{"id":45204,"date":"2022-10-28T16:37:57","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T16:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/?p=45204"},"modified":"2026-04-06T22:27:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:27:08","slug":"how-to-fix-external-drive-not-mounting-on-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/fix-external-drive-not-mounting-on-mac.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix: External Drive Not Mounting on Mac"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you have an external drive that suddenly won\u2019t mount on your Mac, this could happen for a number of reasons. It\u2019s possible that the disk is malfunctioning, or that your computer isn\u2019t recognizing it properly. Sometimes a simple reboot of your machine is enough to fix the issue. When an external hard drive won\u2019t mount on a Mac, there are several approaches you can take to the problem.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" class=\"embed-responsive-item\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yO32Ta7E6kg\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"common_situations_where_your_external_hard_drive_might_not_mount_on_a_mac\"><\/span>Common Situations Where Your External Hard Drive Might Not Mount on a Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>There are several possible errors that can cause your drive to not mount properly on a Mac (or even show up in Disk Utility). However, <b>before anything else<\/b>, if your drive at least appears in Disk Utility, push back the diagnosis step and go straight to the <a href=\"#data-recovery\">data recovery section<\/a> (if the files on your drive are important). <a href=\"\/howto\/fix-corrupted-hard-drive-mac.html\">Recovering data from corrupted hard drives<\/a> is a #1 priority, because even the simplest fixes can cause data loss as a side effect.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; If your drive doesn\u2019t show up at all on your Mac, check its connections (cable, port, hub, etc.) and attempt data recovery if it appears in Disk Utility.<\/div>\r\n<p>Once your files have been recovered and backed up somewhere safe, the next step is to properly diagnose your drive and apply the appropriate solutions. To help you speed up the process (and cut down on confusion), we created a simple troubleshooting matrix that you\u2019ll find below.<\/p>\r\n<p>In the right-most column, we wrote down the exact steps you should take, based on the information in the other columns. Each step is a link that will take you to one of the sections in this guide.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"table_wrapper table_heading\"><p><\/p>\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Drive Status<\/td>\r\n<td>Possible Causes<\/td>\r\n<td>Recommended Solutions<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Drive is completely missing from Disk Utility<\/td>\r\n<td>Cable or port failure, lack of power<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li><a href=\"#restart-mac\">Restart your Mac<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#check-connections\">Check your connections and reroute power<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#reset-nvram\">Reset NVRAM\/PRAM and SMC (for Intel Macs)<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#software\">Recover your data <strong>ASAP<\/strong><\/a> (in case the drive fails again).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Drive is shown in Disk Utility, but won&rsquo;t mount<\/td>\r\n<td>File system corruption, partition table damage, lost or missing partitions (due to improper ejection, power surges, and other read\/write interruptions)<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li><a href=\"#software\">Recover your data <strong>first<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#first-aid\">Use First Aid<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#confirm\">Mount your drive manually<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#testdisk\">Restore partitions with TestDisk<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"#reformat-drive\">Reformat your drive<\/a> (last resort).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Drive is missing from Disk Utility and is making mechanical noises (clicking, grinding, etc.)<\/td>\r\n<td>Physical damage<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li><a href=\"#recovery-pros\">Contact professional data recovery services and secure your files<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<li>Replace your drive.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p><\/div><div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; If you suspect that your drive has been infected with malware, scan it with antivirus programs before recovering your data and troubleshooting your drive.<\/div>\r\n<h2 id=\"data-recovery\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_recover_data_from_an_external_disk_that_isnt_mounting_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How to Recover Data from an External Disk That Isn\u2019t Mounting on a Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Before attempting any fixes on a drive that won&#8217;t mount, you should recover all valuable data because some troubleshooting methods can potentially alter data on your drive and one method in particular (formatting) will completely erase it. Since the disk won&#8217;t mount properly, you need to recover your data using specialized software.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_1_use_data_recovery_software\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #1:<\/span> <span id=\"software\">Use Data Recovery Software<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Even though macOS can&#8217;t access the external drive that won\u2019t mount normally, your files often remain intact on it\u2014you just need specialized software to reach them by bypassing the standard mounting mechanism and reading data directly from the drive.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x2705; <a href=\"\/mac-data-recovery.html\">Disk Drill<\/a> is a great choice for its ability to work with unmounted drives even when they happen to be corrupted or RAW, which is combined with its user-friendly approach that doesn&#8217;t require technical expertise or Terminal commands. As long as your drive appears in Disk Utility (even if it shows as unformatted or RAW), Disk Drill can likely scan it and potentially recover your files.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>Here\u2019s how to recover data from an external that is not mounting on a Mac:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"\/download.html\">Download<\/a> and install Disk Drill from the official website. Make sure you have enough storage on your Mac for the recovered files, since they\u2019ll be saved locally. Alternatively, connect another external drive to your Mac to store the files in case you run out of space.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58157 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Installer-Mac.png\" alt=\"Opening Disk Drill's installer on Mac\" width=\"1144\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Installer-Mac.png 1144w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Installer-Mac-300x236.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Installer-Mac-500x393.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Installer-Mac-768x604.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Launch Disk Drill and locate your unmounted external drive in the main drive list. If it doesn\u2019t appear, fix it using the methods in the troubleshooting section of this guide (step 1 is checking physical connections, like ports and cables), Then, return to this section once your data is secured.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select your drive from the source list. Then, click <b>Search for lost data<\/b>. A pop-up may appear, prompting you to choose a scan type\u2013select <b>Universal scan<\/b> for now (if any recovered videos become unplayable, scan it again with <b>Advanced camera recovery<\/b> after securing the rest of your files).<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58159 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Scan-HDD.png\" alt=\"Searching for lost data on an external hard drive that won\u2019t mount on a Mac\" width=\"1414\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Scan-HDD.png 1414w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Scan-HDD-300x191.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Scan-HDD-500x318.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Scan-HDD-768x489.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1414px) 100vw, 1414px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Either wait for the scan to finish completely and click <b>Review found items<\/b> and let it continue in the background. Then, go through the scan results and select all files you want to recover from your external drive. Use Disk Drill\u2019s file format filters, search bar, and preview feature to help you select what you\u2019re looking for.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58172 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Review-Data.png\" alt=\"Review Found Files button in Disk Drill\" width=\"1412\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Review-Data.png 1412w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Review-Data-300x191.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Review-Data-500x319.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-Review-Data-768x490.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1412px) 100vw, 1412px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Once you locate your files, we recommend clicking each of them once to verify if they can be previewed; previewing files lets you verify their recoverability before committing to a Pro license. After previewing your data, select the files you want to restore, then click the <b>Recover<\/b> button.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58173 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-File-Browser.png\" alt=\"Disk Drill interface previewing a cat picture\" width=\"1320\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-File-Browser.png 1320w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-File-Browser-300x205.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-File-Browser-500x341.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Drill-File-Browser-768x524.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>After recovering your important files, you can proceed with other repair methods without risking data loss.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; If you suspect that your drive is corrupted, our team (and many other data recovery professionals) suggest creating a disk image ASAP. You can use Disk Drill\u2019s Byte-to-byte backup feature, which generates a complete copy of your drive. This preserves your data in case your drive completely fails, as you can use Disk Drill to scan the backup file instead of your drive. This also allows you to jump straight into repair without recovering your data first.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_2_contact_data_recovery_service\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #2:<\/span> <span id=\"recovery-pros\">Contact Data Recovery Service<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>When data recovery software can&#8217;t detect your drive or fails to recover files, it often indicates a more serious problem that requires professional intervention. While software solutions work well for logical issues like deleted files or corrupted file systems, they can&#8217;t help with physical drive damage\u2014and attempting to use them on a physically failing drive might actually make things worse.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Common signs of a physically failing external hard drive include:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Clicking, grinding, or whirring sounds that you haven&#8217;t heard before<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The drive repeatedly disconnects and reconnects to your Mac without you touching it<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Your Mac freezes temporarily every time you try to access the drive<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The drive not spin up at all when powered on<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Unusual burning or electronic smells coming from the drive<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\"><b>Note<\/b>: The above-listed signs primarily apply to traditional spinning hard drives, which have moving parts in them. Physical issues with external SSDs can be more difficult to detect because such drives are completely silent regardless of whether damaged or perfectly fine.<\/div>\r\n<p>However, <a href=\"\/howto\/recover-files-from-dead-mac-hard-drive.html\">Mac drives can fail and become dead<\/a> without showing any obvious symptoms, which is why reputable data recovery centers offer free initial evaluations.<\/p>\r\n<p>For instance, the <a href=\"\/data-recovery-center.html\">Cleverfiles Data Recovery Center<\/a> provides comprehensive drive diagnostics at no cost and operates on a &#8220;no data, no fee&#8221; basis\u2014you only pay if they successfully recover your files. Their clean room facility and specialized equipment allow them to handle even severely damaged drives that software solutions can&#8217;t help with.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_fix_your_external_hard_drive_not_mounting_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How to Fix Your External Hard Drive Not Mounting on a Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>If you\u2019ve successfully recovered your data, or you were unable to perform recovery because your drive wouldn\u2019t mount, the next step is to repair your drive. In this section, we\u2019ll demonstrate 8 different ways to fix a hard drive that won\u2019t mount on a Mac. Each guide is accompanied by screenshots (where applicable), as well as step-by-step instructions.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-info\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; In case you were unable to recover your data, we recommend starting with method #1 first. The first few methods are less likely to cause data loss than the rest. Once you get your drive to appear in Disk Utility (with the correct size), follow the instructions in the <a href=\"#data-recovery\">data recovery section<\/a> of this guide immediately.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_1_check_your_connections\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #1:<\/span> <span id=\"check-connections\">Check Your Connections<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>The physical hardware in charge of your drive\u2019s connection to your Mac is critical\u2013if even one component fails, it can prevent your drive from mounting on your Mac or even showing up in the file system. <b>Here\u2019s a simple step-by-step guide that you can follow to systematically rule out any faulty connections.<\/b><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-success\" role=\"alert\">&#x1f4a1; If you successfully used Disk Drill in the previous step, skip this method\u2013that indicates that your connections are working.<\/div>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Keep your Mac plugged into a power outlet to ensure that it has enough power to route to your external drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Disconnect all other devices from your Mac\u2013they also use up power that could otherwise be routed to your drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Try different USB cables, ports, and hubs. These mechanical components can wear out over time, contributing to the connection\u2019s instability.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If the above still don\u2019t result in a successful connection, try connecting your drive to another Mac (if available). This can help verify that your drive is the sole failure point and that it makes sense to proceed with the other methods on this list.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; Some older MacBooks require a constant power source to sustain a USB connection with certain external storage devices. In this case, keep your Mac charged while you use your drive.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_2_confirm_the_partition_isnt_mounted\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #2:<\/span> <span id=\"confirm\">Confirm the Partition Isn\u2019t Mounted<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>If you haven\u2019t done so already, then your first step should be to confirm that the problematic partition is really not mounted on your Mac (as opposed to simply not being accessible, for example).<\/p>\r\n<p>A key thing here to remember is that you can&#8217;t mount an entire drive\u2014only its partitions or APFS containers <b>can be mounted by following these steps<\/b>:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open <b>Disk Utility<\/b> (you can find it in Applications &gt; Utilities) and locate your external drive.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the <b>View<\/b> button in the toolbar and select <b>Show All Devices<\/b>.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58160 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-View-All.png\" alt=\"View All Devices option in Disk Utility\" width=\"1493\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-View-All.png 1493w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-View-All-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-View-All-500x301.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-View-All-768x463.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1493px) 100vw, 1493px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Expand your drive in the sidebar to see all partitions and APFS containers by clicking the little triangle icon next to it (the disclosure triangle, as per Apple\u2019s terminology).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the partition or APFS container you want to mount\u2014not the parent drive (!). The Mount button will only be active when you select a partition or container.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If the partition isn\u2019t mounted, then you will see a <b>Mount<\/b> button in the toolbar and you can click it to verify that it really can\u2019t be mounted manually. If you see an <b>Unmount<\/b> button, it means the partition is actually mounted already.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58161 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Mount-Btn.png\" alt=\"Unmount button in Disk Utility\" width=\"1493\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Mount-Btn.png 1493w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Mount-Btn-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Mount-Btn-500x301.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Mount-Btn-768x463.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1493px) 100vw, 1493px\" \/><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>If you can&#8217;t see any partitions under your drive, then it probably means that the partition doesn\u2019t exist, the drive has no partition table (RAW drive), or the partition table is damaged. In that case, you can skip the next fix because it won\u2019t help you. It could also mean that the drive isn\u2019t connected properly to your Mac, so I strongly recommend you check if both the data and power cables are securely connected and not damaged. Also, don\u2019t forget to try a different port. It could also mean the partition has somehow gone missing, and you need to recover it by following <a href=\"#testdisk\">Method 6<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; Disks that have one or more partitions formatted using a file system that\u2019s not supported by macOS, such as EXT4, Btrfs, or ZFS, typically trigger the \u201cThe disk you attached was not readable by this computer\u201d error message. In this case, you&#8217;ll need to connect the drive to a Linux machine to access it.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_3_restart_your_mac_and_attempt_to_mount_the_drive_again\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #3:<\/span> <span id=\"restart-mac\">Restart Your Mac and Attempt to Mount the Drive Again<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Another simple fix that works surprisingly often is to just restart your computer. Sometimes things can get stuck behind the scenes in non-obvious ways, and <b>the only way to fix the problem is to give your Mac a reboot by following these steps<\/b>:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Close all open applications and save your work if you have anything important open. If possible, eject all other external drives properly<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the <b>Apple menu<\/b> in the top-left corner and choose the <b>Restart<\/b> option.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58162 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MacOS-Restart-Computer.png\" alt=\"Restart button on Mac\" width=\"1080\" height=\"732\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MacOS-Restart-Computer.png 1080w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MacOS-Restart-Computer-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MacOS-Restart-Computer-500x339.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MacOS-Restart-Computer-768x521.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Uncheck <b>Reopen windows when logging back<\/b> <b>in<\/b> for a cleaner restart.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Restart<\/b> again to confirm.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for your Mac to restart.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>After your Mac restarts, you should wait about 30 seconds for all system processes and background applications to initialize. Then connect your drive again and attempt to mount it by following instructions in <a href=\"#confirm\">Method 2<\/a>. If the drive still won&#8217;t mount after trying these steps, proceed to the next method.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_4_use_disk_utilitys_first_aid_tool\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #4:<\/span> <span id=\"first-aid\">Use Disk Utility\u2019s First Aid Tool<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><b>Disk Utility<\/b> has another option for fixing a drive that isn\u2019t mounting on Mac or <a href=\"\/howto\/recover-external-hard-drive-not-showing-up-on-mac.html\">won\u2019t show up<\/a>: the First Aid tool. The purpose of this tool is to diagnose and repair common disk errors that might be preventing your drive from mounting properly, <b>and it\u2019s as easy to use as the rest of Disk Utility<\/b>:<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; First Aid can potentially cause data loss on your drive during repair, as well as reduce the chances of successful data recovery. So we recommend going through the <a href=\"#software\">data recovery section<\/a> before proceeding (if you haven\u2019t already).<\/div>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open <b>Disk Utility<\/b> (Applications &gt; Utilities).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Locate your external drive in the sidebar and select it.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the <b>First Aid<\/b> button in the toolbar.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58163 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Tool.png\" alt=\"First Aid button in Disk Utility\" width=\"1490\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Tool.png 1490w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Tool-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Tool-500x302.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Tool-768x464.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1490px) 100vw, 1490px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Run<\/b> to begin the verification and repair process when prompted.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58164 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Run.png\" alt=\"Confirmation dialog for First Aid in Disk Utility\" width=\"1490\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Run.png 1490w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Run-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Run-500x302.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-First-Aid-Run-768x464.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1490px) 100vw, 1490px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Wait for the verification process to finish<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>After successfully running First Aid, we recommend disconnecting your drive (remember to use the <b>eject button<\/b> in Finder and Disk Utility first) and restarting your Mac. Then, reconnect your drive and see if it works. This ensures that macOS and its system processes re-establish a fresh connection with your drive.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_5_reset_your_nvram_pram_smc\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #5:<\/span> <span id=\"reset\">Reset your NVRAM, PRAM, SMC<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p><b>Intel-based Macs include specialized controllers that manage various system functions:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/searchstorage\/definition\/NVRAM-non-volatile-random-access-memory\">NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory)<\/a> or its older variant PRAM (Parameter RAM) stores system settings like sound volume, display resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/System_Management_Controller\">System Management Controller (SMC)<\/a> handles power management, battery charging, thermal management, and other hardware functions.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>When these controllers malfunction, they can cause various issues including external drive mounting problems. <b>Fortunately, there\u2019s an easy way to reset them:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<h4>NVRAM\/PRAM:<\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Shut down your Mac.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold these four keys together for about 20 seconds (until you hear the startup sound twice or see the Apple logo): Option + Command + P + R<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52552 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/macos-keyboard-shortcut-nvram.jpg\" alt=\"macos keyboard shortcut nvram\" width=\"2000\" height=\"904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/macos-keyboard-shortcut-nvram.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/macos-keyboard-shortcut-nvram-300x136.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/macos-keyboard-shortcut-nvram-500x226.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/macos-keyboard-shortcut-nvram-768x347.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/macos-keyboard-shortcut-nvram-1536x694.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Release the keys and let your Mac complete the startup process.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<h4>SMC:<\/h4>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Shut down your Mac.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press and hold the following keys for about 7 seconds: Left Control + Left Option (Alt) + Right Shift<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-52553 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/control-option-shift.jpg\" alt=\"control option shift\" width=\"2000\" height=\"904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/control-option-shift.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/control-option-shift-300x136.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/control-option-shift-500x226.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/control-option-shift-768x347.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/control-option-shift-1536x694.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Then press and hold the Power button as well for another 7 seconds (so you need to be holding four keys at the same time).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Release all keys, then wait a few seconds.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Press the Power button to turn on your Mac<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>The users of Apple silicon Macs (M1, M2, and newer chips) can\u2019t perform these resets as NVRAM functionality is handled automatically during startup, and the traditional SMC functions are now integrated into the Apple silicon architecture.<\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_6_restore_partition_using_testdisk\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #6:<\/span> <span id=\"testdisk\">Restore Partition Using TestDisk<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>When your external drive&#8217;s partitions don\u2019t mount in Disk Utility, it often means the partition table has become corrupted or was accidentally deleted. While macOS&#8217;s built-in tools might not detect these &#8220;lost&#8221; partitions, they usually still exist on the drive\u2014the system just can\u2019t see them.<\/p>\r\n<p>This is where a free and open-source tool called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cgsecurity.org\/wiki\/TestDisk\">TestDisk<\/a> comes in. Originally developed by Christophe Grenier as a data recovery utility for the French government, TestDisk specializes in reconstructing damaged partition tables and recovering lost partitions. It works by scanning your drive&#8217;s raw data to identify partition signatures and filesystem markers and then rebuilding the map of where your partitions begin and end.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>To scan your drive and recover lost partitions using TestDisk:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/formulae.brew.sh\/formula\/testdisk\">Install TestDisk<\/a> using the <a href=\"https:\/\/brew.sh\/\">Homebrew<\/a> package manager (this is the easiest way).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Launch TestDisk using the following Terminal command: sudo testdisk<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58165 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Terminal-Sudo-Testdisk.png\" alt=\"Running the sudo testdisk command in Terminal\" width=\"1286\" height=\"484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Terminal-Sudo-Testdisk.png 1286w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Terminal-Sudo-Testdisk-300x113.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Terminal-Sudo-Testdisk-500x188.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Terminal-Sudo-Testdisk-768x289.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1286px) 100vw, 1286px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose to create a log file if you want to and select your external drive from the list. TestDisk will automatically detect the partition table type (usually Apple or Intel), which you need to confirm before proceeding (you can pick another one if it doesn\u2019t match, but that hasn\u2019t happened to me yet).<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58166 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Create-Log.png\" alt=\"Create log option in TestDisk\" width=\"1333\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Create-Log.png 1333w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Create-Log-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Create-Log-500x338.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Create-Log-768x519.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose <b>Analyze<\/b> from the main menu to initiate a scan of your drive&#8217;s partition structure. TestDisk will display current partitions and begin searching for any that have been lost.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58167 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Analyse-Partition.png\" alt=\"Analyse partition option in TestDisk\" width=\"1333\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Analyse-Partition.png 1333w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Analyse-Partition-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Analyse-Partition-500x338.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Analyse-Partition-768x519.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select <b>Quick Search to<\/b> begin the initial scan. If Quick Search doesn&#8217;t locate your missing partitions, you can run a <b>Deeper Search<\/b> afterward.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58168 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Quick-Search-Btn.png\" alt=\"Running Quick Search in TestDisk\" width=\"1333\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Quick-Search-Btn.png 1333w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Quick-Search-Btn-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Quick-Search-Btn-500x338.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/TestDisk-Quick-Search-Btn-768x519.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use the arrow keys to select the partition you want to recover, then press Right or Left arrows to change its status from Deleted to either <b>Primary<\/b> or <b>Logical<\/b> depending on your partition type. If you\u2019re not sure which to select then go with Primary.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select <b>Write<\/b> to save the partition table and confirm with Y when prompted.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>After the process completes, restart your Mac for the changes to take effect. You can then look for the partition in Disk Utility and manually mount it if necessary (see <a href=\"#confirm\">Method 2<\/a>)<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; We made our guide as beginner-friendly as possible, but TestDisk wasn\u2019t designed to cater to novice users. It\u2019s also very powerful, which means that one wrong move can lead to a malfunctioning drive and further data loss. If the data on your drive is important, see the <a href=\"#software\">data recovery section<\/a> of this guide before proceeding.<\/div>\r\n<h3 class=\"title_sc_bg\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"method_7_reformat_your_drive\"><\/span><span class=\"title_shortcode_bg\">Method #7:<\/span> <span id=\"reformat\">Reformat Your Drive<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\r\n<p>Reformatting a drive is the most effective way of fixing logical (non-physical) corruption or damage, because it completely rebuilds the file system from scratch. This purges the old file system, as well as the data and metadata causing the errors.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"alert alert-warning\" role=\"alert\">&#x26a0;&#xfe0f; Note that erasing your drive\u2019s file system also completely wipes all of your file\u2013and unlike the other methods, data loss is guaranteed. While it is possible to <a href=\"\/mac-formatted-drive-recovery.html\">recover some data even after formatting<\/a>, if the files on your drive are important, follow the instructions in the <a href=\"#software\">data recovery section<\/a> of this guide <b>before<\/b> performing a format.<\/div>\r\n<p><b>Here&#8217;s how to reformat a drive to fix logical corruption:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Open <b>Disk Utility<\/b> (Applications &gt; Utilities).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select your external drive from the sidebar.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click the <b>Erase<\/b> button in the toolbar.<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58169 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Btn.png\" alt=\"Erase button in Disk Utility\" width=\"1501\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Btn.png 1501w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Btn-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Btn-500x300.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Btn-768x460.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1501px) 100vw, 1501px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Choose a name for your drive and pick the most appropriate file system format (use APFS if you&#8217;ll use the drive exclusively with Macs or ExFAT if you need to use the drive with Windows or Linux computers).<br \/>\r\n<img class=\"border-blue border-radius-10 aligncenter wp-image-58170 size-full\" src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Dialog.png\" alt=\"Erase dialog box in Disk Utility\" width=\"1501\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Dialog.png 1501w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Dialog-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Dialog-500x300.png 500w, https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disk-Utility-Erase-Dialog-768x460.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1501px) 100vw, 1501px\" \/><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click <b>Erase<\/b> and wait for the process to complete.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>After formatting, your drive should mount automatically. If it doesn&#8217;t, try disconnecting and reconnecting it to your Mac or mounting it manually as described in <a href=\"#confirm\">Method 2<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_protect_your_external_drive_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How to Protect Your External Drive on a Mac<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>Unfortunately, even the best external drives eventually fail. As<a href=\"https:\/\/www.backblaze.com\/blog\/a-beginners-guide-to-external-hard-drives\/\"> Backblaze reveals<\/a>, most manufacturer warranties only span 3-5 years for a reason. <b>However, you can significantly extend your drive&#8217;s lifespan by following these proven practices:<\/b><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"table_wrapper table_heading\"><p><\/p>\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Best Practice<\/td>\r\n<td>Why It Matters<\/td>\r\n<td>How to Implement<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Keep multiple backups<\/td>\r\n<td>According to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.backblaze.com\/blog\/the-3-2-1-backup-strategy\/\"> data recovery experts<\/a>, one of the most reliable protection strategies against data loss is the 3-2-1 backup strategy: three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one copy stored off-site.<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Store one copy on your external drive<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Keep another on another external drive or your Mac<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use cloud storage for the third copy<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Monitor drive health<\/td>\r\n<td>Early detection of potential issues can prevent catastrophic failure.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.backblaze.com\/blog\/what-smart-stats-indicate-hard-drive-failures\/\"> Signs like unusual sounds or slow performance<\/a> often precede complete drive failure.<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Use Disk Utility&#8217;s SMART status check regularly<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Run First Aid diagnostics monthly<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Pay attention to any unusual noises or performance issues<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Handle with care<\/td>\r\n<td>According to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/techsupport\/comments\/9o9wk6\/tips_on_how_to_take_care_of_external_hard_drive\/\"> long-term user experiences<\/a>, physical shock is one of the leading causes of drive failure. Traditional spinning external drives are particularly vulnerable when being transported.<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Never move the drive while it&#8217;s powered on<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use protective cases during transport<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Keep drives away from the edges of desks<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Maintain optimal environment<\/td>\r\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/static.googleusercontent.com\/media\/research.google.com\/en\/\/archive\/disk_failures.pdf\">Research shows<\/a> that both very low (below 10\u00b0C\/50\u00b0F) and very high temperatures (above 45\u00b0C\/113\u00b0F) can significantly impact drive longevity. Other major environment dangers include humidity and direct sunlight (which can cause the internals to overheat).<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Store drives at room temperature (20-25\u00b0C\/68-77\u00b0F)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Keep humidity below 80%<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Avoid direct sunlight<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Use quality cables and connections<\/td>\r\n<td>Poor quality or loose connections can cause power fluctuations, potentially corrupting data or damaging the drive.<\/td>\r\n<td>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Use only manufacturer-provided or certified cables<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Replace frayed or damaged cables immediately<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Ensure connections are secure<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p><\/div>\r\n<p>Remember that hardware failure is not a matter of if, but when. The goal is to maximize your drive&#8217;s lifespan while keeping your data safe through reliable backup strategies.<\/p>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<p>To summarize the most important details in this guide: <b>first<\/b>, if your drive shows up in Disk Utility and your files matter to you, always start with data recovery \u2014 before attempting any fixes. Many repair methods can cause permanent data loss even when they successfully restore the drive&#8217;s functionality.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Second<\/b>, if your disk doesn&#8217;t appear in Disk Utility at all, start with the simplest solutions first (e.g., checking connections, trying a different port or cable), then work your way up. Once the drive becomes visible, switch to data recovery immediately before going any further.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Third<\/b>, if the data on the drive isn&#8217;t important to you, you can jump straight to the fixing methods \u2014 but we&#8217;d still recommend creating a byte-for-byte disk image (a raw backup) before you start, just in case. It takes extra time and requires extra space, but it keeps your options open.<\/p>\r\n<p><b>Finally<\/b>, if you&#8217;ve already successfully recovered all your important data, don&#8217;t bother working through every fix on the list. Simply reformat the drive \u2014 it&#8217;s the most straightforward and reliable solution at that point. And if you don&#8217;t feel confident about your success rate at any stage, consider reaching out to professional data recovery services \u2014 most of them offer a free estimate.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"related_posts\"><div class=\"related_posts__inner\"><div class=\"h4\">Read also<\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/apple.png\" alt=\"apple mac\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/hard-drive-format-mac.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Format an External Hard Drive for Mac<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/windows.png\" alt=\"windows\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/recover-data-from-mac-hard-drive-to-pc.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Recover Data from Mac Hard Drive to PC<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-62.png\" alt=\"disk\" width=\"140\" height=\"160\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/fix-corrupted-hard-drive-mac.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Fix Corrupted Hard Drive On a Mac<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"related_post\"><div class=\"related_post_item\"><div class=\"related_post_img\"><img src=\"\/howto\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/i-mac.png\" alt=\"mac\" width=\"144\" height=\"144\" \/><\/div><div class=\"related_post_content\"><a target=\"_self\" href=\"\/howto\/restore-mac-from-external-hard-drive.html\" class=\"related_post_link\">How to Restore Mac from External Hard Drive<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n<div><section itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading1\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-1\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\">Can I mount an external hard drive that won't mount after improper ejection on Mac?<\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-1\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>Improper ejection likely caused the mount error due to the resulting logical damage. Before doing anything else, prioritize recovering your files\u2013repairing a malfunctioning drive almost always results in <b>partial or complete data loss<\/b>. Then, try the following fixes:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Mount the drive manually using Disk Utility<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use the First Aid tool in Disk Utility<\/li>\r\n\t<li>For Intel Macs, reset the SMC and NVRAM\/PRAM<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading2\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-2\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_mount_an_external_hard_drive_that_is_not_mounting_on_a_mac_using_terminal\"><\/span>How to mount an external hard drive that is not mounting on a Mac using Terminal?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-2\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading2\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>To mount an external hard drive using Terminal on Mac, you can use the diskutil command. First, identify your drive using diskutil list to see all available disks and their identifiers. Then use diskutil mountDisk \/dev\/diskX (replace X with your disk identifier) to mount all mountable partitions on that disk, or diskutil mount \/dev\/diskXsY to mount a specific partition.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading3\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-3\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_to_mount_an_internal_hard_drive_that_is_not_mounting_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How to mount an internal hard drive that is not mounting on a Mac?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-3\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading3\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>To mount a non-mounting internal hard drive on a Mac:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Recover and secure your data first (using data recovery software if needed), as repairing your drive may cause data loss.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Open Disk Utility, click your drive in the left sidebar, then click <b>Mount<\/b> on the toolbar.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If you can\u2019t mount your drive manually, run <b>First Aid<\/b> (also in Disk Utility), then try mounting it again.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>If none of the above steps fix your drive, reset your SMC and NVRAM\/PRAM, then try steps 2-3 again (Intel Macs only).<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading4\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-4\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-4\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_to_do_if_the_lacie_hard_drive_does_not_mount_on_mac\"><\/span>What to do if the LaCie hard drive does not mount on Mac?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-4\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading4\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>For LaCie hard drives, you can follow the standard troubleshooting steps as you would for other external drive brands including Western Digital (WD), Toshiba, and Seagate:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Check physical connections and try different ports\/cables.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Open Disk Utility and attempt to mount the drive manually.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Run First Aid in Disk Utility if manual mounting fails.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>For Intel Macs, try resetting your SMC and NVRAM\/PRAM.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>Note that repairing your drive may cause partial or complete data loss. If the files on your drive are important to you, secure them with data recovery software first.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading5\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-5\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-5\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why_wont_my_mac_mount_my_external_hard_drive\"><\/span>Why won\u2019t my Mac mount my external hard drive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-5\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading5\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>This can be caused by a number of factors. It\u2019s possible that the drive is damaged, its filesystem could be corrupted, or you may have an error in your operating system itself.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading6\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-6\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-6\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_you_fix_a_hard_drive_that_wont_mount\"><\/span>How do you fix a hard drive that won\u2019t mount?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-6\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading6\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>To fix a drive that won\u2019t mount on a Mac, try these fixes:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Attempt to remount the disk in Disk Utility\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Reconnect your drive, preferably using a different port and cable<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Restart your Mac to resolve system-level mounting issues<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use Disk Utility&#8217;s First Aid tool to repair file system errors<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Reformat your drive (use this as a last resort since it erases all data)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 00px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading7\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-7\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-7\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_does_not_mounted_mean_on_mac\"><\/span>What does \u201cnot mounted\u201d mean on Mac?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-7\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading7\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>This means that the drive is physically connected to your Mac, but it\u2019s not set up for access by the operating system.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"border-bottom: 01px solid rgb(213, 217, 217);\" class=\"panel panel-default faq-block\" itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Question\" role=\"tablist\">\r\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\" role=\"tab\" id=\"heading8\">\r\n                <div class=\"panel-title\" itemprop=\"name\">\r\n                    <a class=\"toggle-link transition-all collapsed\" role=\"button\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-item-8\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse-item-8\"><h3 class=\"panel-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_do_you_mount_an_unmounted_disk_on_a_mac\"><\/span>How do you mount an unmounted disk on a Mac?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>                   \r\n                    \t<svg class=\"transition-all panel-toggle\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\r\n                            <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\">\r\n                                <path d=\"M7,7 L7,0 L9,0 L9,7 L16,7 L16,9 L9,9 L9,16 L7,16 L7,9 L0,9 L0,7 L7,7 Z\" fill=\"#000000\"><\/path>\r\n                            <\/g>\r\n                        <\/svg>\r\n                   <\/a>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div id=\"collapse-item-8\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"heading8\" aria-expanded=\"false\" style=\"\">\r\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\r\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\r\n                <p><\/p>\r\n<p>To mount an unmounted disk on a Mac, follow these steps:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li>Start Disk Utility<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Select the disk drive if you see it in the list<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Click Mount<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n                <div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n              <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you have an external drive that suddenly won\u2019t mount on your Mac, this could happen for a number of reasons. It\u2019s possible that the disk is malfunctioning, or that your computer isn\u2019t recognizing it properly. Sometimes a simple reboot&#8230;","protected":false},"author":7903,"featured_media":35218,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2628],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-45204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-recover-deleted-files-on-mac-os-x"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Fix Your External Hard Drive Not Mounting on a Mac<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"External hard drive not mounting on your Mac? Here are some possible fixes!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/fix-external-drive-not-mounting-on-mac.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Fix Your External Hard Drive Not Mounting on a Mac\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"External hard drive not mounting on your Mac? Here are some possible fixes!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cleverfiles.com\/howto\/fix-external-drive-not-mounting-on-mac.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Data recovery tips. 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