Essential Techniques for Resolving USB and External Hard Drive Issues on Mac
Written on
Understanding the Problem
Have you ever connected a USB or external hard drive to your Mac, only to find it flickering on and off? This can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you're worried about losing valuable files, like those captured with your camera.
Many users experience this issue and often resort to online searches for solutions, which may include suggestions to reset, erase, or reformat the drive. If you’re looking for a more structured approach to resolve these problems, here are some steps to guide you.
Getting Started
Begin by connecting your USB device to your Mac, then navigate to APPLICATIONS + UTILITIES + DISK UTILITY.
After locating the Disk Utility app, double-click its icon. This action will open a new window, as shown in the images below.
Locate your USB drive on the right side of the Disk Utility window. At the top right, you'll find the "First Aid" option. Click on it, then select "RUN" to begin the repair process.
If your device doesn’t show up in the main dashboard, don’t worry. It should still appear on the left sidebar after following the initial steps outlined above.
Dealing with Connection Issues
Once you've identified the USB drive you want to repair, you'll notice several options, including "Volume," "First Aid," and "Partition." In my case, I chose "First Aid" because I had many important images stored on my SD card.
You might wonder why I don’t connect my camera directly to my Mac. I prefer not to do so for various reasons, one being that my Mac sometimes fails to read RAW files correctly.
After completing the process, I disconnected my card reader and restarted my Mac—a step you may find unnecessary. Upon reconnecting the USB and SD card, everything appeared on the dashboard as expected.
Note: Be cautious during this process, as mistakes could lead to data loss on your USB drive. If you have any inquiries, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me on Twitter at successwitheve.
Related Resources
You might find the following videos helpful:
How to Troubleshoot Issues with USB Flash Drives Not Showing Up on a Mac
This video offers valuable insights into troubleshooting USB flash drives that fail to appear on your Mac.
Secrets of "Dead" External Hard Drives! How to Quickly Fix the Problem
This video discusses common causes of external hard drive failures and offers quick solutions.
Final Thoughts
If you're interested in learning more about transferring articles or other tech tips, consider subscribing for updates on new posts. Additionally, if you’re into NFTs, check out my artworks on Opensea and Rarible.
Writing passionately,
Elvie Lins ©2022