Hopefully there is a really easy fix to get the hard drive to mount on your desktop. Try the following to make sure your Mac is set to show mounted drives on the desktop. Open the Finder. I have a MacBook Pro 2016 and a my passport for mac hard drive which stopped mounting. I have done pretty much everything you suggested including terminal- force mounting (does detect before that) – comes up with unknown special file or file system message. In console – not sure how Hard drive specific errors would look like.
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- 2.5 inches SATA 2nd HDD/SSD HARD DRIVE SATA to SATA caddy Tray for Apple MacBook / MacBook Pro 13 15 17 CD/DVD-ROM Optical Bay Limited time offer, ends 10/31 Model #: MACBOOKPRO-HDD.
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Hardware :: Recover Data From Dead Lacie Hard Drive / Unable To Mount Hard Drive
Sep 6, 2009Today I went to plug in my Lacie 250 GB USB external hard drive into my 13 in. MacBook to get a shirt template for a design I am making. I discovered that the hard drive just would not mount and show on the desktop, and I remembered that this happened a few days before, but all I did was unplug it and plug it back in, and it worked... except that today, that didn't work at all. I tried the other USB port, and the hard drive showed up on the desktop for about a second, and then disappeared. I kept on replugging it back into both USB ports, but nothing happened.
Then I tried to see if it would work on the PC beside me, and it was recognized as an external device; however, a message came up telling me the drive was malfunctioning. I am guessing this is from ejecting it incorrectly (because I am in a hurry to head to my next classes...I use this laptop at school), but I have incorrectly disconnected it before in the past and this problem never happened to me before.
Every single project I have ever created for my design career is on that hard drive, and all I want now is to get my files back. All I need it to do is show up on the desktop for just the right amount of time for me to copy my files onto my computer.
I read online to put it into the freezer for a while and it should mount, but that didn't work. I tried using Disk Warrior, Data Rescue 3, and Tech Tool Deluxe, but the hard drive did not show up on any of those apps.I tried plugging the hard drive into an iMac as well, but it did not show up either.
Then I tried to see if it would work on the PC beside me, and it was recognized as an external device; however, a message came up telling me the drive was malfunctioning. I am guessing this is from ejecting it incorrectly (because I am in a hurry to head to my next classes...I use this laptop at school), but I have incorrectly disconnected it before in the past and this problem never happened to me before.
Every single project I have ever created for my design career is on that hard drive, and all I want now is to get my files back. All I need it to do is show up on the desktop for just the right amount of time for me to copy my files onto my computer.
I read online to put it into the freezer for a while and it should mount, but that didn't work. I tried using Disk Warrior, Data Rescue 3, and Tech Tool Deluxe, but the hard drive did not show up on any of those apps.I tried plugging the hard drive into an iMac as well, but it did not show up either.
MacBook Pro :: Desktop Hard Drive Won't Mount
Jan 24, 2010My LaCie BigDisc HD won't mount on the desktop of my MacBook Pro. Is there some other place I can find and open the icons, or is there another procedure to follow to correct this problem?
MacBook Pro :: External Hard Drive Won't Mount
May 29, 2012Recently my WD Passport is recognized by Disc Utility but will not mount.I have tried repairing disk. What can I do?
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MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)
Info:
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)
MacBook :: External Hard-drive Won't Mount Or Be Recognized
May 31, 2012I just installed a new internal hard drive into my macbook as my old one was failing. Before doing this I backed up all of my information through Time Machine onto a Seagate FreeAgent external hard drive. I've been using this external hard drive for the past two years and I've never had any problems with my macbook mounting it. Once I had all of my personal information backed up I took out the external hard drive and then proceeded to take out my old internal hard drive and installed the new one. I installed the Mac operating system and the Macbook started up just fine but when it came time to reload all of my personal setting using Time Machine my macbook didn't recognize that there was an external drive plugged in. I know it isn't the external drive as it mounts just fine on other laptops. how I can get my macbook to mount the drive so that I can transfer all of my information onto this new internal drive?
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MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Seagate FreeAgent
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MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Seagate FreeAgent
MacBook Air :: Disk Utility Won't Allow To Mount NTFS External Hard Drive
Aug 29, 2014I've recently converted to the Mac-side:
I'm having difficulty with my external hard-drive, here's the info on that one:
Disk Utility won't allow me to mount the drive, I've tried using a number of softwares to read it (working under the assumption that it's an NTFS drive), including Tuxera and Paragon. I have too much stored on the hard drive to empty it back onto my old computer, and so I'm not able order to re-format it.
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MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)
I'm having difficulty with my external hard-drive, here's the info on that one:
Disk Utility won't allow me to mount the drive, I've tried using a number of softwares to read it (working under the assumption that it's an NTFS drive), including Tuxera and Paragon. I have too much stored on the hard drive to empty it back onto my old computer, and so I'm not able order to re-format it.
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MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)
Mac Pro :: Hard Drive Will Not Mount After Optical Drive Upgrade?
Feb 23, 2012I recently performed an optical drive install. Had to remove the hard drive bays (I use three hard drives - Luckily, 2 run OSX). I carefully removed all three drive bays and the empty bay. When I inserted the drives into the computer I had changed the position, swapping one OSX drive with a different one and reversing the drive bays. On restart, the computer started on the drive I had not selected for startup and I received an error message stating the other drive could not mount and it gave three options (Initialize - Ignore and Eject).
I can see the drive in Disk Utility and repair the permissions (it's also located in the System Profile).
I tried a few things I read in the community using various Terminal commands but was unsuccessful.
(Let me point out that I recently switched from a PPC G5 to MacPro and swapped the drives from PPC into MacPro and all has been fine until I removed changed their positions in the bays)
Info:
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
I can see the drive in Disk Utility and repair the permissions (it's also located in the System Profile).
I tried a few things I read in the community using various Terminal commands but was unsuccessful.
(Let me point out that I recently switched from a PPC G5 to MacPro and swapped the drives from PPC into MacPro and all has been fine until I removed changed their positions in the bays)
Info:
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
OS X :: Hard Drive Wont Mount?
Jul 27, 2010I have an external hard drive (NTFS) hooked up via firewire to a firewire audio interface, hooked up to my Macbook Pro with OS X 10.6.4. I accidentally turned off my firewire interface before ejecting the hard drive. (I have done this before, it's hard to remember I have my hard drive on sometimes, and nothing bad has happened). When I turned the hard drive back on, the mac says 'the disk you inserted was not readable by this computer.' I can pick 'Initialize...' 'Ignore' or 'Eject'
If I click Initialize, I can't repair the disk or anything because it is NTFS.I tried booting into Windows 7, and it does not recognize the drive either.
If I click Initialize, I can't repair the disk or anything because it is NTFS.I tried booting into Windows 7, and it does not recognize the drive either.
OS X :: WD Elements External Hard Drive Won't Mount
Dec 29, 2008Just bought the WD Elements external Hard drive, plugged it in... and it won't mount on my G4!
-Checked all USB ports
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OS X :: Recover Data From Hard Drive That Won't Mount?
Jun 19, 2009Macbook Pro Hard Drive Storage
Long story short I dropped my 500GB Maxtor external HD (which is really just an internal HD in a chase). The drop was about 3 ft. It was not on so I don't think there will be much damage to the disk, but it no longer mounts. I was wondering if anyone could think of a way to get the disk to mount so I can recover files saved to it. I have Tech Tools, and Data Rescue II to recover the drive but as long it is not being recognized by the computer those applications are useless.
OS X :: Unable To Mount Lacie 500 GB Hard Drive?
Jul 26, 2009I am new to this forum and hoping for some advice with this hard drive issue.
I opened a brand new Lacie 500 GB Hard Drive. It is connected to my macbook via usb. I selected it as my hard drive destination in Time Machine and ran the backup option.
The hard drive did mount. About 5 minutes in the backup option failed - a time machine error: time machine backup failed.
I ejected the drive and unplugged it/turned it off and rebooted my laptop. Now the hard drive does not mount on my desktop however will show in disk utility. It lists with the Lacie name and another subdivision under the name.
When I try disk repair, erase or partition..I always get the same message: resource busy. After the error, the hard drive subdivision disappears leaving only one name on the list in disk utility. (It does not have the name underneath it).
I apologize for my semi technical description. I am new to mac and appreciate any advice on how to fix this issue. All I want to do is backup my laptop using the new hard drive with time machine.
I opened a brand new Lacie 500 GB Hard Drive. It is connected to my macbook via usb. I selected it as my hard drive destination in Time Machine and ran the backup option.
The hard drive did mount. About 5 minutes in the backup option failed - a time machine error: time machine backup failed.
I ejected the drive and unplugged it/turned it off and rebooted my laptop. Now the hard drive does not mount on my desktop however will show in disk utility. It lists with the Lacie name and another subdivision under the name.
When I try disk repair, erase or partition..I always get the same message: resource busy. After the error, the hard drive subdivision disappears leaving only one name on the list in disk utility. (It does not have the name underneath it).
I apologize for my semi technical description. I am new to mac and appreciate any advice on how to fix this issue. All I want to do is backup my laptop using the new hard drive with time machine.
Hardware :: External WD Hard Drive Won't Mount?
Oct 5, 2009Hello everyone. I've been using an external Western Digital My Studio (500GB) drive for the last year or so with a Core2Duo Macbook Pro, and have had no problems until this morning. The drive is used primarily for Time Machine backups, but I also have some photographs stored as well.
This morning, just after I'd begun copying some of these files to another external drive, the WD drive went down, and now will not mount/showup in Finder. It DOES show up in Disk Utility, though with the Time Machine volume grayed out. I get a 'could not mount' error when I click on the 'mount' icon, and nothing else I try (rebooting, unplugging drive power supply, etc). has worked. I'm trying to avoid the erase-and-reformat option, because I'd lose some potentially valuable images.
This morning, just after I'd begun copying some of these files to another external drive, the WD drive went down, and now will not mount/showup in Finder. It DOES show up in Disk Utility, though with the Time Machine volume grayed out. I get a 'could not mount' error when I click on the 'mount' icon, and nothing else I try (rebooting, unplugging drive power supply, etc). has worked. I'm trying to avoid the erase-and-reformat option, because I'd lose some potentially valuable images.
Hardware :: Internal Hard Drive Cannot Mount?
Jun 30, 2008I have an older Mac G4 running OS X (10.4.11) and I have three internal hard drives, one of which will not mount. I can hear it spinning up and trying to mount, but it won't.Is it trashed? I've tried everything I know to get it to mount. Is there a way that I can at least recover some files that are on it?
Intel Mac :: Mount An External Hard Drive?
May 21, 2012I have a Lacie 1TB external hard drive that keeps disconnecting from my Time machine to back up data.how to remount, I can not find it anywhere .....
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Macbook, Mac OS X (10.5.1)
Info:
Macbook, Mac OS X (10.5.1)
Power Mac :: Re-mount 2nd Internal Hard Drive?
Jun 12, 2012Accidentally ejected 4 partitions of the terrabyte hard drive, and it's not on my disk utility list anymore, nor will it show at start up. I've unplugged, slid it out a little, snapped it back in, but still no sign of it.
Info:Mac OS X (10.4.11), Dual 1.8 G5, 2.5 GB DDR SDRAM
Info:Mac OS X (10.4.11), Dual 1.8 G5, 2.5 GB DDR SDRAM
Desktops :: External Hard Drive Unable To Mount
Jan 20, 2010Without warning my iMac [OS X Snow Leopard] popped up an alert saying that I should eject a drive before disconnecting it. I had done nothing to generate this error message. I clicked ok to close it and noticed my 4 month old, external 8T Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 was no longer visible in my drive directory. I also noticed this external unit was making a looped grinding noise as if it was trying to write without success. I figured one of the drives failed and took it to the mac doctor. Other than a few directory errors, everything appeared to be fine, so I paid the service fee, brought it home and plugged it in only to find the same prob - obviously it's something with my iMac. Before I go spending more service fees, I wondered if anyone here could point me toward a method of discovering what might be wrong. I ran disk utility [verify and permissions] and fixed some directory errors, but don't know how to look further. iMac was home networked with a PC [Windows] and a laptop [Windows]. I did notice something wacky with the PC, but its very old and I expect it to die any day. I was running the network through the PC, so I direct connected the iMac to the router and modem but no change: still cannot see the external drives. What other info do you need to make an educated guess for me?
Hardware :: External Hard Drive Spins Up But Won't Mount?
Feb 25, 2009I have a LaCie 320 GB external hdd (USB 2.0) that worked perfectly until last night. Now it won't mount when I connect it to my computer, nor can I see it in Disk Utility. Disk Warrior can't see it either. I tried connecting it to my roommate's MBP with no luck.
It spins up just fine and doesn't make any clicking noises or anything like that, so I feel like there might just be some hope yet; I'm thinking it might just be a faulty USB cable or something, but I don't have a spare one to try it with.
It spins up just fine and doesn't make any clicking noises or anything like that, so I feel like there might just be some hope yet; I'm thinking it might just be a faulty USB cable or something, but I don't have a spare one to try it with.
OS X :: External Hard Drive Format - Mount On Pc - Copy More That 4 Gig
Apr 3, 2009Alright, so My ipod is formatted for windows when formatted in this you can only copy chunks of 4 gig things using it as an external. but if you change the formatt of it to take all sizes, then it's not compatible with mac and pc. =/ i had it originally formatted for pc because i just recently got a mac book pro and it's my primary computer. well on to the hard drive trouble that is related i'm borrowing my friends external to get a 8 gig file from my pc to my mac. it's formatted in fat32(windows and mac read) but that format only allows for a 4 gig max to be put on it at one time. so i guess i'm outta luck there, i've looked at JR split but who knows it that will work. My main q is, i'm going to be getting my own personal external soon and i want to know whats the best way to format it that it will mount on my pc and my mac and allow me to copy more that 4 gigs of stuff on it at a time.
OS X :: Write On NTFS External Hard Drive - Won't Mount?
May 26, 2010After a lifetime of owning PC's I finally purchased a MacBook Pro running OS X. I installed Parallels Desktop 5, Windows XP, and several Windows apps to have dual functionality. Now I need to write to my NTFS ext. hard drive where I backup everything. It has 800gb of space left, so it would be a shame to get a new one just b/c I have a Mac now. I first installed MacFuse and then NTFS-3G. Now when I reboot, the ext. HD won't mount at all. What have I done wrong?
Intel Mac :: Why Won't IBM Deskstar Hard Drive Mount In Lion
Mar 19, 2012Running Lion. Trying to recover files from two identical, old hard drive. Both are IBM Deskstars that used to run Windows. Using a Startech USB to IDE adapter. I was able to get 1 HD to mount, but it was not the one with the files that I need. The 2nd hard drive will not mount, nor does it show up in Disk Utility. I've downloaded Data Rescue 3, Disk Drill, Stellar Phoenix and Photo Rescue. But, still no luck. I've tried to mount it using Terminal, but no luck. Please help... I'm pulling out my hair and will be bald soon.
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iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
Intel Mac :: How To Copy Data Off Hard Drive That Will Not Mount
Jun 25, 2012I have a white screen of death and I have tried to alt, cmd, p, r and unplug peripherals and the IMac and plug them back in etc.�I did get it to boot from disc and was trying to create an image of my system but it can not copy it it has an input/output error.�I tried to click on burn and the hard drive is not available. It is not mounted and will not mount. It will not verify or repair either.�Is there a way to copy any of my data off the hard drive to an external drive?
Info:
iMac
Info:
iMac
OS X Mavericks :: Mount A Second Hard Drive In File System
Aug 28, 2014I have a 2.13GHz 13' white Macbook (Mid-2009) with a 480MB SSD, 4GB RAM and a dying SuperDrive that frankly doesn't get used very often.
I would like to yank the SuperDrive out (I use my iMac for any physical disk work anyway), install a smaller SSD (64GB) for the OS (+ obligatory recovery) in the primary position, and place the current SSD (or a HDD) in a SuperDrive enclosure to hold all personal files (documents, videos, music, etc...)
Here is the scenario I'm contemplating.
-64GB SSD: primary position, holds OSX + recovery
-480GB SDD: mounted on /Users/[my user name]
As far OSX is concerned, there's only one 544GB filesystem, spread over two disks.
As an experienced Linux user, I would expect to have to modify /etc/fstab to do the trick. Mac OS X 10.9 actually has a /etc/fstab.hd that tells you that the file is useless. I am wondering whether it is possible to 'mount' in the Unix sense partitions in the file system so that the system only appears to have one drive and also how.
Info:
MacBook, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4), 4GB RAM, 480GB SSD
I would like to yank the SuperDrive out (I use my iMac for any physical disk work anyway), install a smaller SSD (64GB) for the OS (+ obligatory recovery) in the primary position, and place the current SSD (or a HDD) in a SuperDrive enclosure to hold all personal files (documents, videos, music, etc...)
Here is the scenario I'm contemplating.
-64GB SSD: primary position, holds OSX + recovery
-480GB SDD: mounted on /Users/[my user name]
As far OSX is concerned, there's only one 544GB filesystem, spread over two disks.
As an experienced Linux user, I would expect to have to modify /etc/fstab to do the trick. Mac OS X 10.9 actually has a /etc/fstab.hd that tells you that the file is useless. I am wondering whether it is possible to 'mount' in the Unix sense partitions in the file system so that the system only appears to have one drive and also how.
Info:
MacBook, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4), 4GB RAM, 480GB SSD
OS X Mavericks :: After Upgrading To 10.9.3 - External Hard Drive Was Not Able To Mount
Jun 23, 2014After upgrading to osx 10.9.3, my external hard drive was not able to mount, but it can be mounted without issue in osx 10.6, how do I solve it? it was formatted by disk utility.
OS X :: Harddrive Not Showing Up On Desktop / Unable To Mount Hard Drive
Feb 8, 2009I'm new to this forum, but need help with my external harddrives (WD Pasport 250GB). I can find it in my disk utility, but not on my desktop. I had WD send me a new drive, but now I do not know how to transfer the info from the old drive. Its not a dead drive- its obviously turned on and connected, but I can't mount it to my desktop. Any advice??
I have a iBook G4 (if that matters).
I have a iBook G4 (if that matters).
Power Mac :: Hard Drive Makes A Beeping Noise And Won't Mount
Feb 7, 2012hard drive makes a beeping noise and won't mount. Also has the word purged stamped on it
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PowerMac, No OS on computer
Info:
PowerMac, No OS on computer
Mac Pro :: External Hard Drive Seen In Disk Utility But Partition Won't Mount?
Sep 2, 2014I've been running a Toshiba 1TB external drive on my Mac Pro tower and it's been working fine. But yesterday it wouldn't mount. I could see the drive in Disc Utility, but the partition wouldn't mount. I brought it into work where I'm running an iMac and it mounted just fine. Why would it stop working on one computer (where it was previously fine) yet work okay on another? And how do I get it working on the tower?
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Mac Pro, iOS 7.1.2
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Mac Pro, iOS 7.1.2
Hardware :: Unable To Mount Hard Drive In OSX / Data Recovery Software?
Aug 5, 2010Recently, I was hired by a client to recover the data on a new macbook pro. They said one day the computer just wouldn't start, so they brought it to the Apple store, where they switched out the hard drive. They got to keep the old drive, which I attempted to recover using VirtualLab and R-Studio data recovery programs and a USB hard drive case. Both programs did the same thing: they scanned, and kept finding errors and never even got through 1% of the disk! R-Studio even scanned for almost 24 hours and nothing came up from the partition we needed to recover! Disk utility was the first thing I tried, and it appeared to have scanned the entire drive (this was about 3 weeks prior to trying the other programs)and found a lot of errors, but was not able to recover or repair the drive.
Also, the hard drive kept making a pulsating, repeating sound while it was being scanned that sounded like it was trying to read the disk, almost a scraping sound but not quite. The drive did spin up and was recognized by the recovery programs, but it did not mount in OS X.
I was just wondering if anyone here has had a similar problem, or knows of a better program and/or a good, trustworthy advanced data recovery service she can hire to recover her important data.
Also, the hard drive kept making a pulsating, repeating sound while it was being scanned that sounded like it was trying to read the disk, almost a scraping sound but not quite. The drive did spin up and was recognized by the recovery programs, but it did not mount in OS X.
I was just wondering if anyone here has had a similar problem, or knows of a better program and/or a good, trustworthy advanced data recovery service she can hire to recover her important data.
Applications :: Data Recovery From NTFS Hard Drive / Unable To Mount The Volume
Mar 30, 2010I'm looking for a FREE data recovery app for os x to recover data from a NTFS hard drive. The hard has lost it's volume and will not mount and I've tried some other programs and I can see the files but I can't get them off because every program I've tried isn't free and won't let me copy them off. I've tried looking for one but I can't seem to find a good one. I just want to copy off the files and then I'll wipe the drive and fix the parition.
OS X Mavericks :: How To Setup External Hard Drive To Mount At Boot (without Any Login Action)
Dec 1, 2014First the Details:
MacBook Pro, Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013
OS X Mavericks 10.9.5
USB 3.0 External Hard drive
I am currently using an external drive for my user storage. Right now I log in with a separate User account to mount the drive, log off, and then log in with my user. I am trying to remove the extra steps so I can boot my Mac and log right in. I have not found any method that pertains specifically to Mavericks, and all of the methods I have tried for older OS versions do not seem to work properly.
Info:
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)
MacBook Pro, Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013
OS X Mavericks 10.9.5
USB 3.0 External Hard drive
I am currently using an external drive for my user storage. Right now I log in with a separate User account to mount the drive, log off, and then log in with my user. I am trying to remove the extra steps so I can boot my Mac and log right in. I have not found any method that pertains specifically to Mavericks, and all of the methods I have tried for older OS versions do not seem to work properly.
Info:
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)
MacBook :: Partition On External Drive Won't Mount?
Aug 17, 2009I've got an external 500gb Seagate drive with 2 journalised partitions.....one for my time machine backups and the other for holding audio samples for my drum machines and such. All of a sudden today the audio partition won't mount but the time machine partition still works fine. I go into disk utility and it shows ther but just says unable to mount when I try to mount it. It suggests first aid so I verify and repair numerous times and it says everything is ok. I can boot up Ubuntu in VMware andboth partitions are visible and all the files are there....everything is just as it should be. I was using 10.5.7 and just upgraded to 10.5.8 tonight and nothing changed.
Macbook Pro Hard Drive Space
Macintosh HD, or the MacBook internal hard drive, is basically the startup drive of most Apple computers. That means if your Mac or MacBook Pro can’t mount its startup disk, it is likely that you will experience problems, like your computer gets stuck on the login screen or it does not boot at all. Situations like this can be very annoying, especially if you have critical and important files stored on the “unmountable” hard drive.
Fret not, because we will teach you what to do if your MacBook Pro won’t mount its startup disk. But before we do that, you better have a backup of all your data.
Backup, Backup, Backup!
Before you proceed with fixing the problem, it is best that you back up all your data first. That way, you can easily retrieve or recover your important documents and files in case something goes wrong.
Apple Macbook Pro Hard Drive
Now, you might be wondering if it is possible to create a backup of your data, especially that your Mac is not even booting. Here’s what you should know: your Mac has a built-in Disk Utility, which can be accessed before startup. To use this, follow the steps below:
- Get an external hard drive and connect it to your Mac.
- Switch off your Mac. After five seconds, switch it back on.
- After hearing the startup sound, press the CMD and R keys. Hold them until the Apple logo appears.
- The macOS Utilities window will now appear.
- Choose Disk Utility and hit Continue to proceed.
- You can now start backing up your data using the external drive. Once you have backed up all your data, you can try a few fixes to your “unmountable” hard drive problems.
4 Fixes to a MacBook Pro That Can’t Mount Its Startup Disk
In most cases, mounting is an automatic process that happens as soon as the hard drive is connected to a Mac or MacBook Pro. Then again, drive mounting can be performed manually using the Disk Utility of your machine. It will be discussed further below.
Going forward, assuming you already have a backup of your important files and data, let’s proceed with resolving the problem. Below are a few ways to fix a MacBook Pro that can’t mount its startup disk:
1. Fix Your Hard Drive.
Sometimes, restarting your Mac is more than enough to fix the problem. However, if that does not work, then you might want to look into the angle that there might be something wrong with your hard drive. If that is the case, you have to boot your MacBook Pro in Recovery Mode via Disk Utility.
To hopefully fix your hard drive, follow these steps:
- Switch off your MacBook Pro.
- Turn it back on by pressing the Power button. But while doing that, press the CMD and R keys as well until the Apple logo appears.
- The macOS Utilities window will open. From there, select Disk Utility.
- From the left pane, choose your MacBook Pro hard drive.
- Navigate to the First Aid tab.
- Click the First Aid button to start fixing your drive.
- Wait for the process to finish before restarting your machine.
2. Run Your MacBook Pro in Safe Mode.
When booted in Safe Mode, your MacBook Pro will start only with the minimum requirements and utilities needed. All other programs and apps that are unnecessary will never be loaded. Hence, if the reason why your startup disk cannot be mounted is a faulty app or program, booting your MacBook Pro in Safe Mode might just fix your problem.
To run your MacBook Pro in Safe Mode, do these:
- Restart your MacBook Pro.
- After you hear the startup sound, press the SHIFT key immediately. Continue holding it until the Apple logo appears.
- If your MacBook Pro boots up properly, then uninstall any program or app you suspect is causing the problem.
- Restart your machine.
3. Disconnect All External Peripherals.
It is possible that a faulty peripheral connected to your MacBook Pro could be causing your startup disk problems. To verify this, follow the steps below:
- Switch off your machine.
- Disconnect all external peripherals connected to your MacBook Pro, including printers, external hard drives, USBs, and scanner. You may leave the keyboard and mouse attached in the meantime.
- Switch on your Mac. If it boots properly, then one of the peripherals is causing the problem.
- Identify the exact cause of the problem by connecting each of the peripherals one by one. Make sure you reboot your MacBook Pro every time you connect a peripheral.
4. Reset the SMC and PRAM.
This may sound like a technical solution, but it isn’t. In fact, resetting the SMC and the PRAM takes only a few seconds.
To reset the PRAM and SMC, follow these instructions:
- Reboot your MacBook Pro.
- After you hear the startup sound, press the Option, CMD, P, and R keys. Hold them until you hear the second startup tone.
- Release the keys. Your PRAM will then be reset.
- Restart your MacBook Pro and check if the problem persists.
- If resetting the PRAM does not fix the problem, try resetting the SMC. Start by shutting down your MacBook Pro.
- Plug your machine into a wall outlet.
- Next, press the CTRL, SHIFT, Option, and Power keys for 10 seconds and release them together.
- Restart your MacBook Pro and see if it worked.
How to Mount a Startup Disk on MacBook Pro
At this point, you probably want to know how to properly mount a startup disk on your MacBook Pro to avoid problems in the future. Well, mounting a startup disk does not literally suggest physically setting it up with all the wires. It simply means making the startup disk available for your system to perform different read and write operations.
If the startup drive is in good shape, your system Disk Utility should see it. Under the Disk Utility window, select your preferred startup disk. Click on it to mount. By now, your new startup disk should be accessible by your operating system.
What’s Next?
Now that you know how to deal with your “unmountable” startup disk problem, it’s time that you get your MacBook Pro running fast and smooth by downloading and installing a reliable tool like Outbyte MacRepair. Not only will this tool allow you to conveniently find and fix speed and stability problems, it will also protect your privacy. What more can you ask for from such a powerful tool?
If you know other ways to fix a MacBook Pro that can’t mount its startup disk, please share them with us below. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
If you’re running into errors and your system is suspiciously slow, your computer needs some maintenance work. Download Outbyte PC Repair for Windows, Outbyte Antivirus for Windows, or Outbyte MacRepair for macOS to resolve common computer performance issues. Fix computer troubles by downloading the compatible tool for your device.
See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy Policy.
See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy Policy.