Fix Toshiba External Hard Drive Not Mounting on Mac (7 Solutions)

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Toshiba external hard drives are widely used for storing large amounts of data, backups, and transferring files between systems. However, like any other external drive, they can occasionally run into problems, such as not mounting when connected to a Mac. This can be frustrating, especially if you rely on the drive for important data. In this guide article, we will analyze several solutions to fix a Toshiba external hard drive that is not mounting on your Mac.

Analyzing the Problem

When a Toshiba external hard drive doesn't mount on a Mac, it means that the drive is not recognized by the macOS operating system, and you cannot access its contents through Finder. This problem could arise due to various reasons - ranging from minor connectivity issues to more serious software or hardware problems. If the drive isn't mounted, it may appear in Disk Utility or remain completely undetected.

Addressing this issue quickly is crucial to avoid data loss, especially if you have important files stored on the Toshiba drive. Let's first examine the potential causes before diving into solutions.

Causes of Toshiba External Hard Drive Not Mounting on Mac

Understanding the potential causes behind the issue is the first step in resolving it. Here are some of the most common reasons why a Toshiba external hard drive may fail to mount on a Mac:

1. Incompatible File System

Toshiba drives are often formatted with the NTFS file system, which is commonly used by Windows. While macOS can read NTFS drives, it cannot write to them without third-party software, and sometimes, this limitation can cause mounting issues.

2. Faulty USB Cable or Port

A damaged USB cable or malfunctioning port can cause communication errors between the Mac and the external drive, resulting in the drive not being detected or mounted.

3. Insufficient Power Supply

Some larger Toshiba external hard drives, especially those that require external power sources, may not function properly if they don't receive sufficient power. This is often the case with desktop-class drives.

4. Corrupted Disk Structure

The file system or the drive's partition map could be corrupted, preventing macOS from recognizing the drive. Disk corruption can occur due to improper ejection, physical damage, or software errors.

5. macOS Security and Privacy Settings

Starting with macOS Catalina and newer versions, certain external drives may not be automatically mounted due to security and privacy settings. Permissions need to be manually granted for macOS to interact with the drive.

6. Bad Sectors

Bad sectors on the drive can cause data retrieval issues, making the drive unreadable or unmountable.

Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix Toshiba Drive Not Mounting on Mac

Let's explore several methods you can use to troubleshoot and resolve the issue of your Toshiba external hard drive not mounting on a Mac.

💡Solution 1. Check Physical Connections

The first thing to verify is whether the issue lies with your physical setup.

Inspect the USB Cable and Port

• Use a different USB cable to check if the current one is faulty. Cables can wear out or suffer from internal damage, causing connectivity issues.
• If you're using a USB-C adapter, ensure that it's compatible with your drive. Try using another port on your Mac.

Test on Another Computer

• Connect the Toshiba external hard drive to another computer (Mac or Windows) to see if it mounts there. If it works on another device, the problem likely lies with your Mac or its settings.

Check for Sufficient Power

• If your Toshiba external hard drive is powered externally, ensure the power cable is securely connected and that the drive is receiving sufficient power. Lack of power can prevent the drive from mounting properly.

💡Solution 2. Use Disk Utility to Mount or Repair the Drive

It is a default macOS tool that can help diagnose and repair disk issues.

1. Open Disk Utility

• You can access Disk Utility by navigating to Utilities via Applications.
• In the sidebar, check whether your Toshiba external hard drive appears. If it shows up but is not mounted, click on the drive and select "Mount." Sometimes this simple action can resolve the issue.

2. Run First Aid

• If your drive appears but still won't mount, click on the drive in Disk Utility and select "First Aid." This tool scans the drive for file system errors and attempts to repair them.

• Wait for the process to complete, and if any errors are found and repaired, try mounting the drive again.

💡Solution 3. Update macOS or Reset NVRAM/PRAM

macOS updates can include important patches that fix bugs and hardware compatibility issues. Ensuring your Mac is updated might resolve the issue.

1. Update macOS

• Check if any updates are available by going to System Settings > General > Software Update.
• Install any pending updates, restart your Mac, and attempt to reconnect the external drive.

2. Reset NVRAM/PRAM

• Resetting NVRAM or PRAM can often fix hardware-related issues. To reset it:
  1. Turn Off your Mac.
  2. Switch it on and hit the Option, Command, P, and R keys at the same time.
  3. After around 20 seconds, let your Mac restart before releasing the keys.

After resetting, reconnect your Toshiba external hard drive and check if it mounts.

💡Solution 4. Use Terminal to Manually Mount the Drive

If Disk Utility doesn't show the drive or can't mount it, Terminal might help.

Check Drive Status

• Open Terminal from Utilities via Applications and type the below mentioned command to list all connected drives:

  diskutil list

• Find your Toshiba external hard drive in the list. If it’s listed, note its identifier (e.g., disk5).

Manually Mount the Drive

• Use the following command to attempt mounting the drive:

  diskutil mountDisk /dev/disk5

  (Replace /dev/disk5 with the identifier of your drive.)

If the drive mounts after running the command, you should be able to access it in Finder.

💡Solution 5. Repair Toshiba Drive with Third-Party Software

If neither Disk Utility nor Terminal works, your drive may have more serious issues, such as file system corruption or bad sectors. In this case, third-party software can be useful for repairing the drive and recovering data.

Popular Third-Party Tools

• Donemax Data Recovery: A well-known disk repair and data recovery tool that works with macOS. It can recover files and attempt to repair corrupted disks.
• Donemax Data Eraser: A comprehensive data erasure tool that checks drive health and repairs damaged file systems.

These tools often provide free trials that allow you to assess whether they can access your drive before committing to a purchase.

If the Toshiba external hard drive has been pre-formatted to NTFS, you can use a NTFS for Mac tool to mount it on your Mac.

Step 1. Download and install Donemax NTFS for Mac, run it from Launchpad.

Step 2. Open Donemax NTFS for Mac, select the NTFS Toshiba external hard drive, click on Mount button.

Step 3. If you want to read-write the NTFS Toshiba external hard drive, click on Enable Writable button.

💡Solution 6. Format the Drive (As a Last Resort)

If you've exhausted all options and still can't mount the drive, you may need to reformat it. However, this will erase all the data on the drive, so only proceed if you have a backup of your data or you're willing to lose the current contents.

Step 1. Go to Launchpad > Other > Disk Utility, open Disk Utility.

Step 2. Select the Toshiba external hard drive, click on Erase button.

Step 3. Select APFS (for macOS 10.13 or later) or Mac OS Extended (for older macOS) or ExFAT (for both Windows and macOS) as the Format, then click on Erase button again.

After formatting, your drive should mount properly, and you can begin using it again.

💡Solution 7. Use Data Recovery Tools (If the Drive is Corrupt)

If your Toshiba external hard drive still won't mount and you suspect it is corrupted, data recovery software might help.

Step 1. Download and install Donemax Data Recovery for Mac and connect the Toshiba external hard drive to your Mac.

Step 2. Open Donemax Data Recovery for Mac, select the Toshiba external hard drive to start data recovery.

Step 3. Click on Scan button to deeply scan the Toshiba external hard drive and find all recoverable files.

Step 4. Once the scan is completed, you can preview all recoverable files. Select the wanted files, click on Recover button.

Donemax Data Recovery for Mac also can help you fix damaged Toshiba external hard drive on Mac. Just choose Disk Manager, select the Toshiba external hard drive, click on First Aid button to repair the Toshiba external hard drive.

Preventive Measures to Avoid Future Issues

Conclusion

Facing a Toshiba external hard drive that isn't mounting on your Mac can be a frustrating experience, but as we've outlined, there are several solutions available to fix the issue. Start by checking physical connections and using macOS's built-in tools like Disk Utility and Terminal. If those don't work, third-party repair tools may help. In the worst-case scenario, formatting the drive is an option - though it's a last resort due to the data loss it entails.

By complying the solutions described in this article, you'll be better equipped to resolve the issue and avoid similar problems in the future. Always remember to back up your data and take preventive measures to ensure your drives stay healthy and accessible.