old OS, but can preserve all your files, pics, music, settings, etc., as long as you have plenty of free disk space and no Disk corruption, and is relatively quick & painless...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120
Just be sure to select Preserve Users & Settings.
Then see if Disk Utility can see/repair the external Hard Drive.

Software Update and Hard Drive Space Driving me crazy...

Evening,
I have been experiencing this issue for a long time and I don't know what to do. Ever since February 14, 2011 (a SL reinstall) my MacBook Pro for some reason is not recovering the HDD space after Software Update downloads are completed. Before updating Safari and applying the security update my HDD space was 381.79GB, when the update files were downloaded before reinstalling the space went down to 381.72. When the updates were installed and the system rebooted, I expected that the HDD space would have increased but it remained at 372.72GB. I know is not that much of HDD however, I remember that before the HDD space would increase after a software update was applied since SU would delete the installer packages. I have tried 3 full reinstalls with zero out option and unfortunately the problem is still there. Do you think I have a software problem? or hardware problem?
Thank You!

Forgot to post: I don't know what is causing the problem, could it be a damaged drive or other hardware or is it a software problem? I have tried the following:
Reinstalled OSX more than 3 times each with Zero Out option activated and the problem keeps resurfacing...
Repaired Permissions
Repaired the drive with OSX Install disc
deleted caches, plist both in finder and SU
Safeboot
Things to still try out:
Reinstall OSX with Zero Out option but with another install disc (I got a replacement from apple care).
and the final one throw my MBP out the window...
Last one is just a joke but I am lost on this issue that has persisted everytime since February 14...
Message was edited by: vea1083

Software Updates Corrupted Hard Drive?

Hi,
Last night I allowed Software Update to install the new security update 2008-007 as well as HP printer drivers when I was shutting down. This morning, upon booting my computer, Mac OS X would not start. I held down option and noticed the only drive available was my Windows partition (which recently stopped working as well). I booted up the Leopard install DVD and tried repairing the partition with Disk Utility but I get an error saying something about an invalid boot sector. Should I say goodbye to my data? Anyone have any tips? Thanks.

DsurioN wrote:
Hi,
Last night I allowed Software Update to install the new security update 2008-007 as well as HP printer drivers when I was shutting down. This morning, upon booting my computer, Mac OS X would not start. I held down option and noticed the only drive available was my Windows partition (which recently stopped working as well). I booted up the Leopard install DVD and tried repairing the partition with Disk Utility but I get an error saying something about an invalid boot sector. Should I say goodbye to my data? Anyone have any tips? Thanks.
Never apply more than one update at a time, especially if one or more requires your password to install.
Did you run the disk utility before installing the updates? It's never good to install any update if the HD or permissions are in need of repair.
See if you can boot into the Safe mode (hold down shift key on boot) and at the login screen, click restart and let computer boot normally.
Since you say you had a problem previously with Windows, I suspect your HD needs attention and the update simply attempted to install on a corrupted HD and failed. It's rarely the update but the HD or some other system issue prior to installing the update.
Do you have any AV programs in your Windows partition? Some will corrupt your boot sector and prevent OS-X from booting. It's a common issue with AV program on computers using BootCamp.
You may need some more power medicine than DU. I suggest DiskWarrior which can restore an unbootable corrupt HD.
When Windows stopped working that was your cue to fix the system before installing any updates or other software.

Anyone got Issue with Time Machine on Mac OS 10.9.5 on External Hard Drive?

Mac Book Air June 2012, Mac OS 10.9.5 (fully updated) external Hard Drive, USB 3
Dear all,
Just realized that my regular Time Machine back-ups don’t work anymore: despite several back-ups, Time Machine tells me that I did not back-up for 10 days but I did not get any error message.
Suspected an issue with my external Hard Drive, so took a brand new one 1TB, labelled Mac OS, USB 3, sold at Apple Corner.
Registered this new drive in Time Machine, started a full back-up of about 350 Gb, and it is hanging up, 13Kb copied in one hour.....
This become very critical as I don’t have back-up since a few days....
Your help will be upmost appreciated.
Best regards to all,
Bernard

Temporarily turn Time Machine "off". Make sure a backup is not in progress, then rebuild the Spotlight database according to the following instructions: Spotlight: How to re-index folders or volumes
(summary: drag the entire source volume to the exclusions list, click OK, then remove it by clicking the minus ("–") button.)
This will have no effect on any existing backups.
Let Spotlight finish reindexing and then turn Time Machine back "on". Select "Back Up Now".

Elements 9 affecting external hard drive

Hi there
I downloaded the trial version of Elements 9 and have been editing photographs and saving as normal.
Since I have downloaded this software, my external hard drive has had the same error code twice - 0x80070571. The general message is that there is an error on my hard disk. This happens when I try to save or drag and drop anything from my desktop to the hard drive. I am still able to open and run all the files on the hard drive, I just can't copy anything over. I have had to run an error report on the hard drive, and twice now nearly all of my recently edited photographs have been corrupted and deleted.
I'm just trying to cover every possibility here, but is there any way that the trial software could be affecting my external hard drive in any way?
I have bought a copy the software now which is on its' way to me so I'm hoping that I won't have the same problem.
My next option is to buy another hard drive although my worry there is transferring over all my files to a new hard drive and the same error happening again.
Thanks for any help!

What happens when you burn your pictures to CD or DVD, or copy to a thumb drive?
I have PSEv.8, and picture files are backed up to my EHD without a problem. Before removing the EHD from your computer, do you eject it via the icon in the taskbar so as to remove it safely?
Also, have a look at this:
http://www.wiki-errors.com/wiki-errors.php?wiki=0X80070571

I recently updated the software on my MacBook Pro. Now, my computer no longer recognizes my external hard drive. Could this be related to the software update and, if so, how do I correct the problem?

I Recently updated the software on my MacBook Pro. Now, my computer no longer recognizes my external hard drive. Could this be related to the software update and, if so, how do I correct the problem?

Ari343 wrote:
No, the external hard drive does not show up on Disk Utility. I don't have another computer to try it on.
Perform a PRAM reset:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379
Have you tried all the ports?
Have you tried with a different cable?
Have you tested all the ports with other devices to see that they are functioning?
Ciao.

I have updated my software on my Mac to OS X v 10.9.5 and now my mac doesnt read any external hard drives? please help

HI, I updated my software of my Mac Pro to OS X v 10.9.5, after I installed it, my MAC doesn't read any external hard drives. Not sure what to do now. Please help? Is there a way of updated drivers

I have no idea where to change that
Finder/Preferences/Sidebar and General for the Desktop.
Do they show in Disk Utility?

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?

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.

HT1338 I bought my macbook pro november 2011 and I still cannot use my toshiba external hard drive. what updates do i need to get?

I don't know my operating system. I bought it in nov of 2011. I am trying to axcess a toshiba external hard drive. what new update do I need to get?

You can find out your current system version by select About This Mac from the Apple menu. To make sure it is updated, select Software Update from the Apple menu. A Mac from Nov. 2011 is probably running "Lion," and the latest version of Lion is Mac OS X 10.7.4.
But that should not affect the connection of an external hard drive. There are no special updates for connecting standard external drives.
Does the external Toshiba drive connect by USB port? Is it the smaller type that gets power from the port (no conection except for the one cable), or is it larger (with its own power supply)?

I moved my itunes library to an external hard drive and now I can not update my phone and my apps aren't showing in the sidebar of my library. How can I fix this?

I moved my whole library onto an external hard drive but now when I plug my phone in, it can't back up, it can't update and my apps stopped showing up on the side. It still charges and syncs but I can't update the software. I use a PC. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Ok. progress...
So is your media folder called iTunes Music or iTunes Media? And does it have a folder called Music inside it?
Before going any further you should first attempt to use File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange files in the folder "<Media Folder>" (ignore if grayed out). This will make sure that any iPod Games or Mobile Applications get placed inside the iTunes Media folder which is needed for portability.
If your iTunes Media folder is called iTunes Music, close iTunes, rename the folder as iTunes Media and start iTunes again. iTunes will automatically adjust. Close iTunes again.
On your external drive rearrange the folders that you have already copied there so that they match the layout in your active library. You should end up with a folder called X:\iTunes where X: is the external drive letter, and the media folder is X:\iTunes\iTunes Media. If the library layout was upgraded then you will need to create a Music folder inside this and move all the artist folders and Compilations into Music. You will also need to copy iPod Games and Mobile Applications from your internal drive into the new media folder. Next copy the files iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Library Extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, sentinel and the folder Album Artwork from the internal drive into X:\iTunes. The preceding manipulations should make the internal and external copies of your library match without you having to copy all of the media over again.
Now hold shift as you start iTunes. Click choose, browse to and open X:\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl.
Finally use File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate files. This will ensure that any stray files that might have been added from outside your original media folder will be copied into the new one.
You can now reclaim the space used by your library on the internal drive, however before you do so I would advise you to obtain another external drive and make use of this backup tip.
tt2

Hi everyone, after updating to 10.6.8, i've been unable to backup to my external hard-drive on Time Machine. anyone having same issues?

I did a software update to 10.6.8. and I've been unable to back up my files to my external hard-drive on Time Machine. The error message it gives says "he backup was not performed because an error occurred while copying files to the backup disk."
It recommends using Disk Utility to repair the backup disk and i've tried that but it finds nothing wrong with the disk!
I even tried copying files off it so i could re-format the drive but it apparently can't do that and the error message is that there's a wrong case sensitive file. Please help, I really need a solution.
Thanks,
Regards,
Chi.

If you mean you're getting the same message:
see #C3 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting. It will show you how to locate the message(s) that describe the problem, then help you fix it. If that doesn't help, post back with details, including all the messages, your setup (especially the destination for the backups), what you've done, and the results.
If that's not the message you're getting, please clarify.

I have a CS6 Disc I purchased. It does not seem to fit correctly in my external hard drive so I can download the software. Is a special kind of external hard drive required. I have a MAC Book Pro Yosemite version.

I recently purchased an Adobe Creative Suite 6 Design & Web Premium software so I could use a more updated version of Photoshop & Illustrator. My new Mac Book Pro does not have an internal hard drive. I was told by Apple to buy an external hard drive to download the software. I bought an LG Ultra Slim Portable DVD Writer compatible for MAC. When I went to put the disc in the drive it does not seem to fit in the tray properly. Is there a special size external drive I need to purchase to do this? Please help if you know the answer. Thank you.

Hi Bluedrake
Please download the CS6 Trials from below link : Download Adobe CS6 Trials: Direct Links (no Assistant or Manager) | ProDesignTools
Follow the instructions to Start your Download ...
Use your Serial Key to Activate them ....

My iMac cannot read my Verbatim external hard drive since I updated to Yosemite today - what can I do?

I updated to Yosemite today and now have no access to my Verbatin external hard drive. My anti virus software - Kaspersky for Mac has also stopped working. I have identical problems on my Macbook Pro.
Does anyone know of fixes for either problem please?

I updated to Yosemite today and now have no access to my Verbatin external hard drive. My anti virus software - Kaspersky for Mac has also stopped working. I have identical problems on my Macbook Pro.
Does anyone know of fixes for either problem please?

Software Update/External Hard drive

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