Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

yomacroni

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2017
36
1
I am trying to upgrade MBA SSD 120gb to a Transcend 240gb JetDrive 520 but when I use disk utility the external drive isn’t listed at all. I reseated the connection and tried both USB ports. Is there anything else I should try before returning it?
 
Have you tried connecting it internally to the MBA or externally to another Mac or Windows computer to see if the external drive is recognized?
In Windows disk management I see the unallocated, ‘not initialized’ drive which I didn’t expect to. So it must be ok but how is Mac disk utility not seeing it? I have used external drives on the Mac air successfully previously.
 
External drives these days are not made for a particular operating system but rather formatted for use with an operating system.

Using windows, format the drive as a single NTFS partition, connect it to the mba to see if it is recognised in finder.
 
External drives these days are not made for a particular operating system but rather formatted for use with an operating system.

Using windows, format the drive as a single NTFS partition, connect it to the mba to see if it is recognised in finder.
I need to initialize it first. MBR or GPT?
 
Initialise as MBR, create partition, add drive letter, format as NTFS.

When you install macos, you'll need to erase with gpt/guid.
That worked (after several inexplicable failures) and erased with MacOS extended (journaled). Why is APFS not available? Since it’s ssd shouldn’t that be available?
 
That worked (after several inexplicable failures) and erased with MacOS extended (journaled). Why is APFS not available? Since it’s ssd shouldn’t that be available?
Also, there is no scheme option so I can’t choose got/guid. Info shows ‘bootable’ no, ‘solid state’ no.
[doublepost=1508173110][/doublepost]
APFS is only available with High Sierra.
I am using high Sierra and current internal ssd has been converted to apfs.
 
Sorry, I'm not sure which version that would be since I have USB installers for El Capitan, Sierra, and High Sierra.

When selecting erase on the whole drive, you can't select MBR or GPT?
 
Sorry, I'm not sure which version that would be since I have USB installers for El Capitan, Sierra, and High Sierra.

When selecting erase on the whole drive, you can't select MBR or GPT?
Ok, it worked when I change view from volumes to show all devices. Now I have it formatted as APFS. However, restore fails now. The error is:
“The volume on device “/dev/disk0” is not of type Apple _HFS or Apple _UFS
Could not validate source - device not configured.”

The current internal ssd is formatted as APFS.
 
Is the jet drive inside the MBA?

Try a fresh install of HS onto the jetdrive and use the migration tool during the setup to restore apps and data.
The jet drive is in an external enclosure outside the MBA. Is it possible to install HS to an external drive?
[doublepost=1508176479][/doublepost]
The jet drive is in an external enclosure outside the MBA. Is it possible to install HS to an external drive?
Never mind, I see it now. Trying now.
 
Yes, you can install to and boot from an external drive, just like an internal drive. You just have to boot with the option key to select a boot drive.
Well, that ended up working fine, thanks! Way more complicated than I thought it would be but it was a good experience to see how to restore and load MacOS etc.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.