External HD mounts.. but folders disappear

Joined
Nov 26, 2009
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
I have an ICY DOCK external enclosure with a WD 500GB in it. I've used it to keep mostly older photos (from years previous to the current year) on it with an extra iPhoto Library along with a couple other files. When I plug the drive in to my Macbook Pro, it mounts, and shows up in Finder, thinks for a bit.. Then many times, the folders I know are on it, show up in Finder. When I click on one of them to view the files inside the folder, it thinks a bit, then all the folders disappear.

When I try to eject it myself, it says the drive is in use and it can't eject.

Sometimes the drive just goes away and I get the Device Removal without ejecting error.

Things I've Tried:
Have tried using USB and Firewire. Basically does same things.

When I go to Disk Utility and try Verify Disk it gives "ERROR: could not open /Volumes/Wy500 to freeze the volume.

Trying Repair Disk it gives "The disk "Wy500 could not be unmounted"

Tried a demo of Data Rescue 3. Says it can't do the Quick scan, tells me to do Deep scan. Start that and it just hangs (logest i let it hang was 20 min) and I have to force quit it because it doesn't cancel.

Some more info:

  • Disk Description: WDC WD50 00KS-19MNB0 Media
  • External Enclosure Model : MB559UEA-1S
  • Capacity and Available space in "Get Info" window show that there is data on the drive. Capacity: 465.32 GB, Available: 358.31 GB
  • A couple months ago I had an issue with False Mounts of this drive. (See Duplicate mount point in /Volumes after unexpected restart for details)
  • In the past I tried to use this drive as a Time Machine back up drive.
  • I have OS X 10.5.8

THANK you for any help on this!!
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Advice: As soon as possible, transfer everything on that 500 GB drive to a new drive. Try not to use the WD until you're ready to do the transfer. Hopefully you'll be able to rescue all your photos and other data from the drive before it completely fails.

There is a possibility that the enclosure may be defective, but it does sound like the drive itself is failing. Anyway, why take a chance?

Regards.
 
OP
K
Joined
Nov 26, 2009
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Advice: As soon as possible, transfer everything on that 500 GB drive to a new drive. ...

I guess I didn't make it completely clear in my first post... I can't access the files on this drive... otherwise I would do exactly what you're saying. And because it is a journaled drive, I can't just open it on a PC or anything.

It's like the drive recognizes there is data, but won't let me get to any of it.

If there is an application that you think would still be able to take the data on this drive and completely copy it over to another drive, please suggest.

Any other ideas? Thanks!
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Try this software from Phoenix stellar data recovery. LINK

I've no personal experience with this particular software but I have used their CD\DVD data recovery software and it worked as advertised.

Regards.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top