Major External HD problems

Category5 · Category5 #1 (**permalink**)

02-03-2009, 11:37 PM

I recently bought a Western Digital 1tb external for use with my macbook (I'm running OS 10.5). I have endless problems with it.

Sometimes when I plug it in it will tell me that it can't be read by this computer. Other times when it does read it, I get errors trying to add and remove things from it that cause everything on the harddrive to disappear. Sometimes, strangely, it will work without a hitch though. Does anyone know what is going on?

chscag · chscag #2 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 12:20 AM

More than likely the WD 1 TB drive is formatted as NTFS. OS X can read from NTFS but not write to it. There also have been problems with very large hard drives mounting properly - especially when formatted as NTFS.

What you can do is install a driver which will allow you to read and write to NTFS and see if that resolves the problem.

Paragon NTFS for OS X.

Regards.

Category5 · Category5 #3 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 02:00 AM

Nothing. When I plug the external in I get this.

Aptmunich · Aptmunich #4 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 04:12 AM

I had a similar issue with a mybook drive we bought for the company...

This tip helped:
macosxhints.com - Fix a Western Digital My Book drive formatting problem

Category5 · Category5 #5 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 02:28 PM

I followed the instructions.

Aptmunich · Aptmunich #6 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 03:03 PM

Did you select 'GUID' first? Try selecting Apple disk format (or whatever the other options is) if it's still not working.

Category5 · Category5 #7 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aptmunich

Did you select 'GUID' first? Try selecting Apple disk format (or whatever the other options is) if it's still not working.

I don't see GUID anywhere.

Category5 · Category5 #8 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 03:20 PM

Wait, found it. I think that did it. you guys are livesavers.

Category5 · Category5 #9 (**permalink**)

02-04-2009, 11:31 PM

Spoke too soon, all of the problems have returned.

Now it's working again. The problems seem to really start when I'm adding a large amount of items to it. But I shouldn't be having this problem at all.

Aptmunich · Aptmunich #10 (**permalink**)

02-05-2009, 01:33 AM

Then I'd return it. If you partitioned everything again that pretty much rules out any sort of software issues. Sorry! :/

Category5 · Category5 #11 (**permalink**)

02-05-2009, 01:45 AM

Amazon.com: Seagate ST310005FJA105-RK FreeAgent Desk for Mac 1 TB USB 2.0/FW800 External Hard Drive (Silver): J&R Music and Computer World

I have picked this to replace it. opinions?

Aptmunich #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 09, 2004 Location: Munich Posts: 9,075 Mac Specs: Aluminium Macbook 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM, SSD 24" Samsung Display, iPhone 4, iPad 2	02-04-2009, 04:12 AM I had a similar issue with a mybook drive we bought for the company... This tip helped: macosxhints.com - Fix a Western Digital My Book drive formatting problem Mac-Forums Twitter \| Mac-Forums Blog My Twitter \| Jetplane Journal
	QUOTE Thanks

Aptmunich #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 09, 2004 Location: Munich Posts: 9,075 Mac Specs: Aluminium Macbook 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM, SSD 24" Samsung Display, iPhone 4, iPad 2	02-04-2009, 03:03 PM Did you select 'GUID' first? Try selecting Apple disk format (or whatever the other options is) if it's still not working. Mac-Forums Twitter \| Mac-Forums Blog My Twitter \| Jetplane Journal
	QUOTE Thanks

Category5 #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 03, 2009 Posts: 10	02-04-2009, 11:31 PM Spoke too soon, all of the problems have returned. Now it's working again. The problems seem to really start when I'm adding a large amount of items to it. But I shouldn't be having this problem at all. Last edited by Category5; 02-04-2009 at 11:59 PM.
	QUOTE Thanks

Aptmunich #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 09, 2004 Location: Munich Posts: 9,075 Mac Specs: Aluminium Macbook 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM, SSD 24" Samsung Display, iPhone 4, iPad 2	02-05-2009, 01:33 AM Then I'd return it. If you partitioned everything again that pretty much rules out any sort of software issues. Sorry! :/ Mac-Forums Twitter \| Mac-Forums Blog My Twitter \| Jetplane Journal
	QUOTE Thanks

Category5 #11 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 03, 2009 Posts: 10	02-05-2009, 01:45 AM Amazon.com: Seagate ST310005FJA105-RK FreeAgent Desk for Mac 1 TB USB 2.0/FW800 External Hard Drive (Silver): J&R Music and Computer World I have picked this to replace it. opinions? Last edited by Category5; 02-05-2009 at 02:56 AM.
	QUOTE Thanks

Major External HD problems

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Category5 #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 03, 2009 Posts: 10	02-03-2009, 11:37 PM I recently bought a Western Digital 1tb external for use with my macbook (I'm running OS 10.5). I have endless problems with it. Sometimes when I plug it in it will tell me that it can't be read by this computer. Other times when it does read it, I get errors trying to add and remove things from it that cause everything on the harddrive to disappear. Sometimes, strangely, it will work without a hitch though. Does anyone know what is going on?
	QUOTE Thanks

chscag #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 23, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 32,024 Mac Specs: 21.5" iMac 2.5 GHz i5, iPad 3rd Gen., 3 iPods	02-04-2009, 12:20 AM More than likely the WD 1 TB drive is formatted as NTFS. OS X can read from NTFS but not write to it. There also have been problems with very large hard drives mounting properly - especially when formatted as NTFS. What you can do is install a driver which will allow you to read and write to NTFS and see if that resolves the problem. Paragon NTFS for OS X. Regards.
	QUOTE Thanks

Category5 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 03, 2009 Posts: 10	02-04-2009, 02:28 PM I followed the instructions.
	QUOTE Thanks

Category5 #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 03, 2009 Posts: 10	02-04-2009, 03:20 PM Wait, found it. I think that did it. you guys are livesavers.
	QUOTE Thanks

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