External SSD doesn't mount after power interruption or reboot
This is a new problem. Maybe due to a recent Mac OS update.
On my M2 Mac Mini, my 4TB external SSD is not mounting after a power interruption or reboot. The Mini doesn't see it with Disk Utility, and I have to physically unplug & replug the drive to get the Mini to recognize it.
I have the Mini located in a place I access by ladder, so this isn't something I want to be doing every time there's a power interruption or reboot.
I assume there's a workaround for this, but haven't found it yet.
I put an alias of the drive in startup items, but that doesn't do it.
If anyone has a solution, please let me know.
Comments
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Any connected drive should mount automatically upon boot. One thing to check is that you have waited long enough - it might take a minute or two. If it's definitely not happening, this could indicate an issue with the drive. It's also anomalous that Disk Utility isn't seeing the drive - this shouldn't be happening. Things you can try:
- Reformat the drive (APFS)
- Connect it into a different USB port
- Try a different USB cable
- If the drive is removable from the housing, try a different housing
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What sort of enclosure is it in?
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Two things come to mind....
- Is there a USB dongle or dock between the drive cable and the Mac? I ask because one of my USB / Ethernet + USB dongles would stop working after every restart or power loss. The dependable fix was to unplug and plug the dongle back into the Mac. Sometimes, unplugging the drive from the dongle and plugging back into dongle would wake it up.
- SanDisk Unlocker causing a problem with re-mounting the drive. Might be worth completely removing SanDisk Unlocker https://support-in.wd.com/app/answers/detailweb/a_id/51135/~/steps-to-remove-sandisk-unlocker
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BTW, I'm a bit surprised you are using an SSD in a continuous write application such as DVR. I always thought one would pretty quickly exceed an SSD's write limit and have stayed with a hard drive RAID. Mine is now a 40 TB raid which gives me about three weeks capacity.
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@guykuo - this is a valid concern regarding the write cycles, however provided there is enough space on the drive for a reasonably long recording history, a modern SSD that is used for this purpose can last a long time. For example, the 1 TB Samsung SSD 870 EVO - a commonly-used drive, quotes 600 TB in its datasheet for TBW (Total Bytes Written). Therefore, if the whole 1 TB capacity of the drive is rewritten every week due to SecuritySpy's activity, the drive can be expected to last 11.5 years (and this is just the warrantied amount). Note that larger drives have comparably higher TBW limits, so this kind of lifespan is quite typical for any good-quality modern drive.
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Thanks, Ben. I guess it depends one how much is needed / day. I'm writing 1.5 TB / day with SS.
Sawmill, sorry to veer off topic.
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All good info. I'll try changing the cable & port the next time it happens.
With 10 cams, I recorded 135 GB of data the past 24 hours. It's a 4 TB drive, so re-writes every 24 days, approximately, if my math is correct.
Another benefit of H.265: its reduced file size reduces the TBW numbers consumed in your SS storage devices.
Looks like SanDisk is a little cagey about publishing its TBW specs on this drive, but tech discussions I see online suggest that spec is similar to other competitive drives of the same size, based on the other drives WD has manufactured using the same physical platform.
It's warranted for 5 years.
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I updated the M2 Mini to 14.2.1 today, and the drive auto-mounted on reboot, then I did some work on the electrical panel a little later, which re-booted the Mini a few more times, and it continued working properly.
Either it's intermittent or fixed.
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weird
