Disk visible system_profiler but neither diskutil nor Disk Utility can see it












0















I have an external USB disk that is not responding (macOS). It was making clicking noises earlier, but now it sounds normal.



It powers up to a solid blue light, and sounds normal. edit It does that at first, but after awhile the light begins flashing and then I can hear clicking or thunking noises inside (blech).



I can see the disk via system_profiler e.g.



$ system_profiler SPUSBDataType | more
USB 3.1 Bus:

Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBXHCITR
PCI Device ID: 0x15ec
PCI Revision ID: 0x0006
PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
Bus Number: 0x01

Expansion Desk:

Product ID: 0x331a
Vendor ID: 0x0bc2 (Seagate LLC)
Version: 9.11
Serial Number: NA8X507J
Speed: Up to 5 Gb/sec
Manufacturer: Seagate
Location ID: 0x01200000 / 7
Current Available (mA): 900
Current Required (mA): 8
Extra Operating Current (mA): 0


But it's not visible via diskutil. It only shows the internal hard drive.



How do I get this to be at least visible to diskutil (or Disk Utility.app) so I can attempt a repair?










share|improve this question



























    0















    I have an external USB disk that is not responding (macOS). It was making clicking noises earlier, but now it sounds normal.



    It powers up to a solid blue light, and sounds normal. edit It does that at first, but after awhile the light begins flashing and then I can hear clicking or thunking noises inside (blech).



    I can see the disk via system_profiler e.g.



    $ system_profiler SPUSBDataType | more
    USB 3.1 Bus:

    Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBXHCITR
    PCI Device ID: 0x15ec
    PCI Revision ID: 0x0006
    PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
    Bus Number: 0x01

    Expansion Desk:

    Product ID: 0x331a
    Vendor ID: 0x0bc2 (Seagate LLC)
    Version: 9.11
    Serial Number: NA8X507J
    Speed: Up to 5 Gb/sec
    Manufacturer: Seagate
    Location ID: 0x01200000 / 7
    Current Available (mA): 900
    Current Required (mA): 8
    Extra Operating Current (mA): 0


    But it's not visible via diskutil. It only shows the internal hard drive.



    How do I get this to be at least visible to diskutil (or Disk Utility.app) so I can attempt a repair?










    share|improve this question

























      0












      0








      0








      I have an external USB disk that is not responding (macOS). It was making clicking noises earlier, but now it sounds normal.



      It powers up to a solid blue light, and sounds normal. edit It does that at first, but after awhile the light begins flashing and then I can hear clicking or thunking noises inside (blech).



      I can see the disk via system_profiler e.g.



      $ system_profiler SPUSBDataType | more
      USB 3.1 Bus:

      Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBXHCITR
      PCI Device ID: 0x15ec
      PCI Revision ID: 0x0006
      PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
      Bus Number: 0x01

      Expansion Desk:

      Product ID: 0x331a
      Vendor ID: 0x0bc2 (Seagate LLC)
      Version: 9.11
      Serial Number: NA8X507J
      Speed: Up to 5 Gb/sec
      Manufacturer: Seagate
      Location ID: 0x01200000 / 7
      Current Available (mA): 900
      Current Required (mA): 8
      Extra Operating Current (mA): 0


      But it's not visible via diskutil. It only shows the internal hard drive.



      How do I get this to be at least visible to diskutil (or Disk Utility.app) so I can attempt a repair?










      share|improve this question














      I have an external USB disk that is not responding (macOS). It was making clicking noises earlier, but now it sounds normal.



      It powers up to a solid blue light, and sounds normal. edit It does that at first, but after awhile the light begins flashing and then I can hear clicking or thunking noises inside (blech).



      I can see the disk via system_profiler e.g.



      $ system_profiler SPUSBDataType | more
      USB 3.1 Bus:

      Host Controller Driver: AppleUSBXHCITR
      PCI Device ID: 0x15ec
      PCI Revision ID: 0x0006
      PCI Vendor ID: 0x8086
      Bus Number: 0x01

      Expansion Desk:

      Product ID: 0x331a
      Vendor ID: 0x0bc2 (Seagate LLC)
      Version: 9.11
      Serial Number: NA8X507J
      Speed: Up to 5 Gb/sec
      Manufacturer: Seagate
      Location ID: 0x01200000 / 7
      Current Available (mA): 900
      Current Required (mA): 8
      Extra Operating Current (mA): 0


      But it's not visible via diskutil. It only shows the internal hard drive.



      How do I get this to be at least visible to diskutil (or Disk Utility.app) so I can attempt a repair?







      macos hard-drive






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked Dec 25 '18 at 20:29









      BillBill

      1032




      1032






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

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          1














          Actually the system profiler doesn't see the disk at all - what it indeed does see, is the USB device that fronts it.



          Think of it as a chain of devices: System -> USB Controller -> USB cable -> USB/SATA adapter -> SATA disk, with only the last link in the chain failing. Obviously the USB subsystem would see the USB device, but would be unable to assign it to a block device handle. So it will show up on the USB device tree, but not on the block device tree.



          This of course implies, that you can't make it visible in any program, that accesses only block devices - that includes disk utility.






          share|improve this answer
























          • i.e. it's dead. ;-)

            – Bill
            Dec 25 '18 at 23:36



















          0














          The disk is very probably dead.
          There is an app called DriveDx that you can download (free trial) from https://binaryfruit.com/. Download it with the built-in kext. This app may see it and give info about the disk.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Welcome to Super User! Please read how to recommend software in answers, particularly the bits in bold; then edit your answer to follow the guidelines there. Thanks!

            – bertieb
            Dec 27 '18 at 15:04











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          2 Answers
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          active

          oldest

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          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          1














          Actually the system profiler doesn't see the disk at all - what it indeed does see, is the USB device that fronts it.



          Think of it as a chain of devices: System -> USB Controller -> USB cable -> USB/SATA adapter -> SATA disk, with only the last link in the chain failing. Obviously the USB subsystem would see the USB device, but would be unable to assign it to a block device handle. So it will show up on the USB device tree, but not on the block device tree.



          This of course implies, that you can't make it visible in any program, that accesses only block devices - that includes disk utility.






          share|improve this answer
























          • i.e. it's dead. ;-)

            – Bill
            Dec 25 '18 at 23:36
















          1














          Actually the system profiler doesn't see the disk at all - what it indeed does see, is the USB device that fronts it.



          Think of it as a chain of devices: System -> USB Controller -> USB cable -> USB/SATA adapter -> SATA disk, with only the last link in the chain failing. Obviously the USB subsystem would see the USB device, but would be unable to assign it to a block device handle. So it will show up on the USB device tree, but not on the block device tree.



          This of course implies, that you can't make it visible in any program, that accesses only block devices - that includes disk utility.






          share|improve this answer
























          • i.e. it's dead. ;-)

            – Bill
            Dec 25 '18 at 23:36














          1












          1








          1







          Actually the system profiler doesn't see the disk at all - what it indeed does see, is the USB device that fronts it.



          Think of it as a chain of devices: System -> USB Controller -> USB cable -> USB/SATA adapter -> SATA disk, with only the last link in the chain failing. Obviously the USB subsystem would see the USB device, but would be unable to assign it to a block device handle. So it will show up on the USB device tree, but not on the block device tree.



          This of course implies, that you can't make it visible in any program, that accesses only block devices - that includes disk utility.






          share|improve this answer













          Actually the system profiler doesn't see the disk at all - what it indeed does see, is the USB device that fronts it.



          Think of it as a chain of devices: System -> USB Controller -> USB cable -> USB/SATA adapter -> SATA disk, with only the last link in the chain failing. Obviously the USB subsystem would see the USB device, but would be unable to assign it to a block device handle. So it will show up on the USB device tree, but not on the block device tree.



          This of course implies, that you can't make it visible in any program, that accesses only block devices - that includes disk utility.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Dec 25 '18 at 22:35









          Eugen RieckEugen Rieck

          10k22128




          10k22128













          • i.e. it's dead. ;-)

            – Bill
            Dec 25 '18 at 23:36



















          • i.e. it's dead. ;-)

            – Bill
            Dec 25 '18 at 23:36

















          i.e. it's dead. ;-)

          – Bill
          Dec 25 '18 at 23:36





          i.e. it's dead. ;-)

          – Bill
          Dec 25 '18 at 23:36













          0














          The disk is very probably dead.
          There is an app called DriveDx that you can download (free trial) from https://binaryfruit.com/. Download it with the built-in kext. This app may see it and give info about the disk.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Welcome to Super User! Please read how to recommend software in answers, particularly the bits in bold; then edit your answer to follow the guidelines there. Thanks!

            – bertieb
            Dec 27 '18 at 15:04
















          0














          The disk is very probably dead.
          There is an app called DriveDx that you can download (free trial) from https://binaryfruit.com/. Download it with the built-in kext. This app may see it and give info about the disk.






          share|improve this answer
























          • Welcome to Super User! Please read how to recommend software in answers, particularly the bits in bold; then edit your answer to follow the guidelines there. Thanks!

            – bertieb
            Dec 27 '18 at 15:04














          0












          0








          0







          The disk is very probably dead.
          There is an app called DriveDx that you can download (free trial) from https://binaryfruit.com/. Download it with the built-in kext. This app may see it and give info about the disk.






          share|improve this answer













          The disk is very probably dead.
          There is an app called DriveDx that you can download (free trial) from https://binaryfruit.com/. Download it with the built-in kext. This app may see it and give info about the disk.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Dec 27 '18 at 14:18









          LexSLexS

          1




          1













          • Welcome to Super User! Please read how to recommend software in answers, particularly the bits in bold; then edit your answer to follow the guidelines there. Thanks!

            – bertieb
            Dec 27 '18 at 15:04



















          • Welcome to Super User! Please read how to recommend software in answers, particularly the bits in bold; then edit your answer to follow the guidelines there. Thanks!

            – bertieb
            Dec 27 '18 at 15:04

















          Welcome to Super User! Please read how to recommend software in answers, particularly the bits in bold; then edit your answer to follow the guidelines there. Thanks!

          – bertieb
          Dec 27 '18 at 15:04





          Welcome to Super User! Please read how to recommend software in answers, particularly the bits in bold; then edit your answer to follow the guidelines there. Thanks!

          – bertieb
          Dec 27 '18 at 15:04


















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