External drives not recognized

[wrosie]

Received my 2012 iMac last week and have spent a lot of happy time setting it up. My external drives occasionally aren't recognized by the computer even though they're up/running. It has happened with both of them from time to time. Both are Western Digital drives. One is a MyBook Studio, new last week, and the other is about a year older...I don't remember the series. Any suggestions or words of wisdom? Thanks in advance.

[SandboxGeneral]

Are you certain the drives aren't being recognized or could they be asleep when you try to access them? In System Preferences, go to Energy Saver and see if the option to put hard drives to sleep is enabled.

[wrosie]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

Are you certain the drives aren't being recognized or could they be asleep when you try to access them? In System Preferences, go to Energy Saver and see if the option to put hard drives to sleep is enabled.

That option was indeed enabled. I've disabled it and hope that solves the problem. Thanks so much!

[wrosie]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

Are you certain the drives aren't being recognized or could they be asleep when you try to access them? In System Preferences, go to Energy Saver and see if the option to put hard drives to sleep is enabled.

Unfortunately, that didn't work. I've attached a screen shot...somehow the iMac thinks the drive was ejected. HELP!

Originally Posted by wrosie

Unfortunately, that didn't work. I've attached a screen shot...somehow the iMac thinks the drive was ejected. HELP!

Should have mentioned that I got the disc-ejected error message when I woke up the iMac it had put itself to sleep because I wasn't using it.

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by wrosie

Unfortunately, that didn't work. I've attached a screen shot...somehow the iMac thinks the drive was ejected. HELP!

How are the connections between the drive and the computer? Are they loose and not fit properly? What about the power cord connections, are they loose at the drive and/or wall?

[macfilm]

Have you downloaded the WD software from their site? Mine were not being recognised at all until I downloaded the software.

[wrosie]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

How are the connections between the drive and the computer? Are they loose and not fit properly? What about the power cord connections, are they loose at the drive and/or wall?

Connections are tight.

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Originally Posted by macfilm

Have you downloaded the WD software from their site? Mine were not being recognised at all until I downloaded the software.

Didn't realize there was software. I'll try it. Thanks!

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by wrosie

Connections are tight.

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Didn't realize there was software. I'll try it. Thanks!

Do you have any other external drives you can connect? Try to rule out a problem with the computer and/or drive. If a different drive works fine, then it shouldn't be the computer.