External SSD ejecting itself (Kingston XS2000) from Mac Mini M1

“External SSD ejecting itself (Kingston XS2000) from Mac Mini M1: […]Checked cables, switched to a powered usb hub, even bought an old Macbook (A1278) because Apple told me it might be the MacOs version.[…]”

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Troubleshooting Hard Drive Not Connecting:

Seems what Apple is inferring is that you reinstall the macOS.

Reinstalling the macOS:

Nothing would be lost. It's just that misplaced items would be placed back to where they should be and corrupt system files would be replaced by clean files. Go Here: Reinstall macOS - Apple Support. Use the third bulleted method: [command + r].  Important: Prior to installing an update or performing a reinstallation, to prevent data loss, be sure to Back up your Mac with Time Machine.

What else to Try:

A. Boot into Safe Mode:

When you boot into Safe Mode, items load by default, with certain settings and caches set aside. So, hold down the shift key upon boot. See what happens then.

B. Single-Out this User:

What happens when you create a new Administrator user? do you still get this error? If not, then it it like an issue with the configurations of the current user. If so, then it is an issue of the macOS, in which case, you'd need to reinstall it.

C. Restore from a Backup:

Any recent Backups?: If you backed up your Mac prior to updating it then, restore form it. Sometimes, an update can fail due to power issues, or losing connection to Apple's servers. So, know to always back up your Mac prior to making any major changes to it, successfully as au update. In doing so, you with have something to restore store your Mac from from, should anything go wrong with the upgrade.

“Yes, tried with 3 different Macs (2 Apple Silicon, 1 Intel), no success. Although Macbook (A1278) successfully ‘repairs’ the disk with Disk Utility, but it is ejected when I push it a little harder, like moving a 1 GB file to a new disk.”

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Device Restrictions:

Are you using any Security Software? Is ScreenTime enabled on this? Is this a company-owned device? If so, you might not be permitted to perform this connection to the Mac.

Making a Store Appointment:

Set up a Genius Bar Appointment at your local Apple Store. There, it will be diagnosed, and you'll be provided with your options. IMPORTANT: Be certain to bring along a proof of purchase (i.e. sale receipt or original packaging) and the iPhone, itself.

“External SSD ejecting itself (Kingston XS2000) from Mac Mini M1: […]Hi! Thank you for your help! Although I tried these as well, except restoring from a backup, since this is my backup drive, without success.”

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You are welcome.

Excellent job troubleshooting this?

Single-Out this Mac:

So, what happens when you plug this into another device? Don’t still get this error? If so, then it is an issue with the drive. If not, then, it’s an issue with the Hard Drive.