Why are you Not Able to Copy Data from MacBook to External Hard Drive?

Last updated on September 20th, 2023 at 01:17 pm

Are you facing problems with copying files from your MacBook to your External Hard Disk Drive? The chances are good that you’re trying to pair the External HDD with your Mac for the first time. And, to your bad, you’re facing problems with that.

Are you scrolling through the internet to find a possible solution? Well, worry not, it’s not as difficult as you think. Reading on, you’ll know the key to fixing copying MacBook data to the External HDD. Can’t wait to know how? Buckle up, and let’s get going:

Fix Unable to Copy MacBook data to the External HDD

One of the most straightforward solutions lies in formatting your external hard drive. By doing so, you’ll be able to wipe out the contents of your hard drive.

If the external HDD contains data, that you’re able to access, then consider copying the same to your PC, Mac, or any other storage device. After which, you can proceed with the format option to delete all the files with complete ease- all in one go.

How to format your External HDD?

The first step lies in connecting your external drive to your Mac machine. When you click here on your external drive, you still see that it is not recognized on your Mac. Well, reading some valuable resources is the best you can do in the circumstances like this.

1. Now go to Disk Utility in the Applications folder under Utilities.
2. Select your drive from the list and click on Change Format now. Choose Mac OS Extended or any other type of format that you wish to proceed with.

By doing so, you’ll be able to copy data from your Mac to your External Drive with complete ease. Now that you have a fix to copy files from a Mac to a Hard Drive, it becomes vital to know the steps of doing so.

The Finder application on Mac enables you to transfer your files on and off. Connecting your external hard drive to your Mac makes it appear under the Devices menu in the Finder window. Copy or paste the necessary files or drag and drop these items to your hard drive.

Step 1:

1. You’ll see the dock at the bottom of your screen.
2. Connect your external drive to your computer using a provided cable. Know that the used line may vary, depending on the make and model of the hard drive. Generally, mainstream hard drives use USB cables.
3. Now click on the Finder icon to open the Finder application.

Step 2:

Select the files or folders you wish to copy and transfer to your external drive. Now hold down the “Command” button and select multiple items simultaneously.

Step 3:

1. Open a second Finder window for facilitating easy drags and drops.
2. Press “Command N” to open the Finder window and select the external hard drive on a list that appears under the Devices heading on the new window’s left side.

Step 4:

1. Select the location of the hard drive into which you wish to transfer the items.
2. Browse through the external drive folder where you store files and folders and then drag and drop the folder into the external hard drive’s window. You’ll then see a status bar on your screen, which indicates progress. Wait for the transfer to complete.

Step 5:

1. Eject your drive safely after finishing the process.
2. Click on the Eject button to remove the hard drive safely.

The Bottom Line

Know that there are potential solutions for a Mac that is not reading an external hard drive. If you’re searching, always look for one that offers plenty of customization and power in an easy-to-use interface.

All you’ve to do is look for software, and you will never have to worry about crashing or corrupting external drives again.