Lots of problems with my MBL 3TB - as subject says, it won’t connect from my iMac… everything had worked fine prior to this, using it for iTunes and TimeMachine backups, then last week I just couldn’t connect to it from the finder and feared it was dead.
However… I could connect to the dashboard in browser (though very slow). I restarted it and no difference,
The MBL shows in the Finder Sidebar but won’t open, with cannot connect, connection failed or cannot find messages.
I can use Cloud on the iPhone and access everything - and I can watch movies from the MBL on the Ouya console, so that can read it ok.
Worried about losing all the stuff on it, I tried FTPing - that worked and I have been able to download files and folders via FTP and all seems ok there.
The short test in Dashboard utilities shows no problems, but the longer tests says there are errors and I have got a system report.
Any idea what the next step may be? Once I’m sure I have all my data off I will look at a system restore, but I want to know what the problem is in case it’s pointless using the drive any more…
Many thanks
Dave
What changed? Any upgrades on mac or MBL? Have you tried accessing it by IP instead of name?
As other devices can see the MBL fine and even FTP, I wouldn’t think it is a drive issue. Access the dashboard via phone as well see how it is.
Also, yes, here I go again… backup backup backup, see the section in:
http://howto.cnet.com/8301-33088_39-57556308/digital-storage-basics-part-3-backup-vs-redundancy/
ARGH Hit Solved instead of reply, darn!
Nothing changed in the MBL or iMac and when I try to connect via IP it asks for password but then won’t connect.
Thankfully I think everything on the drive is backed up elsewhere, but all in bits… this was the one big handy box for storeage…
Cheers D
I contacted support and had the following reply :
We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try using a different Ethernet cable, Cat6 preferably and connect it directly to the computer if possible just for testing purposes to try going to the dashboard and accessing the shares themselves.
If the issue persists we recommend to reset the drive by pushing the reset button on the back for 4 seconds while the unit is “ON”, then release it. The unit will restart and then you will be able to try again.
If the issue persists we recommend to do “Factory Restore” through the drive’s interface:
1- Settings.
2- Utilities.
3- Factory Restore.
4- Can Select either Quick or Full Factory Restore.
Note. Either of the Factory restore will erase the data in the drive, so please make sure to have a backup of the data before selecting either of them. This won’t happen with the external hard reset with the paperclip.
I’ve tried the reset with no luck and I’m off to buy a new ethernet cable today to try a direct connection. I’m reluctant to do a factory restore until I’m sure everything recoverable is off it or that I have alternative backups elsewhere.
Meanwhile the files on the drive seem tantalisingly close but unobtainable - I installed WD My Cloud on the iMac and I can see everything there. All the folders open. I can see documents within.
But the files won’t open from iCloud.
When I try to copy from the MBL to the iMac in My Cloud, it creates a zipped file to the iMac - but the file won’t unzip (Error 2, no such file or directory) - or with Stuffit the message “Format error. Error #17540”
I had been able to FTP some of my files to another drive, but that is no longer working, with an error message “failed to open file”
Any more suggestions?
If this fails, I’d like to try the unbricking method mentioned in the forum, even though my MBL isn’t as bricked as some of them seem to be - it just seems confused 
Any idea if the unbricking might solve my problems?
Many thanks
Dave
