If your HD icon has been changed, it is possible that your Macintosh HD volume has not yet reflected the resize, first try restarting your computer. If the Pear installer is still located on your TarDisk or your HD icon has not changed, it is likely that you are only on part one of three in the pearing process -- simply follow the steps below;

1. Run ALL steps in the instructions guide including the Optional steps. Here is a link to the guide. Remember to follow this guide EXACTLY as you may need to restart your computer and run the installer multiple times as well as complete "optional" steps. 
2. Repair pre-existing issues after you have completed the entire install guide, including the "Optional Step 4", you should run the "Fix Pear" option from the "TarDisk Selector Tool". To do so, from the "Pear" menu, select "Fix Pear". Performing this command will make your computer go un-responsive for a few moments. Restart your computer after this process completes for changes to take effect. See the full video walkthrough here.
3. UnPear. If the above steps do not work, Un-Pearing your computer and Re-Pearing, will fix the problem. Make sure that OSX has the latest updates installed, you are running OSX Yosemite or newer and your TimeMachine Backup has been updated. If the Pear installer becomes lost in this unPear/rePear process, or if you receive a "your TarDisk has been modified" error,  you must follow the guide to re-activate the TarDisk then to gain access to the Pear installer remotely, click here.  
4. Run the diagnostic. In our experience, all problems can be fixed by following the three steps above. In the very rare instance that you are still experiencing issues Pear-ing, you may now run the diagnostic which can be found in the “TarDisk Tool” located on the footer of this page, and from the "Pear" menu, select “Diagnose”. If any of the generated items say "error" or "failed", proceed to step 3 again, otherwise review the installation guide, as you still may have additional steps to run in the process. If you would like to shoot us an email we can help solve your issue if you include (1) a bullet point list of the steps you have taken, (2) the information from the Diagnostic. Make sure to include information in the email, beyond the auto-generated diagnostic, or the email will not make it to the technical support team. Our technical team generally maintains a 7-day turn around time, for help. If you cannot wait for assistance, please repeat steps 2 and 3. 

This is normal. Both physical drives will be shown. Note that the GB size of each drive is now increased to the sum of them both.

In this example a 256GB TarDisk has been Pear'ed with a 256GB MacBook Pro to produce 489GB free of 507GB. Notice that the MacBook Pro's SSD is 251GB while the TarDisk is a true 256GB, this is normal. Also notice that the colored bars are a reflection of each other, this too is normal and shows that both pieces of hardware are functional.

Finally the assigned names such as "Flash Storage" or "Secure Digital Disk" will vary depending on your MacBook Hardware which has been Pear'ed -- this too is normal. In the event that the sum of the two drives is not shown on the right hand side (i.e. you do not see 507GB or the combine equivalent) something in the Pearing process may not have completed fully and you should now review the trouble shooting steps in this FAQ. 

In the rare event that the pearing process stalls during installation (see screen shot below), this is the result of some pre-existing issue in your system, which has now triggered the pearing process to stop as a means of protecting you. 

 

Red-flags can be thrown to Pear if something is damaged or not responding properly. Please confirm the following checklist:

1. Your computer is up-to-date running OSX; Yosemitie, El Captain, Sierra or higher. Remember, you can upgrade your operating system for free on Apple.com here. 
2. You have administrative access to your computer and are using the correct password when prompted.
3. You have followed every step in the Pear Install Guide, including "optional step 4" which may solve your problem. 

If after you run these steps above and still have issues with the Pear installer getting stuck on the progress bar or on the screen above, the next step is to repair your hard drive by restoring your computer from a time machine backup. You can make a TimeMachine Backup now, and follow the applicable steps in our guide here. After restoring, Pear should be run again and should work flawlessly. 

Well, don't do that again. Plug your TarDisk back in, restart your computer and make sure that your backup is up-to-date. Our testing has shown that OS X manages the removal of the drive well, however removing the Pear'ed TarDisk while your system is running can result in a corrupted volume depending on what is running. If you did it once, it is probably (hopefully) ok. Don't do that again! 

It is important that we do not accidentally Pear your TarDisk to the wrong volume. The Pear installer has a number of safety features built in to prevent this from happening!  

1. First make sure that you have disconnected ALL external devices. This includes, USB devices, network attached storage and Thunderbolt connections. Restart your computer and try running Pear again. 
2. If Pear is still giving this error message, please run: sudo tmutil disablelocal You can then try running Pear installer again. (after successfully Pear'ed, run: sudo tmutil enablelocal)
3. If Pear is still giving this error message, it is possible that you have a bootcamp partition, which must be removed or transferred to a different computer.
4. If you are absolutely 100% sure that you do not have any additional partitions or volumes plugged into your computer (don't forget network attached storage a.k.a. WiFI shared drives on other Macs), it is possible that your system was transferred from an older Macintosh which is throwing red flags, or some other unforeseen error has been flagged to protect you. Unfortunately, this safety feature will intentionally prevent you from Pearing your system as a safety measure. To proceed with Pearing, please restore your computer from your Time Machine backup and begin the Pearing process again. Guide Here. 

If you have followed the steps above and still receive this error, your computer is not supported. Your TarDisk however can be run as a mobile secondary drive without Pear. 

We have found that some computers have corrupt core storage volumes. This can be the result of many different things, but often we have seen this occur with users who have restored their MacBooks from an image after upgrading, or from users who are running MacBooks which have been left "on" for most of their life. Not to worry, we have the fix! You will use the “fsck” tool,  accessible in single user mode through command prompt. To proceed follow these steps: (See fsck -fy video walkthrough here)

1. Backup your computer with Time Machine Backup. (it is possible that your original SSD is getting old and backing up your data is always a good idea)
2. Unplug all USB devices and restart your computer. (If your TarDisk is currently installed, please leave it plugged in)
3. Open this guide on a second computer or cellphone for reference.
4. Restart the computer into Single User Mode by holding down Command+S during system boot after you hear the boot chime, you know you will have successfully entered Single User Mode because you will see a bunch of white text on a black background scroll by.
5. When the Single User boot sequence has finished, you’ll find a small command prompt at the bottom of the screen prefixed by a hash sign (#), when you see that type the following command exactly: fsck -fy
6. Once fsck completes, if you see a “File system was modified” message, then you should then run “fsck -fy” again until you see a message stating “The volume (name) appears to be OK” – this is standard procedure of using fsck. You may have to run it 3-4 times. (Take a picture of this screen with your phone's camera)
7. Type “reboot” then press enter, to leave Single User Mode and boot the Mac back into OS X as usual.
8. Once OS X is booted again, it can be a good idea to confirm all is well by running the Disk Utility tool and running the “Verify” tool to check on the drives health. For an article on how to do this, click here.

This should solve your problems with corrupt storage, but if it does not, the next step is to either un-pear your computer (if applicable), or to replace your worn out existing SSD. Please proceed to "All other issues". A guide for un-pearing your TarDisk can be found here. 

In the event that you are experiencing issues not listed above, these problems can generally be solved by un-pearing your TarDisk and then re-pearing it. The un-pearing process can be found here which applies to computers that have yet-to-be peared as well.  This general process solves any issue you have with your computer, which includes: not re-sizing to the increased Macintosh HD size, not being able to pear, not being able to properly run the Pear installer, or generally not being able to start up (perhaps from an improperly removed TarDisk, physical damage to your system or other). This guide, which is the equivalent to restoring your system from a backup, can be found here. If you would like to try some non-TarDisk specific fixes before restoring, Apple offers a few options that we have summarized here. 

In the rare even that you are still experiencing issues trying to Pear your TarDisk or trying to run a computer which has recently been Peared, it is possible that something in your system has either thrown the Pear-Installer a red-flag or caused a kernel panic. In these instances we encourage you to visit the document found here, however due to your hardware configurations, it is possible that Pear is not supported by your MacBook. 

Hold on, it should slide right out! TarDisk is precision machined to within .005 inch accuracy, but between that range and the range on your MacBook’s machining, some TarDisks are especially snug. Don’t worry!

1. Make sure you’ve ejected your TarDisk first (and of course that it is not Pear'ed).
2. Then, use the edge of a credit card to gently pull it out. Push down on TarDisk to engage the spring mechanism built into your MacBook’s SD port. Do not use metal objects as they will damage your TarDisk and SD port.
3. If you would like a "Guitar-Pick" tool mailed to you, send a self-addressed envelope to us and we will get one in the mail to you! 

For a video of how to remove the TIGHTEST fitting TarDisk we could find and to demonstrate how to remove a TarDisk with a credit card, click here. Remember to never use a metal object when removing your TarDisk or damage will occur!

For TarDisk users, who can not reach their TarDisks' -- as you are aware, TarDisks are MacBook Model specific and range in length from 16mm to 22mm. In the event that you installed the wrong TarDisk for your MacBook, it is possible that this TarDisk is now seated deeply in your SD port making it difficult to reach with a fingernail/Credit Card. If it is necessary to remove your TarDisk, feel free to send a self-addressed and stamped Envelope to us and we will get a tool in the mail to you. The tool can be used to hook the TarDisk and pull it out.

A Peared TarDisks will not eject, however if you did not Pear your TarDisk and you find that you have run your computer down to 0% battery, TarDisk will be ejected by OS X, and after a simple re-start TarDisk should appear again.

If you have not run your computer down to 0% battery, but the TarDisk has still ejected, the first thing to try is shutting your computer down and with the computer off, unplugging and plugging your TarDisk back in TEN-Times. It is possible that if you rarely used your SDxc port prior to using your TarDisk, the pins in your computer’s slot are dirty and not making good electrical contact with the TarDisk. The act of pushing your TarDisk in and out may fix the problem. (Remember never use metal objects to remove your TarDisk)

If your [non-pear'ed] TarDisk is involuntarily unmounting from your MacBook upon sleep, there are software fixes for you here that will help as this is a setting in OS X. 

This is actually a defect in Apple’s drivers and/or OS X which is a problem not unique to TarDisk. We pre-format all TarDisks into MacOS Extended Journaled, which provides the highest performance experience, however this format may show this error when files are accessed across separate drives when those files contains special characters (? / < > " | > *) in their names. This even more commonly occurs if the file was created on a Windows computer. Luckily, it’s an easy fix;

1. Format TarDisk into ExFat. You can use DiskUtility to format the Drive; here is a tutorial.   
2. SMC & Pram Reset. You can follow our tutorial here.
3. Delete/Rename files.  Especially for files created on a windows computer, make sure to delete special characters from file names; (? / < > " | > *)

Please note that if you Pear'ed your TarDisk to your computer, and received this error code, "Step 1" and "Step 3" are not applicable to you. 

Remember when inserting TarDisk into your MacBook that the gold contact pins should face the floor and those pins should be inserted into your computer first. You can ignore the direction of the "Thumb-nail-removal-slot" as these vary from model to model. A simple video of insertion can be found here. 

If your TarDisk is not sitting completely flush, it is likely that you received the wrong model or your are not inserting it correctly. We are happy to replace your recently purchased TarDisk with the correct model. Get in touch with us (flushfit@TarDisk.com) so we can help! Please include; 

1. Your MacBook model number as specifically listed by the TarDisk MacBook Selector. 
2. Your TarDisk model number and receipt.
3. A description of the problem.  

Pearing your MacBook is a simple process designed to be permanent. To prevent the potential for data loss, please make sure to follow the steps below carefully. Pearing makes edits to your operating system's core storage that results in a Macintosh HD that is additively larger. A full set of text instructions can be found here.

1. Purchase TarDisk: Obtain a Pear enabled TarDisk, which has not been used previously. (Only TarDisks, which have not been used previously support the Pearing process.)  
2. Create a Time Machine backup of your system. Make sure that this backup is up-to-date. For information on how to enable your MacBook's existing Time Machine backup, visit Apple's website here. A TimeMachine backup is a necessary safeguard to the Pearing process. 
3. "Turn-Off" FileValult and any installed third party antivirus software. After Pearing is complete, you may turn FileVault and antivirus software back "on". 
4. Free up 8GB. Make sure that you have at least 8GB of free space for the Pearing process. This space is only needed temporary during Pearing.
5. Turn off and Unplug ALL Devices from your MacBook. Make sure your laptop is connected to power and running OSX Yosemite or higher.  
6. (Optional, but HIGHLY recommended.) Confirm that your existing hard drive is running properly before Pearing and if it isn't, repair it. If you choose to skip this step now you may need to run it later. (See Video Guide here).
7. Quit ALL programs. Hold down the Command key and press tab to see programs that are running. Quit each program. 
   
8. Insert TarDisk. Slide TarDisk into your SDXC port. Remember, never use metal to remove your TarDisk. 
9. Run TarDisk Pear installer.  Located on your TarDisk is the Pear installer application. This step-by-step installer will prompt you for input. This process will vary in length based on the size of your current hard drive, and the size of the TarDisk -- for a complete Tardisk Pear Installer walkthrough please see the full instructions here.
10. Finished. After restarting, you will see a window: Welcome to TarDisk Pear! If you do not see this window, then you are only one third through the process, and now need to run the Pear Installer again. (For some older computers that previously did not have core storage, you will need to run the installer one more time)  Your Macintosh HD will now show two HD volumes, however both volumes will show the combine size of the two.

Enjoy your new Peared MacBook!

If you have additional questions, please review this guide and confirm that all steps were properly followed. In the event that you intentionally skipped any of the optional steps above (i.e. Step 8), this may be the source of problems you are experiencing. Please complete those skipped-steps now. If further assistance is needed, please review the full instructions, and in the FAQ follow instructions for Troubleshooting a Peared TarDisk.  

Although the Pearing process is permanent, there may be instances where you need to remove your TarDisk for troubleshooting etc. In these cases the un-Pearing process is listed below and can be accomplished in eight steps.   

1. Reduce the used disk space on your Macintosh HD to 20% below its original size.
2. Turn off FileVault and any third party antivirus software.
3. Create a Time Machine backup.
4. (Optional) Create an additional online BackUp. 
5. Turn your computer off.
6. Slide your TarDisk out.
7. Turn your computer on while holding down Command (⌘) + R while the computer starts.
8. Enter into “Disk Utility” and click “Repair Disk.” After the repair process completes, exit Disk Utility.
9. Restore your MacBook from your most recent Time Machine backup. The process will take about an hour.
10. Thats it you are done!

If you run into issues, please follow the step by step guide here.
Note that after you un-Pear your TarDisk, the TarDisk itself will need to be re-activated before it will function properly again in a computer. To wipe the TarDisk clean, follow the guide here.

After a successful Pearing, your files are protected from third parties with physical access to your TarDisk without your permission. (For example if your TarDisk is ever to be stolen from within your Laptop without your permission, the files will not be readable). For more information visit our overview here. 

After a successful Pearing, a shortcut icon to your Macintosh HD will appear on your desktop. This shortcut can be enabled or disabled using the preferences menu.