Rescuing files from external hard drive

There are multiple potential problems here.

First, exactly what is the make & model of the "external drive?" Is it connected directly to your MBAir or are you using a USB hub to connect them?

Second, are you using the Photos app, or something else? Are the photos in a Photos Library or are they just files on the external drive?

The external hard drive was used as a Time Machine backup, however this was last used about a year ago and now says "backup couldn´t be completed. Time Machine was unable to create a backup"

That may indicate a problem with the drive, especially since you said it "took awhile" to load.

The files (photos) I´m trying to use from the hard drive were simply drag and dropped.

A drive that is used for Time Machine should not be used for any other purposes. While you can't change what you did in the past, keep this in mind if you use a drive for TM in the future.

I tried to unplug it and then plug it in again. After that the files were completely gone so when I clicked on the hard drive to open it, it opens an empty finder basically.

Unfortunately, by doing that, the drive was not ejected properly, which often causes problems such as loss of files or sometimes (rarely) damage to the drive. Not wanting to cause you distress, but you need to know this. Never just "unplug" an external drive. Always eject it by dragging it to the trash; or using the Finder to eject the drive; or by shutting down your Mac before disconnecting the drive.

Try shutting down your MBAir and the external drive (all the way to power off state). Then restart, reconnect the drive and see if you can find the files. Sometimes that works. If not, you may need to use a data recovery app like Prosoft DataRescue to recover the files.

Hi phiephieee,

and welcome to this Apple )user=to=user) Community!

Re: "Rescuing files from external hard drive

I´m using a MacBook Air on Sequoia 15.6.1. and trying to use an external hard drive with it."

For MacOS Sequoia: What's new in the updates for macOS Sequoia - Apple Support

says macOS Sequoia 15.7.2 is the latest version

and "This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users".

(Reminder: If you choose to update your Mac OS , It is always wise to back up your Mac first)

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Re: "When I connect it, it takes a while to load but eventually I can see all the files I need.

However, once I try to use them or copy them to a different place, it´s not working."

Wondering in what way you are viewing the files and trying to access them. (There may be a btter way?)

Also: It may help to know more about the drive's photo files.

Eg: The external drive may be:

✽ a Tiime Machine back-up from a Mac,

✽ one where the stored files were simply drag & dropped to the drive.

✽ Maybe the drive has files archived from iCloud.

✽ Maybe the drive contains a whole "Photos Library" back-up.

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A method that works for many files on external drives:

Simply double-click the icon for the external-drive when it appears on the desktop, to open it,

Then find the right files, and drag and drop them to the Mac Desktop, so you have copies ready for use.

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Re: "I´m trying to make a photo book and was able to get it started with about 30 photos,

but after that I can´t upload any of the rest of the photos. "

Is it possible the photo-book software you are using cannot handle a larger number of photos ?

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Re: "I can´t upload any of the rest of the photos. Have I got any chance of rescuing the files on this hard drive?

Please let us know if the simple "drag and drop to the desktop" method will work for you,

( or ... maybe you had tried that already ?),

____

If not: It would help to have more info on your way of working with the files, that isn't working any longer..

(Eg: Method you use to try uploading the photos. Eg: Photo-book in Pages, in Photos, or other software.)

Eg: To bring files directly into Photos app: Start by opening Photos app > Choose "File" > "Import"

In the window that opens:

Navigate to the files on the external drive

All the best :-)

Seems we neglected to answer some of the points you made:

Re: “backup couldn´t be completed. Time Machine was unable to create a backup"

This is likely due to the presence of the drag and dropped photo files … Time Machine isn’t set up to handle anything else but the back-ups  … (unless those photo files are in a separate “volume” especially set up on the hard-drive) … the unexpected photo files may cause Time Machine to see them as an incomplete back-up. 

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Re: “The thing that confuses me is, the files were all there, I could see them as the little preview icons in the folder, but wasn´t able to drag and drop them to somewhere else”.

On a hard-drive used for Time Machine back-ups, files can not be moved around to different locations or sorted into other folders.

Files can be drag-and-dropped to the desktop, (or files in back-ups can also be “recovered” to their original places on a Mac using Time Machine ).

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Re: “Just really panicking”

It’s not easy to think clearly then.

Eg: The photo-files may be the only copies available of those photos , or maybe you backed them up there (eg: archived from iCloud or transferred from another device) Perhaps the originals are still safely stored somewhere else,

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Re: “where should I go to have someone look at this?”

Seems there are companies that do data recovery. Have no experience with those.

If all else fails:

Apple provides a Photos support website:  (info. / support / contact options etc.)

Maybe worth reaching out via online chat / phone / email etc.

There's a "Get Support - Start now" link at the bottom of their website.

Photos - Official Apple Support 

Thank you kindly for your thoughtful reply, and the added info. I see Martin R has replied to you with some info. on various points that may be useful.

Note: If the external drive was formatted as APFS, and has been given an extra APFS volume for the data files, (ie: using Disk Utility) it may be in use for both Time Machine back-ups and other files, each within its own volume.

If I understand it correctly, Genius Bar now deals only with hardware problems.

In some countries "Today at Apple" runs some free specialised helpful sessions.