Why isn’t my external hard drive mounting on my Mac and how do I fix it?

I’m having trouble with my external hard drive not mounting on my Mac. It’s crucial because I have important files saved on there. Does anyone know how I can get it to mount? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hey there!

So you’re facing issues with your external hard drive not mounting on your Mac, and it holds some crucial files. That’s a bummer, but let’s try to work through this together. I’ll outline several methods to troubleshoot and fix the issue. We’ll start with the easy stuff and move on to more involved solutions.

Step 1: Basic Checks

Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best. Here are a few quick things to check:

• Check the Cable: Ensure the cable connecting your hard drive to your Mac is functional and not damaged. Try using another USB cable if possible.
• Port Check: Try a different USB port on your Mac.
• Power Supply: If your external hard drive has a separate power supply, make sure it’s properly connected and working.

Step 2: Check Disk Utility

If those basic checks don’t solve it, we’ll get a bit more technical:

• Open ‘Disk Utility’ on your Mac. You can find this in Applications > Utilities.
• See if your external hard drive appears in the left-hand sidebar. If it does and isn’t mounted, select it and click ‘Mount’.
• If it doesn’t mount, select it and click ‘First Aid’ to diagnose and repair any issues.

Step 3: Restart Your Mac

A simple restart can sometimes work wonders. Just click the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen and select ‘Restart’. Once your Mac boots back up, re-connect your external hard drive.

Step 4: Try a Different Mac or PC

Connect your external hard drive to another Mac or even a Windows PC if you have one available. If it mounts there, you know the issue lies with your Mac.

Step 5: Reset SMC and PRAM/NVRAM

These resets can resolve several hardware and software related issues:

• To reset the SMC (System Management Controller), shut down your Mac and unplug the power cord. Wait 15 seconds and then plug it back in. Restart your Mac.
• To reset the PRAM/NVRAM, shut down your Mac. Upon restarting, quickly hold down Cmd + Option + P + R until your Mac restarts again.

Step 6: Use Terminal

Sometimes Disk Utility might not show everything, but Terminal might help:

• Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.
• Type diskutil list and press Enter. This command lists all connected drives.
• If you see your drive listed, try mounting it manually by typing diskutil mountDisk [YOUR_DISK_IDENTIFIER] and pressing Enter.

Step 7: Investigate Disk Formatting

If all else fails, the file system of your external hard drive might be unsupported or corrupted. In this case, data recovery might be necessary before reformatting the drive. A highly recommended tool for Mac users facing such issues is Disk Drill Data Recovery Software.

It’s specifically designed to recover lost data from external hard drives and other storage devices.

How to Use Disk Drill Data Recovery Software

• Download and install Disk Drill.
• Launch the software and select your external hard drive from the list of available disks.
• Click ‘Recover’ and follow the prompts. Disk Drill will scan your drive for recoverable files.
• Select the files you need and save them to a different location — preferably not on the same affected hard drive.

Step 8: Reformat Your External Hard Drive

If you’ve successfully recovered your important files, you might want to consider reformatting the drive. Here’s how you can do it:

• Open ‘Disk Utility’ and select your external hard drive.
• Click ‘Erase’ at the top of the window.
• Select the format you want (for Mac compatibility, choose ‘Mac OS Extended (Journaled)’ or ‘APFS’ if using macOS High Sierra or later).
• Click ‘Erase’ and let the process complete.

After reformatting, your drive should mount without any issues.

Step 9: Check for Firmware Updates

In some rare cases, outdated firmware can cause mounting issues. Check the manufacturer’s website for any firmware updates for your external hard drive model.

Conclusion

I hope these steps help you get your external hard drive mounted and working on your Mac. If none of these techniques work, there might be a hardware failure with the drive itself, and you may need to replace it. Good luck, and feel free to ask if you have more questions or need further assistance!

FAQ

How do you check if your external hard drive is detected by your Mac?

First, connect your external hard drive to your Mac. Open Disk Utility from the Applications folder. In Disk Utility, you should see the drive listed in the left-hand column. If it appears, the Mac recognizes the drive, even if it’s not mounted. Proceed with mounting solutions from there.

How do you use Disk Utility to mount an external hard drive on your Mac?

Open Disk Utility from the Applications folder. Select the unmounted drive from the left-hand sidebar. Click the “Mount” button at the top of the Disk Utility window. If successful, the external hard drive should now be accessible from the Finder and desktop.

What steps can you take if Disk Utility fails to mount the external hard drive?

If Disk Utility fails, try using the First Aid option within Disk Utility. Select the drive and click “First Aid” to repair it. Follow the prompts. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, you might need to use more advanced tools or consult a professional service.

How can you check your external hard drive’s cable and port for functionality?

Try using a different USB or Thunderbolt cable to connect your external hard drive. Also, connect the drive to a different port on your Mac. Sometimes, faulty cables or ports can be the cause of connection issues. Testing with other devices can help diagnose the problem.

What should you do if your external hard drive still isn’t recognized after troubleshooting?

If your external hard drive isn’t recognized after trying different cables, ports, and running Disk Utility’s First Aid, it might be worth trying the drive on another computer. This can help determine if the issue is with the drive itself or your Mac.

How can updating your Mac’s operating system help with mounting issues?

Ensure that your Mac is running the latest version of its operating system by checking for updates in the system preferences. Sometimes, updates include fixes for compatibility issues with external drives. Updating might resolve the problem.

Are there any terminal commands that can mount an external hard drive on Mac?

Yes, you can use terminal commands to attempt mounting the drive. Open Terminal and type diskutil list to see the available drives. Find your external hard drive identifier, then use diskutil mount /dev/diskX (replace X with your drive identifier) to attempt mounting it.

How do you check for disk errors that might be causing mounting issues on Mac?

Open Disk Utility and select your external hard drive. Click First Aid to scan and repair disk errors. This process checks for and attempts to fix issues that might prevent the drive from mounting properly, improving your chances of access.

What software options exist for recovering data from an unmountable drive on Mac?

There are several third-party software tools available, including Disk Drill and EaseUS Data Recovery. These programs can help recover data from drives that won’t mount. Visit the software’s homepages to find detailed guides and download links for the software.

When should you consider professional services for an unmountable external hard drive?

If all troubleshooting and software solutions fail, consider seeking help from professional data recovery services. Companies specialize in retrieving data from damaged or unmountable drives. More information on professional services can be found at drive-savers and other similar companies.