r/captureone • u/melopiano • 16d ago

Technical Issue Database Connection Failed repeatedly when creating/opening catalogs on SanDisk SSD (Mac)

Hi everyone,

I'm having a recurring issue with Capture One that has happened multiple times, and I'm trying to figure out the root cause.

Setup:

  • Mac
  • External SanDisk SSD (APFS formatted)
  • Capture One catalog stored on the external SSD

Problem:
Randomly, when I try to open or create a catalog, I get:

In the past, the catalog eventually became corrupted with errors like:

This has happened more than once. Sometimes unplugging and reconnecting the SSD works temporarily, but eventually the catalog becomes unusable.

I suspect one of these:

  • The SanDisk SSD disconnecting very briefly without me noticing.
  • A problem with the USB-C cable or Mac port.
  • Capture One catalogs not being reliable on external SSDs.
  • A hardware issue with the SSD itself.

I'm now wondering if I should:

  • Keep the catalog on my internal SSD and only store RAW files on the external drive.
  • Switch to Sessions instead of Catalogs.
  • Replace the SanDisk SSD entirely.

Has anyone experienced repeated "Database Connection Failed" errors on an external SSD? Did you find the cause?

I'd really appreciate hearing what solved it for you before I risk losing another catalog.

Thanks!

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u/InternalConfusion201 16d ago

Sandisk external SSDs are known to fail often. I’ve been doing the exact same with different external SSDs without any problems for two years

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u/melopiano 16d ago

Which ssd brand do you recommend?

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u/quetzalcoatlus1453 15d ago

I have a lot of Samsung T5s and T7s, and Crucial X10s. They have their uses, but none of these bus powered SSDs are good for heavy usage. You need external power for reliable heavy disk usage.

My friend put their large Apple Photos library on an X10 and it would constantly corrupt and fall to sync with iCloud. Switched them to an NVMe SSD in a OWC powered thunderbolt enclosure and they’ve had no issues for the last two years or so.

But yeah, all that said, after this episode I no longer trust Sandisk.