how to find thumbdrive content

[chrisman9]

Dear Macsters, I plugged in a thumbdrive and was looking at its' file and since closing the file screen the desktop icon for the device has disappeared. Where can I find it? The gizmo is still plugged into a USB. Thanks for your help. OH, And must I, as with MIcrosoft machines, fiddle around to get an OK to pull the Thumbdrive out ?

 

[Fishrrman]

If the icon isn't there, try this:

First thing to try:
Open Disk Utility.
Do you see the thumbdrive "on the left"?
If so, look for the "mount" button in DU's toolbar.
Can you click it?
Does the drive mount?
That may work, if it doesn't see below.

Second thing to try:
If the icon isn't there, I'd just disconnect the drive, wait a second, and RE-connect it.
Any better?

 

[elf69]

to remove drive right click or alt click and eject drive.

but as above to see if still there.

The one above is like a god to me here their words never fail me

 

[chrisman9]

If the icon isn't there, try this:

First thing to try:
Open Disk Utility.
Do you see the thumbdrive "on the left"?
If so, look for the "mount" button in DU's toolbar.
Can you click it?
Does the drive mount?
That may work, if it doesn't see below.

Second thing to try:
If the icon isn't there, I'd just disconnect the drive, wait a second, and RE-connect it.
Any better?

[doublepost=1515441047][/doublepost]Dear Fishrrman, thanks for the reply. I cant find 'disk utility' but I did pull and replug-in the thumbdrive. Thanks. For the future, does this iMac have provision for 'when it is safe' to unplug these 'external' drives? Ive been told that data can be damaged by just pulling the thing out indiscriminately. Do you believe this? Thanks again.
[doublepost=1515441163][/doublepost]

to remove drive right click or alt click and eject drive.

but as above to see if still there.

The one above is like a god to me here their words never fail me

[doublepost=1515441368][/doublepost]Dear elf69, Thanks for your reply. Yes, the right click offers the 'eject' option but the presence of the 'external-drive' icon was missing for me to click on it ! Thanks again for offering me help

 

[Fishrrman]

The proper way to remove a USB flashdrive or ANY kind of external drive from the Mac is to do this:
1. Drag the icon of the drive to the trash
2. Wait until the icon disappears from the desktop
3. Once it has vanished, physically disconnect the drive from the port.

Once in a while, you may get a complaint from the finder that the drive couldn't be ejected and do you want to "force eject" it?
When this happens, that's just what I do...

 

[chrisman9]

The proper way to remove a USB flashdrive or ANY kind of external drive from the Mac is to do this:
1. Drag the icon of the drive to the trash
2. Wait until the icon disappears from the desktop
3. Once it has vanished, physically disconnect the drive from the port.

Once in a while, you may get a complaint from the finder that the drive couldn't be ejected and do you want to "force eject" it?
When this happens, that's just what I do...

[doublepost=1515458820][/doublepost]Dear Fishrrman, Thanks for your counsel. I do also have a 'plugged in' CD/DVD drive. As we speak it is not running so its' Icon is absent from my desktop but I can access it from the sidebar in Finder. And I see that when I plug in a flashdrive it also appears there. Thanks again. I will use your 'drag to the Trash' prior to pulling the things out. Happy New Year !

 

[elf69]

ok if seen in sidebar then check your finder preferences is set to show connected drives on desktop.

mine was not but now is.

 

[chrisman9]

ok if seen in sidebar then check your finder preferences is set to show connected drives on desktop.

mine was not but now is.

[doublepost=1515605559][/doublepost]Dear elf69, Thanks for your reply and advice in checking Finder Preferences for desktop viewing. Yes, the boxes relating to External Drives and CD, DVD and iPods are checked. I 'tested' the preference selection by checking also the 'Hard Disks' box and sure enough, the 'Macintosh HD' icon appeared on desktop. Thanks for the direction