can't see backup drive on MacBook Pro

i'm using a macbook pro running OS X 10.10.3, with a western digital 1tb "my passport" hard disc used as the time machine backup. however the wd disc no longer shows up on the desktop and time machine can't find it. however, the disc DOES show in the system report as a connected usb device.

i've swapped cables with one i know is good, and that doesn't work. i've also swapped the disc into a mac mini system that has a similar wd backup, and the one from the macbook pro does not appear there either, although like the macbook pro, it does list the wd drive as a usb device in the system report.

what to do?

thanks

cliff barney

Run Disk Utility from Applications, Utilities. If the WD drive is seen, go ahead and run a verify and repair. If Disk Utility does not see your WD drive, contact Western Digital and ask for a RMA.

chscag said:

Run Disk Utility from Applications, Utilities. If the WD drive is seen, go ahead and run a verify and repair. If Disk Utility does not see your WD drive, contact Western Digital and ask for a RMA.

Click to expand...

Disk Utility can't see the drive; and the hardware is out of warranty. am i out of luck?

one strange thing is that the system report not only recognizes the drive, but also provides date on how much is used for what:

My Passport:
Capacity: 999.83 GB (999,826,612,224 bytes)
Available: 584.97 GB (584,969,531,392 bytes)
Writable: Yes
File System: Case-Sensitive Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk1s2
Mount Point: /Volumes/My Passport
Content: Apple_HFS
Volume UUID: 585F6B43-847D-3742-8539-D6598560461A

wow - to my great surprise, i found that my drive had three days of limited warranty left, and western digital gave me an ram and says it will send me a new drive, after which i will return the defective one.

so many thanks for this excellent advice.

cliff barney

Thanks for letting us know. WD has always been real good about providing a RMA for their products.

i was amazed. this drive is two years old.