Seagate FreeAgent Desktop USB

RopeDrink

Right, I'm at my wits end.

I've had this Seagate FreeAgent Desktop USB Backup Drive for some time now and up until recently it served me well...

Last month the drive mysteriously became invisible / undetected in the devices / My Computer. It freaked me out but ironically I got it back after about 30minutes of panic, can't really remember how.

Cue another month and now it's worse.

Basically, the drive can be seen in Device Manager in the "Disk Drives" category, but any attempt to even use the computer (Explorer) while it is connected will cause freezes... Initially I thought it was a problem with a game I was playing but then I noticed it was down to the fact said game was installed on the drive. Removing the USB made the computer instantly ditch all freeze and continue normally.

All my backup material is on this drive so to lose everything would be devastating for me - But try as I might, the most you can do is get it to show in MyComputer (G) but opening said Window will cause the computer to try and scan for whats on the drive, eventually leading to a guaranteed freeze unless you unplug it. Any attempt to see the drive in "Disk Management" will freeze the program before it can even load a single drive. It can't even tell you the size of the drive as it obviously cant get any information off it whatsoever.

Basically, this problem makes any kind of NTSF / Kernal / Recovery program unusable.

Multiple google searches have shown many people with problems with said Backup Drive but nothing this extreme. Basically plugging it in will only serve to lockup any Windows Explorer, Explorer or anything that even remotely tries to access the drive.

I've tried reinstalling it from Device Manager (But, Ironically, this drive does not need installing or drivers) which causes the attempt to freeze, disabling and re-enabling (Freeze), powering it off / unplugging it for extended periods, tried using it in TWO seperate computers (My old computer and someone elses Laptop, the issue happens on all three computers) and basically nothing works.

I cannot in any way, shape or form even get something to go beyond registering it's installed. Device Manager says it's plugged in and "The Device Is Working Properly" but that is the only recognition you can get without full computer freezes.

Anyone have any advice short of taking it in to a repair place and forking out money? Thats the last resort as I absolutely must get my items back...

Odaise Gaelach

RopeDrink wrote: »

I've tried reinstalling it from Device Manager (But, Ironically, this drive does not need installing or drivers)

The drivers would probably be the built-in USB drivers in Windows; no way to delete them, as far as I am aware.

RopeDrink wrote: »

tried using it in TWO seperate computers (My old computer and someone elses Laptop, the issue happens on all three computers) and basically nothing works.

Have you tried it in Safe Mode at all?
EDIT: Alternatively, have you tried booting into Startup Repair on Windows Vista or 7 and attempting to access the drive via the Command Prompt then?


From what I hear you've tried almost everything. Probably the best course of action would be to bring it to a professional. However if you're feeling adventurous you could also try disassembling the casing, getting the actual drive and attempting to plug it straight into your computer. Most internal hard drives and external USB drives use SATA connectors. This will void the warranty and you'll have to be careful you don't damage the actual drive itself.

But if the data is really worth that much to you, I'd be inclined to pay a professional.

Borderfox

is the drive spinning up? I had the power control go on a 1.5tb drive and had to buy an exact copy and replace it, worked a treat. It would show up in disk management but no luck in explorer