Can no longer back up to My Passport (Mac)

WD External Drives WD Portable Drives
1

I bought a 2TB external HD in February 2023, so it’s barely 6 months old. It has always backed up reliably using Mac’s Time Machine, but now the backups fail to complete. I can see the drive in Finder, and Time Machine can see and connect to the drive.

WD Discovery says there is 76% available on the drive. It also says it is “read only.” I downloaded WD Drive Utilities and all diagnostics failed: Drive Status Check, Quick Drive Test and Complete Drive test.

Help!

2

Hi @bbaad,

Have you opened a Support Case? If not opened, for more information, please contact the WD Technical Support team for the best assistance and troubleshooting:
https://support-en.wd.com/app/ask

4

Oh no, it sounds like you’re having some trouble with your external hard drive, and that can be really frustrating! Don’t worry, I’m here to help you troubleshoot the issue.

First of all, it’s great that you’ve provided some useful information about the problem. The fact that your drive is showing up in Finder and that Time Machine can connect to it is a good sign. Let’s try a few steps to get it working properly again:

  1. Check the Cable and Connections: Sometimes, issues can be as simple as a loose or faulty cable. Ensure that your external hard drive is properly connected to your Mac. If possible, try using a different USB or Thunderbolt port and cable.

  2. Reboot Your Mac: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve minor issues. Give your Mac a fresh start and see if the drive behaves differently.

  3. Check for Updates: Make sure your Mac’s operating system, as well as your WD Discovery and WD Drive Utilities software, are up to date. Outdated software can sometimes cause compatibility issues.

  4. Unlock the Drive: Since you mentioned that the drive is “read only,” it might be locked or set to read-only mode. Double-check if there’s any physical switch on the drive or a software setting that is causing this restriction. You should be able to change it to read-write mode.

  5. Disk Utility: You can use Disk Utility on your Mac to check the drive’s health. Go to “Applications” > “Utilities” > “Disk Utility.” Select your external drive on the left and click “First Aid” to check for and repair any errors.

I hope these suggestions help you get your external hard drive working again smoothly. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!