MBP 16" Randomly Ejects Partitioned 'My Passport for Mac'

[trevor25220]

This 2TB external hard drive is 3 months old and was initially used solely for file storage. However, since partitioning it for 1.7 TB storage + 300 GB Time Machine, it ejects randomly (possibly when Time Machine kicks in), and can only be made to re-appear on the desktop by cycling its USB-A (in an RCA hub).

'My Passport for Mac' does not appear in Disk Utility after self-ejecting. Also, when clicked, the external hard-drive window takes several minutes to populate, whereas an older 'My Passport' backup is immediate. It seems the newer 'My Passport' really doesn't like being partitioned for dual use! More of an annoyance than a failure to operate. Any remedy, caballeros? Graçias a todo.

 

[MacInWin]

Could be either the USB port is going bad, or the cable, or the hub. Try plugging directly into the Mac, if you can, or change ports on the hub, if you can, and change cables, if you can. Also, if there is a configuration for the drive to prevent it going to sleep, set it to stay awake. Any or all of those things can cause a drive to disappear to the OS.

 

[IWT]

However, since partitioning it for 1.7 TB storage + 300 GB Time Machine,

No offence intended, Trevor, but it is always recommended that a Time Machine backup should be on an External Hard Drive (EHD) dedicated for that purpose.

I suspect that when your TM backup starts, it somehow causes the random ejection of the Drive.

I fully take the points raised by Jake; but if you ever get this Drive back to full working order, I'd suggest you reformat it and keep it for File storage or whatever and dedicate another EHD for Time Machine.

Ian

 

[trevor25220]

No offence intended, Trevor, but it is always recommended that a Time Machine backup should be on an External Hard Drive (EHD) dedicated for that purpose.

I suspect that when your TM backup starts, it somehow causes the random ejection of the Drive.

I fully take the points raised by Jake; but if you ever get this Drive back to full working order, I'd suggest you reformat it and keep it for File storage or whatever and dedicate another EHD for Time Machine.

Ian

Yer absolutely correct, laddie! Older external hard drives (circa 2011-2015) seamlessly stored files and doubled up for Time Machine just by nominating them -- no partition was required, as I recall. Now, it seems, the slimline My Passport for Macs are highly-sensitive to being dual-function, although the instructions allow for it, if partitioned. I have 2 of the latest My Passports -- the minimum for reasonable file security -- and am considering just doing without Time Machine to save buying a third. Is Time Machine really essential if one's main files are double backed-up?

 

[IWT]

Is Time Machine really essential if one's main files are double backed-up?

I would say yes for the following reasons.

Time Machine is always up to date provided you let it backup automatically.

If you accidentally erase a file, photo, whatever, or that file becomes corrupt, you can recover said data immediately from TM - you do have to search through an EHD with hundreds of files. Previous versions of a file are also recoverable.

All your settings, passwords and similar are stored on TM as well.

Backups on to an EHD are only as up to date as the last time you moved new files onto them.

Both methods are worth while. They each have their place.

Ian

 

[ferrarr]

Is Time Machine really essential if one's main files are double backed-up?

It's your data, only you know it's true worth.