What to do when your MacBook does not recognize other devices

Your MacBook Won’t Recognize External Devices

If you use external devices like printers, scanners, external drives, or displays, you might find that, upon occasion, your MacBook suddenly doesn’t recognize the device. Here are some steps to take to help you identify and correct the situation:

1. Check that all of your cables are connected and that the device is receiving power. Is the device turned on and working properly on its own? Is the outlet the device is plugged into active? Are the cables connected securely? Check all of these basic (and all too common) problem causers before moving onto other steps.

2. Make sure the cable isn’t at fault. If you have a replacement cable, try connecting your device with that. Sometimes damage to the cable can cause it to stop working.

3. Shut down and restart your computer. See if your device is recognized.

4. Update your drivers. If you are working with a third-party, non-Apple piece of hardware, check the manufacturer’s website for any driver updates or patches. Install them according to the directions provided along with the driver file.

5. Check the System Profiler. If you’re a converted Windows user, this is similar to the Device Manager, except a lot more detailed. Open the System Profiler by choosing Apple > About This Mac > More Info. A list of hardware and software appears in the left column. Click on USB and FireWire (MacBook Pro only) to see which devices your system recognizes as connected. If your device is listed there but doesn’t work, then it’s probably a software issue. Update your drivers or reinstall any software that came with the device. If your device is connected to the MacBook but doesn’t appear, then it is a hardware problem.

6. Call the technical support number of the device manufacturer. You can usually find this on the Support page of the manufacturer’s website.

Resolving Display Issues

If you turn on your MacBook and hear the fan and drives whirring but there’s no video, you can take these steps to attempt to resolve the issue:

1. Check that the brightness of the screen is not set to zero. Increase the brightness by using the f2 key.

2. Reset your PRAM. Press the power button and hold down all four of these keys: command-option-p-r. Continue to hold them until you hear your MacBook’s startup sound twice.

3. Reset the SMC.

4. Check whether your MacBook displays video when booting from a disk. Locate your installation/recovery disk and insert it into your optical drive. Shut down your MacBook and restart it while holding down the c key. This will cause your MacBook to boot from the disk. If you see video, your software may be corrupted. Use the Archive and Install function of the disk to create a new installation of your operating system without losing your personal data and files.

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