External HD keeps disappearing

[Midgetinabikini]

Story goes like that, I have an old, but working, external HD which used to be connected to my old 2009 MM, it worked fine, I used it as TM backup from both my machines. But I've replaced the old 2009 MM with new 2014 one, and every time I try to connect the HD, it shows the disk for few seconds and disappear back to oblivion.

I've changed the USB port, but still nothing. When I connect it back to the 2009, it works fine and other two HD's.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this?

 

[Partron22]

No hub?
You might try a longer cable.
USB 3 sometimes does funny things if you've got your hub or device too close to your Mac.

 

[Midgetinabikini]

I was really sure you were trolling me, but I had nothing to lose. Moved the HD to a different shelf like 15cm away, now it works...

 

[Partron22]

Weird, huh?

 

[Riwam]

Weird, huh?

********
Such things always remain me of the famous words said long time ago but not having lost anything from their charm and sense until the present days:
"Theory is when we know everything but nothing works".
"Practise is when everything works but nobody knows why".
"In our team we have managed to join theory to practise"
"Nothing works and nobody knows why"
Albert Einstein

 

[simonsi]

My assessment would be that the old drive is no longer fully working. Try it on another machine to confirm.

 

[Midgetinabikini]

Simonsi, works fine on my old MM and my Windows laptop. But I need to find better option, moving it is not a good idea, I need that space for something else.

 

[Max(IT)]

To me it seems like the old cable is somewhat defective. Not "defective enough" to stop working, but enough to have some weird behavior on the more sensible USB 3 interface when slightly bent (HDD near the computer).

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"But I need to find better option, moving it is not a good idea, I need that space for something else."

When you find a solution "that works" -- vis-a-vis a problem that keeps coming back -- you go with "what works".
Even if that means using another shelf.

Patron22's reply was a good one -- interference from USB3 is a known problem.

Perhaps the drive itself isn't quite shielded enough, and by placing it too close to the computer, you're having "interference".

So... go with "what works"...

 

[fisherking]

weird stuff. i have 2 new external drives (usb 3.0) that worked with no issue on my 2011 macbook pro (usb 2.0). on my new macbook pro (usb 3.0 of course), they sometimes eject, reconnect, eject, reconnect. ugh. reset pram, smc... happens some days & not others. (but would not give up that 3.0 speed for anything)

 

[Partron22]

interference from USB3 is a known problem.

There's always wrapping the drive in aluminum foil: Faraday cage.
Having enough space on my desk, I just moved my drives further from the Mac; problem solved.

 

[Midgetinabikini]

Just want to give an update, the drive still doesn't work, I googled my a*s out and found it it's a known problem with this drive.

So I guess I'll have to find a working hub or something.