USB flash drive does not show up on 2017 MacBook Air but OK on other Macs

krs


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Here is a problem I have never seen before - I wonder if anyone else has.

I have a DataTraveler G4 32GB Usb flash drive that mounts fine in a 2012 Mini, also fine ina 2011 MacBook pro.

But when I plug that USB drive into a 2017 MacBook Air, it does not mount.
I checked Disk Utility on the MBa, doesn't show there either.

Then I noticed that the USB drive does not plug in as far on the MacBook Air than on the other two Macs.
On the other Macs, where it does mount, the USB drive plugs in so far that one cannot see any of the metal connector.
On the 2017 MBa, when the USB drive is plugged in as far as it will go, there is still about 1 1/2 mm of metal visible.
I assume that is the reason the USB drive won't mount - it simply does not make contact with the connector.

Funny thing is if I compare the length of the metal connector to the length of a half dozen other USB drives I have, the seem to be the same length - some of the others are USB 2.0 and some are USB 3.0, all the others work in the 2017 MBa except this one.
 
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krs

krs


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All other USB drives I have work fine on the 2017 MBa.
Sorry I forgot to mention that in my original post.

I just went back to the 2017 MBa and tried another set of 6 USB drives, bot USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 from all different manufacturers and different capacities, 8 - 64 GB
They all work fine in either port on the 2017 MBa.
I then tried the "problem" USB drive, and it decides to mount as well.
So - false alarm.

On the older Macs I often had to plug in a USB drive two or three times before the Mac would recognize it.
Didn't see this on the newer Macs we have, so I had forgotten about it.
But all is good now.
The fact that the problem drive didn't plug in all the way is a red herring - I had two of the latest test batch alsonot plug in completely but they mounted fine nevertheless.
 
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On the older Macs I often had to plug in a USB drive two or three times before the Mac would recognize it.


Just like our mothers used to teach us...: If it doesn't always work...Try and try again... And with computers... Always try a restart... :Smirk:



- Patrick
======
 
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krs

krs


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Just like our mothers used to teach us...: If it doesn't always work...Try and try again... And with computers... Always try a restart... :Smirk:
- Patrick
======

No, no, no, Patrick. ;D

The "restart fix" only applies to Windows and Microsoft products.
I actually just "fixed" a problem with MS Poewer Point by closing the app and launching it again.

The only time I ever reboot my Mini is if I take it to a different location and thus have to power it down.
On the Windows PC, restart is pretty much step number one when something doesn't work the way it used to - on the Mac I got away from that completely - at least as far as the macOS is concerened.
 

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