Need help finding external drive

trlyka · Sep 24, 2013

I have a WD storage drive that was either used for extra room for a TiVo or as storage for files from an old Windows desktop. I have 2 of them, so I am not sure which has what. Where do I go on my Macbook to find this drive? It's connected using USB. Even if I can't read files from it, shouldn't it at least detect that it's connected? Thanks

Weaselboy · Sep 24, 2013

Open the Finder (icon below) in your Dock and you should see the connected drives under the devices section at the top left.

If that does not work, try starting Disk Utility and see if they are recognized. If you intend to use them solely on your Mac you will want to reformat the drives to Mac OS Extended while in Disk Util. Of course this will erase an data on the drives.

trlyka · Sep 24, 2013

Weaselboy said:
Open the Finder (icon below) in your Dock and you should see the connected drives under the devices section at the top left.

If that does not work, try starting Disk Utility and see if they are recognized. If you intend to use them solely on your Mac you will want to reformat the drives to Mac OS Extended while in Disk Util. Of course this will erase an data on the drives.

Ok, I had been in Finder and did not see a 'devices' option. Where am I looking for that? Is is in Applications, or on the left under 'Favorites'? I tried the disk utility and all it sees is my internal drive. I don't necessarily need to use the drives right now, but I need to see what's on them. Ugh....I feel so dumb! Thanks

Weaselboy · Sep 24, 2013

trlyka said:
Ok, I had been in Finder and did not see a 'devices' option. Where am I looking for that? Is is in Applications, or on the left under 'Favorites'? I tried the disk utility and all it sees is my internal drive. I don't necessarily need to use the drives right now, but I need to see what's on them. Ugh....I feel so dumb! Thanks

Devices would be on the left above favorites. Open Finder then command-comma to bring up preferences and make sure you have external disks checked in the devices section at the bottom.

Even if you don't see them in Finder, you should see them in disk utility though.

trlyka · Sep 24, 2013

Weaselboy said:
Devices would be on the left above favorites. Open Finder then command-comma to bring up preferences and make sure you have external disks checked in the devices section at the bottom.

Even if you don't see them in Finder, you should see them in disk utility though.

Ok, I checked off external drives but still nothing is showing up, even in disk utility. I am so used to finding all options within the window that I keep forgetting to go up to the top left of the browser for more options

The other drive I have uses a SATA connection and that seems to be the only one. It was probably only used for a TiVo and that's why there's only one connection

Weaselboy · Sep 25, 2013

trlyka said:
Ok, I checked off external drives but still nothing is showing up, even in disk utility. I am so used to finding all options within the window that I keep forgetting to go up to the top left of the browser for more options

The other drive I have uses a SATA connection and that seems to be the only one. It was probably only used for a TiVo and that's why there's only one connection

Hmmm... try Disk Utility again and look in the File menu and click Mount. See if that picks it up.

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Need help finding external drive

trlyka

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trlyka

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trlyka

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