Volume Could Not Be Unmounted: A Guide to Troubleshooting Disk Utility Issues

When you try to mount your external hard drive, only to be met with the error message 'the volume could not be unmounted disk utility,' it can be frustrating and stressful. This issue can occur on MacBooks running MacOS Catalina 10.15.7 or later versions. In this article, we'll walk you through troubleshooting steps using free tools to repair your external hard drive.

TestDisk 7.1: A Free Data Recovery Utility

To begin troubleshooting, download TestDisk 7.1, a free data recovery utility that can help identify and fix issues with your external hard drive. Run the quick search on the disk to gather more information about the problem.

The Output of TestDisk 7.1

Here's what you might see when running TestDisk:

`Total sectors for embedded volume = 0`

`0x00 The volume could not be verified completely.`

`Alternate VHB is at block 1952853342 0x74662d5e`

Using this information, we can start to identify the problem with our external hard drive.

Running fsck_hfs: A Potential Solution

The next step is to run `fsck_hfs`, a command-line utility that checks and repairs file system errors. To do so, open Terminal on your MacBook Air and type:

`sudo fsck_hfs -r -d /dev/disk2s2`

This command will attempt to repair any issues with the file system. If it fails, you may need to use additional options or try a different approach.

Running First Aid: Another Troubleshooting Step

Another useful tool is the 'First Aid' feature built into Disk Utility. To access this feature:

1. Open Disk Utility on your MacBook Air.

2. Select the external hard drive (disk2) from the list of available disks.

3. Click the 'First Aid' button to run a diagnostic test.

If the test fails, you may see an error message indicating that the catalogue PEOF is invalid.

Troubleshooting Tips and Workarounds

Based on your situation, here are some additional troubleshooting tips and workarounds:

1. Try running `fsck_hfs` with different options or combinations of options to see if it resolves the issue.

2. Check for any issues with permissions or ownership by using the `chown` and `chmod` commands in Terminal.

3. If you're still having trouble, consider trying a different USB port or cable to rule out any connection-related issues.

When you encounter the error 'the volume could not be unmounted disk utility,' it can be frustrating and challenging to resolve on your own. However, by using free tools like TestDisk 7.1 and `fsck_hfs`, you may be able to identify and fix the issue with your external hard drive.

Remember to always back up your important data regularly to prevent data loss in case of a disk failure or corruption. If you're still having trouble resolving the issue, consider seeking help from a professional data recovery service or Apple Support.

Volume could not be unmounted disk utility