What’s the disk format, FAT32 or non-Microsoft format? Can you access this HDD on another computers? If there is no important data on this HD need to backup, you can try to reformat it in Disk Management as a test. ============ 1. Connect the HDD 2. Start -> diskmgmt.msc, it will open Disk Management, can you find the external HDD listed as Disk x?

3. If it shows partition space and status as “Healthy”, you can right click the partition and try to assign a drive letter. If we cannot assign drive letter for it, pls right click the partition and select “Format”. All data will be clean but you should be able to assign drive letter. Can you access the HDD now? What’s the disk format, FAT32 or non-Microsoft format? Fingers curved on home row keys.

Can you access this HDD on another computers? If there is no important data on this HD need to backup, you can try to reformat it in Disk Management as a test.

Formatting an external hard drive will delete any information on the device, likewise reformatting your system will essentially bring your Mac back to a clean factory state, thus removing all. Securely erase your hard drive with Disk Utility. Before Lion, you had to boot from a CD or DVD system disk or a third-party utility, like Disk Warrior, or from an external drive with OS X installed.

============ 1. Connect the HDD 2. Start -> diskmgmt.msc, it will open Disk Management, can you find the external HDD listed as Disk x? 3. If it shows partition space and status as “Healthy”, you can right click the partition and try to assign a drive letter. If we cannot assign drive letter for it, pls right click the partition and select “Format”. All data will be clean but you should be able to assign drive letter. Can you access the HDD now?

I have the same issue, but when I right click on the partion, the option to assign a drive letter is grey'd out. I do not see a disk format either, it is blank in that section (FileSystem). What can I do? I have Windows XP Hey I had the exact same problem. I was using my external hard drive on a MacBook and wanted to format it so that it would work on XP but when I opened Disk Management all the options were greyed out.

Here's how I solved the problem: 1. Connect your external hard drive to your mac 2. Open Disk Utility (command+F and type 'disk utility') 3. Click the drive you want to format in the left hand pannel 4. Click the 'partition' tab 5.

Select under Volume Scheme '1 partition' 6. Under Volume Information, under format select 'MS- DOS (FAT)' 7. Click 'Apply' The disk should now be formatted in FAT32 which is compatible with Windows XP. After completing those steps I connect the hard drive to my PC and I was able to read and write in the volume. Hope this helps!

Ok well now that ive backedup all my files. Can i delete them off my computer? Or do i have to leave them on their? Cuz i bought the external hard drive so i can clear my bigger files off my computer and just use them through my external hardrive. When its hooked up to my computer. So i have the files when i need them.

How to back up your mac online for free. But that makes it a superb backup tool for power users. Cloning your startup disk should be a regular part of any complete backup process. Is primarily a disk-cloning application.