Drive was not ejected properly
- Thread starter bobbypin
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@bobbypin
A warm welcome to Mac-Forums.
Can you tell us a bit about the External Hard Drive (EHD) that you use for Time Machine (TM)?
For example is it mains-powered or USB-powered? Is it attached directly to the Mac or via a hub? The name of the EHD, Western Digital, LaCie, Seagate etc? Does the "improperly ejected" message appear after reawakening the Mac after putting it to sleep?
This problem has been discussed here previously and answers to these questions are highly relevant.
Ian
A warm welcome to Mac-Forums.
Can you tell us a bit about the External Hard Drive (EHD) that you use for Time Machine (TM)?
For example is it mains-powered or USB-powered? Is it attached directly to the Mac or via a hub? The name of the EHD, Western Digital, LaCie, Seagate etc? Does the "improperly ejected" message appear after reawakening the Mac after putting it to sleep?
This problem has been discussed here previously and answers to these questions are highly relevant.
Ian
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My extra drive with the Time Machine stored on it keeps randomly telling me it was improperly ejected without any action on my part?
Hi Bobby... - answers to Ian's questions will greatly help us - this has been an occasional problem w/ a number of threads generated - some more discussion HERE. I had the same issues w/ 2 USB-powered external HDs which I had cabled directly to the back of my iMac; intermittently, the HDs would just lose connection - I still use these HDs for backups, but attach and remove them after each process.
My solution for the iMac was to purchase 2 Thunderbolt external HDs (a little more expensive) - these are also powered by the TB ports, but have worked fine for me going on 2 years or so. Dave
mac OS 10/11, 27" IMac,, 1T SATA drive, 1t Toshiba USB, Time Machine is on Toshiba
bobby pin
This is a message appears daily without my interaction. I shut off hard drive sleeping. No luck. Thank you for the help.Welcome ....
Is that a question or a statement ?
It would be useful if you could provide a little more info ... you need to help us help you
Cheers ... McBie
bobby pin
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Hi bobby pin,
We're not a lot further forward. Tedious though it must seem, can you just give one-line answers to my previous questions please?
Is the EHD mains-powered or USB-powered? (useful because USB powered are more likely to get this problem especially if there are several attached)
Is it attached directly to the Mac or via a hub? (useful because unless the hub is powered, and even then, some EHDs can't get enough power)
The name of the EHD, Western Digital, LaCie, Seagate etc? (useful, some are more susceptible than others)
Does the "improperly ejected" message only appear after reawakening the Mac from sleep? (this is quite a common scenario. Mac goes to sleep & on reawakening doesn't recognise EHD, thinks it's been disconnected).
Have you tried a different cable from EHD to Mac (useful because cables can get damaged especially if regularly attached/unattached).
Thanks
Ian
We're not a lot further forward. Tedious though it must seem, can you just give one-line answers to my previous questions please?
Is the EHD mains-powered or USB-powered? (useful because USB powered are more likely to get this problem especially if there are several attached)
Is it attached directly to the Mac or via a hub? (useful because unless the hub is powered, and even then, some EHDs can't get enough power)
The name of the EHD, Western Digital, LaCie, Seagate etc? (useful, some are more susceptible than others)
Does the "improperly ejected" message only appear after reawakening the Mac from sleep? (this is quite a common scenario. Mac goes to sleep & on reawakening doesn't recognise EHD, thinks it's been disconnected).
Have you tried a different cable from EHD to Mac (useful because cables can get damaged especially if regularly attached/unattached).
Thanks
Ian
M
MacInWin
Guest
That's most likely the problem. When the Mac goes to sleep the USB port also goes to sleep. The drive is deprived of power, so when the Mac wakes, it can't "see" the drive anymore. It can also happen if the drive demands more power than the port can provide. Is there any power socket on the drive enclosure where an external power supply can be provided?
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In System Preferences > Energy Saver, uncheck the option for "Put hard disks to sleep when possible."
M
MacInWin
Guest
OK, given that it's USB only, about the only hope I can give you is to get a powered USB hub and plug the drive into that. That way the drive stays powered up and if it's not going to sleep, then it should be there when the Mac comes out of sleep. And from now on don't buy USB only drives for backup drives.
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