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Encrypted volumes won’t auto mount on 10.14.4

S

Stewaj03

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 20, 2017
10
2
Hi,

Since updating to 10.14.4 my encrypted volume on the internal SSD and encrypted time machine volume on an external drive will no longer auto mount. I have to go into disk utility app and do it manually. This happens even on a clean install of .4.

Going back to 10.14.3 on a TM backup brings back the desired function.

Any assistance to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
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It must be the SSD that's causing this. Encrypted volumes from an external HDD mount just as they have always done.
 
It’s very strange how this has started. As a test I formatted and encrypted a usb thumb drive, removed it and plugged it back in and it would not mount. Diskutil list shows it to be offline and I can only mount it manually. Formatting as a non encrypted drive it will mount when plugged in so I suspect that something has changed with coreStorage in 10.14.4.

I’ve spent hours googling to no avail. Might have to go back to High Sierra to remain secure (as long as that hasn’t broken too).

Regards.
 
Nigel Goodman said:
It must be the SSD that's causing this. Encrypted volumes from an external HDD mount just as they have always done.
Click to expand...

Not here - my encrypted partitions on external HDDs, including a time machine drive, don't mount automatically either.

haralds said:
The system stores the password in the keychain. Try deleting the password for the volume after unmounning, then entering it again.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought too, but no dice.
 
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haralds said:
The system stores the password in the keychain. Try deleting the password for the volume after unmounning, then entering it again.
Click to expand...

I don’t store the password of encrypted volumes so don’t think this will help me.

Having read the security release notes for this update there is a mention under DiskArbitration about mounting and unmounting of encrypted volumes and I wonder if it’s something to do with this.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT209600
 
Stewaj03 said:
Hi,

Since updating to 10.14.4 my encrypted volume on the internal SSD and encrypted time machine volume on an external drive will no longer auto mount. I have to go into disk utility app and do it manually. This happens even on a clean install of .4.
Click to expand...

Some additional discussions of this, which may bear solutions over time:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250260889

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/b5o33z/external_hdd_is_not_connected_on_mojave_10144/

https://eclecticlight.co/2019/03/26/what-has-changed-in-the-mojave-10-14-4-update/#comment-30517
 
Same issue here with my encrypted TM drive... Hit or miss on all reboots.

Something broke for sure.
 
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I’ve gone back to High Sierra for now with everything working as it should and filed feedback to apple.

Thanks for the links Mcgroarty, I’m glad it’s not an isolated case.
 
Glad to see I'm not the only one having this problem. Been trying to fix it all day with no solution. I have 2 external encrypted hard drives and they won't auto mount on boot. I have to go into Disk Utility and manually mount them. I thought maybe my drives were failing but no it's the update since this only started happening right after I updated to 10.14.4
 
I see I am not alone. My External and encrypted TM backup drive is not auto mounting either. I will eagerly await a fix for this issue as it is super annoying.
 
Solution: Turn off FV. Most likely, for your use-case scenarios and type of data, you don't require it. Encrypt your data drives if need be but your pictures, movies, tax forms, etc aren't ever going to be sold or used against you. The boot drive encryption is overkill unless you fall within less than 1% of computer users who have data that is highly targeted. However, you would know if FV is required because there are other security related precautions in place for the use, storing, and transmission of the data on that Apple computer which would have been given to you by an administrator. Apple has pushed to make macOS users believe FV is another identifier of it protecting users. It's not adding to your security because you're in the majority that don't need it. You have to ask yourself; if Windows and Unix-based consumer/desktop/workstation OS do not come with boot disk encryption by default and they are the majority of computer users operating systems, then how relevant is this feature actually required. Because, you're simply using another Unix derived OS.
 
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Stewaj03 said:
Hi,

Since updating to 10.14.4 my encrypted volume on the internal SSD and encrypted time machine volume on an external drive will no longer auto mount. I have to go into disk utility app and do it manually. This happens even on a clean install of .4.

Going back to 10.14.3 on a TM backup brings back the desired function.

Any assistance to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I have the exact same problem on two different Macs I just updated. I also noticed that if ejected drives can't be remounted even with disk utility - you have to unplug the drive, plug it back in and then mount it with disk utility. Until it is fixed I have set up an inelegant solution which is to put Disk Utility into my list of apps that starts on login. It reminds me to connect the drive when I reboot my desktop or plug my laptop into its hub.
 
whoisyourdaddy said:
Solution: Turn off FV. Most likely, for your use-case scenarios and type of data, you don't require it. Encrypt your data drives if need be but your pictures, movies, tax forms, etc aren't ever going to be sold or used against you. The boot drive encryption is overkill unless you fall within less than 1% of computer users who have data that is highly targeted. However, you would know if FV is required because there are other security related precautions in place for the use, storing, and transmission of the data on that Apple computer which would have been given to you by an administrator. Apple has pushed to make macOS users believe FV is another identifier of it protecting users. It's not adding to your security because you're in the majority that don't need it. You have to ask yourself; if Windows and Unix-based consumer/desktop/workstation OS do not come with boot disk encryption by default and they are the majority of computer users operating systems, then how relevant is this feature actually required. Because, you're simply using another Unix derived OS.
Click to expand...

You've persuaded me! I feel so much better now! I'll turn off those pesky password controls, two factor recognition and needless other security bothers! In fact, I realize now that the credit reporting data miners are on my side! Google REALLY is my friend! Facebook is only making my life more convenient! Only a teeny tiny percentage of people NEED privacy! What enlightening news! Eureka!
 
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I also had this issue with an external HDD formatted HFS+ (encrypted). After trying a few options, I reformatted it to APFS (encrypted) and it now auto-mounts as it should. However, I still the issue with my TimeMachine backup as I've read that it must be HFS+.
 
I have no idea what changed, but my encrypted drives, including Time Machine are auto mounting now. I did nothing to effect this change.
 
Weird! I just checked and, as jasoncarle has said, all my external HDDs are auto-mounting as they should. I also did nothing to make this happen.
 
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I can confirm the issue has been solved. I believe Apple may have pushed an update to rectify this - I have setup all types of updates to be automatically applied.
 
W1SS said:
I can confirm the issue has been solved. I believe Apple may have pushed an update to rectify this - I have setup all types of updates to be automatically applied.
Click to expand...

Ooh interesting. Could you tell me the build number your running now please?
 
I tried it out but it isn’t working consistently. Shame. Back to High Sierra I go. I’ll try again when .5 comes out.
 
Stewaj03 said:
Hi,

Since updating to 10.14.4 my encrypted volume on the internal SSD and encrypted time machine volume on an external drive will no longer auto mount. I have to go into disk utility app and do it manually. This happens even on a clean install of .4.

Going back to 10.14.3 on a TM backup brings back the desired function.

Any assistance to resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm having this issue as well. Nothing seems to fix it... I'm also getting the system crashing when attempting to backup to Time Machine and don't know if it's related...
 
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