Backing up MacBook, can't detect external hard drive, please help!

[mistressploppy]

Aaargh.

MacBook is 2yrs old, and running r-e-e-ally slowly. I took it to the Apple store today who said to back everything up on an external hard drive and bring it back in so they can fiddle with it.

I toddle off to J Lewis and buy an Intenso 500gb drive which says on the back it's compatible with Mac OS 10.x. and needs USB 3.0 compatible hardware on whatever computer you're using it with. Shop-man seemed to think it would be ok.

The MacBook can't seem to see the drive at all when I plug it in. Clicking on Time Machine (as instructed by Apple-man) just brings up stuff about Airport. I'm looking in Finder for something that might help but am too clueless to know what to look for.

The hard drive box says it should start automatically when plugged into the computer

Please help! I can't seem to do anything right

If you go to Utilities -> Disk Utility in there?

I'm trying to find out if it's a case of the Macbook doesn't see any disk at all, or if it's a partition the Mac doesn't detect.

If it's the latter, that's an easy fix. If it's the first then you will need to take the disk back and get your money back.

Nope, it's not in Disk Utility.

The Apple-man had me do the Disk Utility repair thing before I came in, so I knew where to find that at least - but no, it can't be seen there. There's just the Mac hard disk thing, and also a 250gb toshiba thing that I don't recognise. There's nothing else plugged in, so what's the toshiba thing??

So I think I need to take the bloody thing back. What DO I need then?? Apple-man seemed to hint that any one would do.

Oops, how ungrateful - thank you SO much for responding

That could be the Mac's hard disk. If you unplug the external drive, does the 250GB thing disappear? If it doesn't then it's your internal hard disc.

If it does disappear then it's your external hard drive and for some reason it's been partitioned funnily.

I'm actually surprised because USB3 is supposd to be compatible with USB2 which is what you will have. Have you got another machine you can try the drive on?

No, it doesn't disappear, it must be internal. No other machine, but could send it to work with DH so he can try it on a PC?

Hi mistressploppy, sorry I'm no help to you but please let me know how you get on.

I also have a MacBook OS X Version 10.6.8 and although it's running fine, I still want to buy an external hard drive to back up mostly photos. I've not really started looking yet, but would be interested to know which hard drives are compatible and easy as I'm not the best with technology.

Look forward to hearing how you get on.

I'd take it back and buy a USB2 based disk instead.

I've got a mac and I've not had any problems with any disks I've plugged in. But then i've not got anything with USB3. I can only imagine it's some weird incompatibility or it's just DOA.

You mention that the drive is a USB 3.0 device whereas a two year old MacBook will only have USB 2.0. The main difference between the two is speed - USB 3.0 can run ten times faster than USB 2.0 - but that shouldn't be an issue here as most USB 3.0 drives will run on USB 2.0 ports, they'll just be a bit slower.

However, the other difference between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 is power. The latter can supply nearly twice as much power as the former. There may not be enough power coming out of your MacBook's USB 2.0 port to allow the external hard disk to work. Did the external disk come with a mains plug?

No mains plug on it Snorbs. I really expected it to work, not sure WHAT I should be buying now. Presumably some generic one off Amazon which says USB 2.0 should work??

I did have the macbook plugged in when I did it

I do wonder if my macbook is a bit funny as I used to have a Sony Ericsson phone which initially was detected fine, then one day just didn't appear. Tried new cable etc. Weird

I've done some looking around and it does look like the USB 2.0 power limit is the issue here. There are few external hard disks that can plug into a USB 2.0 socket without needing an additional power supply. Those that can seem to have two USB 2.0 plugs so they can take the power from two sockets at the same time (eg this )

The issue isn't that the MacBook itself doesn't have enough power. The problem is that USB 2.0 was never designed to deliver enough power to drive a hard disk.

I got a 2TB (2000GB) external Seagate hard disk from Argos last year. USB 2.0 and came with a mains power supply. Cost about £80 I think. Or the one I linked to above should do the trick provided you have two spare USB 2.0 ports on your MacBook and they're within a few inches of each together.

Snorbs, thank you so much. Do you think this one would be ok? The one you linked to is a bit out of my budget and I think 500gb will be enough for me.

I will check out Amazon as well - am I just looking for anything that is USB 2.0? Or specifically USB 2.0 ones that use two USB points? Or failing that, have a mains power supply lead? Sorry about all the questions, just trying to educate meself

I have 2 spare USB ports on the macbook, they are right next to each other.

Yes that one should work although you can get the same hard drive from eBuyer for £10 less eBuyer link

Thanks Niceguy2, I've just gone and bought it. Fingers crossed!

Hello, just popping back to thank Niceguy and Snorbs for their help, and in case Bridget still needs to know - the Buffalo one I bought following your link/advice is chugging away at a back-up right now and seems to be doing the trick. Woo-hoo!

Thanks to everyone for their advice on this thread.

I've now ordered a Buffalo 1TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive - £69.99 from Amazon so am delighted.

Looking forward to backing up all my photos etc .