Portable hard drive A1379

I have been using the above portable hard drive on my Mac desktop computer. I wanted to use it on my new MacBook Air to transfer over some data on DVDs. However, I get the error message that the hard drive requires being plugged into a USB drive. I used the appropriate Apple converter which converts you from a USB cord to the cord that goes into the MacBook Air. Apparently this is not appropriate. Do I really have to buy a new portable hard drive just for the laptop?

The "A1379" is not a portable hard drive. It's the Apple portable DVD/CD drive.

You need to describe which new MacBook Air that you have. Is it the newest 2018 model or an older one new to you?

If it's the 2018 model, it has two Thunderbolt 3 ports which are USB 3.1/USB C. You would then need an adapter.

This is what Apple says:

* MacBook, MacBook Air with Retina display, and MacBook Pro models with Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports require a USB-C to USB Adapter (sold separately) to use Apple USB SuperDrive.

You just need to obtain the proper adapter and it should work to transfer your data.

Sometimes resetting the NVRAM, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063, or SMC, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295, will straighten these issues out.

New 2018 MacBook Air. Have adaptor which I used and then I got the error message that I need to plug the portable drive into a USB port

That’s correct. You do need to plug into a USB port.

Follow Admin chscag’s advice and it will work fine. Post #2.

Ian

Thunderbolt to USAB 3.1 adapter will do the trick.

Sorry, I meant cd/dvd drive. MacBook Air is newest one. As I already said, I used an adapter and that's when I got the error message about having to plug into a USB port

No one is reading my actual post. No usb drive on MacBook Air. Have adapter, but cd/dvd drive not able to run

reneeaz said:

No one is reading my actual post. No usb drive on MacBook Air. Have adapter, but cd/dvd drive not able to run

Click to expand...

We are reading your original post correctly. Your MacBook Air has Two Thunderbolt 3 ports. Those ports are not compatible with the standard USB ports unless you use the proper adapter. Your Apple Superdrive only has a standard USB output, therefore the proper adapter is needed.

Which adapter are you trying to use?

Go to the Apple Page and you can see for yourself the adapter you need. https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ1M2AM/A/usb-c-to-usb-adapter

Is that what you're using?

Using Insignia ns-pu378chm adapter. Works perfectly for everything else. Purchased at the same time as MacBook Air

reneeaz said:

Using Insignia ns-pu378chm adapter. Works perfectly for everything else. Purchased at the same time as MacBook Air

Click to expand...

That's not the correct adapter. Take it back to Best Buy and then purchase the correct one from Apple or if Best Buy has it in stock, buy it from them. Or, if you need it for HDMI, keep it and additionally purchase the correct one as we have pointed out to you.

ok thanks. Now have the problem of having a disk in the Apple CD writer that crashes my Mac computer each time I plug it in and it must be the disk in it which I cannot get out as I can't eject the disk

reneeaz said:

ok thanks. Now have the problem of having a disk in the Apple CD writer that crashes my Mac computer each time I plug it in and it must be the disk in it which I cannot get out as I can't eject the disk

Click to expand...

See if this Apple Discussion Thread is any help. If that doesn't work, try plugging the Apple Superdrive into another computer if you have one and use the eject methods as given in the Apple theard.

Worst case, you might have to try to take hold of the disc and remove it by force. Unfortunately, the Apple Superdrive does not have an eject hole like other external optical drives have.

Did manage to get it out. Thank you for all your help

Okay, great. Thanks for posting back.