ANY USB drive not recognized, ever

[ocbeachbum985]

Hello,

I am on a brand new 13'' MacBook, and every time I plug anything into the USB port aside from my iPhone, the computer doesn't recognize it. I was on a trip and had to empty my camera's memory card so I bought a USB adapter for the card itself and the computer did nothing when it was plugged in. I now am trying to connect another USB drive to transfer files already on there from my PC, this time it recognizes it and says a device is trying to mount, asks for my administrator password, then does nothing after I enter it. It seems nothing is ever connected as I don't see it in finder or on the desktop. UPDATE, I did just find out that it comes up in system profiler. The computer is brand new, it can't be screwed up already... maybe I am just mac-stupid since this is my first one, but getting frustrated by it already :-(

 

[hughvane]

Two thoughts:
1. Try checking Disk Utility for whatever external USB device you have plugged in, Get Info on whatever shows up (eg. what format is the device?), and
2. Try using a powered USB hub - it could be that there' insufficient power to the Macbook USB ports.

 

[instaxgirl]

Yeah try switching ports, I think one always has more power than the other.

Also my boyfriend's USB powered external will almost never mount to my iBook unless I restart the computer (I can see it in disk utility though). After a restart it shows up straight away.