I think my new Mac bricked my external HDD. Can it be recovered?

[Mark Virly]

I have a new Mac Pro 13". OS X El Capitan.

I have a 500GB WD Elements external HDD, which I used to use with my Windows laptop. Because it's not formatted for Mac, I wanted to format it so that I can use it for Mac.

I backed up the HDD by transferring the files from the HDD to the Mac's desktop. And because the HDD is readable only on the Mac, I cannot delete anything. I proceeded to Disk Utility to Erase the disk. But it failed, and now the HDD is not shown on Finder. I also tried to erase it again but it does not work anymore. Disk Utility shows there is no more volume under it.

What can I do to fix this disk? I don't want to buy a new disk.

Some screenshots:

Imgur links:

http://imgur.com/yMWe4L2

http://imgur.com/3LEEZd3

http://imgur.com/ah2NoUT

http://imgur.com/RrywEjm

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

If there are no files you need to save on the drive, you could try to partition it instead of simply erasing it. Also, it did show an input/output error, which could be a faulty cable or an actual hardware failure.

-Have you tried disconnecting it, restarting the Mac, and reconnecting it?
-Does it allow you to run First Aid?
-When you attempted to erase it, did you select:
Format: OS X Extended (Journaled)
Scheme: GUID Partition Map

C

 

[Mark Virly]

Hello and welcome.

If there are no files you need to save on the drive, you could try to partition it instead of simply erasing it. Also, it did show an input/output error, which could be a faulty cable or an actual hardware failure.

-Have you tried disconnecting it, restarting the Mac, and reconnecting it?
-Does it allow you to run First Aid?
-When you attempted to erase it, did you select:
Format: OS X Extended (Journaled)
Scheme: GUID Partition Map

C

I was able to format it to exFAT after a while but when transferring large files to it, it quits, dismounts and refuses to work again. I think it died.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yes, sounds like either a bad cable or the internal controller board of the drive enclosure. I have also seen that happen when the external AC power supply for the drive starts to fail.

C