External hard drive full, but can't see files

[joeg679]

I have a 128 GB hard drive that I just found in my drawer. I believe it has files that I need on it, but when I plug it in, there are no files in finder. When I go into disk utility, it shows that the drive is full. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[IWT]

You don't say whether the External Hard Drive (EHD) is of the spinning platter type or an SSD. Also, I am assuming that you are referring to a Mac-formatted EHD?

The situation you describe can occur after a long period of non-use (particularly with SSD) and/or if the EHD is failing.

Try: Mount EHD > Detect it in Disk Utility (DU) > Click-to-highlight the EHD and run First Aid. This should either repair the Drive or confirm it's imminent demise.

Perhaps you could post back the results of this along with which Mac (Model/year) and the Operating System (OS).

Ian

 

[joeg679]

It's a SSD and it was formatted for my computer, initially. I tried the first aid and it didn't show anything. The computer is a 2015 macbook pro. Thanks

 

[IWT]

Forgive my simplicity, but when you said you tried First Aid and it didn't show anything - do you mean it went through all these many tests and declared the SSD as having passed & being fit for purpose and no longer full? Or by didn't show anything, did you mean it failed the test; gave a negative result, changed nothing?

If it passed all the tests, try mounting it via a different USB port ON YOUR MAC not via a hub - works or not?

Ian

 

[ferrarr]

How is it connected to your 2015 MBP? What version of macOS/OS X/Mac OS X is your MBP running? 10.11 or 10.12?

 

[pm-r]

I think I'll just drop in later after any new updates….

The saga continues… tune in again later… same station… and hopefully with new updated info added…

 

[joeg679]

I ran the disk utility first aid and no errors came back. I'm connecting to the computer using a cord to the USB drive and I've tried 2 separate cords. The macbook pro is running the latest software. I have another hard drive that I plugged in and it's working normally. Very weird.

 

[ferrarr]

In your profile, you state 2014 MBP, and in your post (#3), you say 2015 MBP. We need to know what specific version of OS X you are running? 10.8? 10.9? 10.10? 10.11? 10.12? Even when you say the latest, that is not specific enough for help when it is asked for. Click on the Apple icon in the top left corner and select "About This Mac", and give us the information from the windows that pops up, please?

Is the drive USB powered or does it have it's own power cord?
Restart the MBP with the external drive connected?
How is the drive showing as full, in Disk Utility, are you selecting the drive or the partition?