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AJW52
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Golden Gate Update External SSD Issue

Similar problem to others. I have a Mac mini m4. I have several SSDs but the 2TB one in UGREEN Mac Mini M6/M5 Pro/M4 Dock with 10G NVMe SSD Enclosure did not come back on line after the Golden Gate update. I have tried unplugging it (the SSD is uncased and fitted in the hub by design) Disk utility can't see it.


All the other attached hard discs are there and visible.

Posted on Nov 2, 2026 9:47 AM

2 replies

neuroanatomist
User level: Level 9 (72,871 points)

Nov 6, 2026 7:16 AM in response to AJW52

Open Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility, select View menu > Show all devices. Does it show up there, and if so, can you mount it (button in the top toolbar)?



More info: Disk Utility User Guide for Mac - Apple Support


If that does not resolve the issue, perform the following troubleshooting steps:


Perform a Hard Power Cycle of the Dock:

  • Unplug the UGREEN dock completely from both the Mac mini M4 and its wall power adapter (if it uses external power). Leave it disconnected for at least 30 to 60 seconds to completely drain residual capacitance from the dock's internal USB/NVMe bridge chip.
  • Reconnect power first, then plug it back into the Mac mini.


Check System Information (The "Hardware" Level):

  • Instead of just Disk Utility, hold the option key then click on the Apple menu and select System Information
  • Look under Hardware > USB or NVMe / PCI (depending on how the dock exposes the drive).
    • If the UGREEN bridge chip appears in the USB tree, the Mac sees the enclosure, meaning the SSD itself or the partition table isn't responding.
    • If the bridge chip itself is missing from the system report, the dock's controller may be locked up or experiencing a firmware/power handshake failure with macOS post-update.


Reseat the M.2 SSD:

  • Even though the SSD is fitted inside the dock by design, power down the Mac mini, disconnect the dock, open the enclosure compartment, remove the 2TB NVMe stick, inspect the golden contacts for dust or debris, and firmly re-seat it into the M.2 slot before tightening it back down


Also...

There were a few prior posts on this forum from users who couldn’t access their external drive due to the drive manufacturer’s software that they used to encrypt the drive. Lacie/Seagate, Samsung, SanDisk, etc., all provide 'drive management' software on their drives and using such 3rd party software can cause issues when macOS is updated and the 3rd party software becomes incompatible. Not sure if that's the issue here, but FYI the best practice with a new external drive (SSD/HDD, not applicable to NAS drives) is to use Disk Utility to complete erase it, format it as GUID/APFS and apply encryption if desired.



tillu_code
User level: Level 4 (2,112 points)

Nov 6, 2026 12:29 AM in response to AJW52

Open Disk Utility and choose View > Show All Devices, then check System Information > USB for the UGREEN enclosure. If the enclosure is missing there too, try another data cable and a direct connection to the Mac without other hubs. If it appears under USB but the SSD is absent from Disk Utility, test the SSD in another compatible NVMe enclosure if available. Do not erase or initialize it if you need the files.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256387653