I have a 4TB external drive(HDD) formatted as APFS encrypted that won't mount. I can see the drive in disk utility but when I drop down into the container it is unmounted. I've run first aid and tried to have disk utility mount the drive to no avail, I've plug the drive into a second Mac with the same results. Both Macs are OS 10.14.6. While everything is backed up this is my travel drive and I'm 2,000 miles away from my backup files. Any advice or suggestions would be very appreciated. Thanks
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advice for an external disk that won't mount?
- Thread starter cSalmon
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I guess that's one of the hazards of keeping an encrypted drive without a backup carried "within easy reach".
With one exception (bank and financial files that I keep in an encrypted partition in my car as an "off-site-backup") I have never encrypted my drives.
I want my data to be "easy to get at".
I've never used cloud services much at all, either.
But I can see where having files "stored in the cloud" could bail someone out while traveling.
Can't really help otherwise.
If the drive won't mount ... and is encrypted ... and password won't work ... then the encryption is working splendidly ... perhaps moreso than required... (sigh)
With one exception (bank and financial files that I keep in an encrypted partition in my car as an "off-site-backup") I have never encrypted my drives.
I want my data to be "easy to get at".
I've never used cloud services much at all, either.
But I can see where having files "stored in the cloud" could bail someone out while traveling.
Can't really help otherwise.
If the drive won't mount ... and is encrypted ... and password won't work ... then the encryption is working splendidly ... perhaps moreso than required... (sigh)
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Thank you for your response, much appreciated.
Info in case this might mean something??:
I've been trying many different uneducated ideas or pieces of info I'm grabbing off different searches. So every time I plug the drive back into the computer the password gate does come up and even though I put in the correct password the first time it rejects it however the second time it consistently accepts the password and like I say I can see the drive in disk utility and see that it is listed as unmounted.
Yes I am seeing that encryption is a pain - this is not a work drive just used as storage. I will say I was robbed(laptop) a while back and it was extremely unnerving to think what files (financial but more importantly identify) where accidentally left on that drive. I have a family member who had their identity stolen and to this day a decade later it is still a ridiculous hassle. With passport, drivers license, SS card in hand... "sorry the computer is showing a red flag we can't help you" but we took care of this!
Info in case this might mean something??:
I've been trying many different uneducated ideas or pieces of info I'm grabbing off different searches. So every time I plug the drive back into the computer the password gate does come up and even though I put in the correct password the first time it rejects it however the second time it consistently accepts the password and like I say I can see the drive in disk utility and see that it is listed as unmounted.
Yes I am seeing that encryption is a pain - this is not a work drive just used as storage. I will say I was robbed(laptop) a while back and it was extremely unnerving to think what files (financial but more importantly identify) where accidentally left on that drive. I have a family member who had their identity stolen and to this day a decade later it is still a ridiculous hassle. With passport, drivers license, SS card in hand... "sorry the computer is showing a red flag we can't help you" but we took care of this!
There's an argument in the terminal command diskutil that allows you to attempt to force mount drives.
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