HI everyone,
I’m in need of some help please! This might be a bit long, just want to tell you what steps i’ve taken so far. I bought a 2TB WD Passport last week. Plugged it into my MacBook Pro (2009), reformatted for Mac use and everything was fine…
4 days later i plugged it back in with the intention of using it as extra storage. It appeared on my desktop, i had a message about using my password and keychain access… and then it dissapeared. Light on the passport was on the minute i plugged it in then turned off. Unplug and try again in other USB port - same thing. Unplug and try again, no keychain message, the drive starts up and i open the window to drop files on - then it all dissapears again. Its like i am pulling the plug or something… (i’m not, honest!)
So at work i plug it into my macbook (2014) and its fine - asks for password, stays on the desktop, just as you would expect. So the Passport and USB cable are working fine.
Next step then, i updated my home OSX to El Capitan. Plug Passport back in, different window now (no keychain password question but password software which is on the drive) Passport stays on the desktop for around 20 seconds (a new record!) and then it shuts down and dissapears again. This time i get the ‘Drive not ejected properly’ message which is new. Now i’m not ejecting it - for some reason my mac is. Gahhh!! WHY!?!
So the Passoprt is fine, the USB is fine, my USB ports are ok (in that they recognise there is something there) the problem clearly lies with my mac, but the fact that it does recognise the passport but takes a dislike to it for some reason is confusing.
Can anyone help? I can reformat the disk at work and try again but that seems futile as i have already established that the drive is not the problem. Any thoughts? The only thing i’m thinking is that there’s not enough power in the usb port to sustain the passport (although you usually get a message saying that) Am i missing anything else?
Same here, however I have been using this Passport for over a year without any problems. Now, all my professional photos are on mine and I cannot make it link to my imac. It ironically works with my Powerbook. This all came about when I tried to use a newly purchased passport and downloaded drivers and registered both devices. Now seriously, I have no access to either one and nothing else has changed. 20 seconds is definitely a record! I’ve uninstalled the drivers and security, to no avail. Any information you discover here will be refreshing!!
ArMak - yes same thing happens i’m afraid
AJL17 - i’ve seen other people on the web saying the same thing but never about a brand new unit. Not at all helpful. The only thing i can suggest is trying to find someone with a newer mac than yours and see if they have any luck opening it?
I contacted WD as its still in warranty and was advised to get a replacement. Interestingly, today i took the unit back to the shop and had it replaced, just in case the unit was faulty. Reformatted the new one at work, it stayed on the desktop all afternoon and then i plugged it in at home ttonight - same thing happens as before, although i’m back down to 5 seconds! I wonder if it just requires more power than my mac can give it. Either way its of no use and i’ll be taking it back (again) on monday and asking for a refund.
Any advice on makes of a stable hard drive i could purchase would be much appreciated!
I’m having the same problem, after almost two years of successful use. I plug it into USB port on my MacBook Pro, and after about 20 seconds it is mysteriously ejected improperly. Then when I plug it back in, the light blinks and it seems to be whirring normally, but the finder on the Mac doesn’t see it. Neither does Disk Utility.
I’ve upgraded the WD Drive Utility. Doesn’t seem to matter…
Why does it seem to be a very common issue all over this web site as well as Apple’s forums, but no one has a fix? And Western Digital doesn’t seem to want to contribute to these discussions? Nice customer service, eh?
A comment from an expert will be greatly appreciated. Otherwise, I’ll be shopping for a new portable hard drive and it will not be a Western Digital…
