Seagate back up drive failure
Feb 18, 2023 08:52:46 #
My 2TB back up stopped working with my various Apple computers. It turns on but will not open. After many frustrating hours on chat with Seagate personnel, they finally sent me their recovery software forgiving me the usual cost. It recognizes the drive and goes as far as trying to recover it but then gives the message that my system can’t handle it even after I quit all possible applications. They admit that it is a “heavy” program. They now tell me to find a local geek service although their on-line add says they “have my back” and will do what it takes!!! Any ideas from the UHH group?
Feb 18, 2023 09:06:17 #
If it's a backup drive, I'd just get another drive and do another backup.
Why recover?
A working drive would be a totally different story.
Why recover?
A working drive would be a totally different story.
Feb 18, 2023 09:12:27 #
Does the 2TB drive mount and show on the desktop?
Do you have a more powerful Mac that you try running the Seagate software on?
Does it show up in any fashion when running Disk Utility?
Do you have a friend with a more powerful Mac that would be willing to run the Seagate software so possibly you can recover your files that way?
If you need to take it to a recovery service that service can run as much as 300-500 dollars.
Unfortunately you now know why you always need 2 separate back up drives. Also if your Mac is not malfunctioning then just get TWO new drives for safe and secure backup.
I hope this helps.
Brian
Do you have a more powerful Mac that you try running the Seagate software on?
Does it show up in any fashion when running Disk Utility?
Do you have a friend with a more powerful Mac that would be willing to run the Seagate software so possibly you can recover your files that way?
If you need to take it to a recovery service that service can run as much as 300-500 dollars.
Unfortunately you now know why you always need 2 separate back up drives. Also if your Mac is not malfunctioning then just get TWO new drives for safe and secure backup.
I hope this helps.
Brian
Feb 18, 2023 10:19:21 #
MBW66 wrote:
My 2TB back up stopped working with my various App... (show quote)
How long have you had it? How many Apple computers share it? Do you have a redundant, two drive "A/B" backup system?
Feb 18, 2023 11:17:39 #
I have Two 2TB backup drives. The 1st is used weekly as the primary backup. The 2nd is used about once a month as a secondary backup. That way I'm never out much. The drives are in an external USB drive holder so if 1 drive dies, it can be replaced without taking the tower apart.
Feb 18, 2023 11:23:47 #
nicksr1125 wrote:
I have Two 2TB backup drives. The 1st is used weekly as the primary backup. The 2nd is used about once a month as a secondary backup. That way I'm never out much. The drives are in an external USB drive holder so if 1 drive dies, it can be replaced without taking the tower apart.
I have an external dock also. 
Feb 18, 2023 11:32:48 #
Thanks for the replies. It was not my primary back-up drive but one left over from a previous computer which had crashed. It is over 3 years old and out of warrantee. It had photos on it that I had not transferred since I could access it as needed. The photos are what I would like to recover. Stupid me for not doing so while it was still working. Running First Aid on Disc Utility was a good idea but it failed giving the message: "First Aid could not unmount one of the other volumes in the volume’s container. Click Done to continue." When I try to open the drive I get an endless "loading" whirling icon and then it eventually shuts down by itself and then I get the message that I did not quit it correctly! So I am stuck.
Feb 19, 2023 08:57:37 #
MBW66 wrote:
Thanks for the replies. It was not my primary bac... (show quote)
Non-working hard drives can be frustrating. I have one that gets as far as beginning the format. Then I get a message saying there's a problem.
Feb 19, 2023 12:49:54 #
delder
Loc: Maryland
In DOS & Windows, I have been known to open the drive HOUSING and power the Hard Drive ITSELF from a known working power supply/data cable set to rule out the case power supply/data cable components.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Feb 19, 2023 13:10:08 #
Mr. SONY
Loc: LI, NY
There is something you could try.
If the problem is on the drives circuit board and not with the heads or stuck plater.
A stuck platter can be unstuck by carefully rotating it.
Find an identical drive that works and remove its circuit board and replace the board on your broken drive.
Sometimes the electronics fail and swapping out the board will give you the ability to back up your data.
This is something I've done many times in the past.
Now I use redundancy.
Five backup drives.
If the problem is on the drives circuit board and not with the heads or stuck plater.
A stuck platter can be unstuck by carefully rotating it.
Find an identical drive that works and remove its circuit board and replace the board on your broken drive.
Sometimes the electronics fail and swapping out the board will give you the ability to back up your data.
This is something I've done many times in the past.
Now I use redundancy.
Five backup drives.
Feb 19, 2023 13:23:06 #
Mr. SONY wrote:
There is something you could try. br If the proble... (show quote)
You were extremely lucky!
If you plan on opening a hard drive, and want to continue to use it, do it in a clean booth!
Room air contains dust particles. They will get into the open drive housing.
The heads do not contact the disk, they fly only angstroms above the disk on a cushion of air.
If a dust particle happens to try to get under the head, it will destroy the air cushion and the head will crash.
Dust particles are larger that the cushion of air.
I know this because I used to do head and disk R&D at Sperry Univac many years ago..... In a clean booth.
Feb 19, 2023 14:35:15 #
Is it an external drive in a case?
If so, does it have an external power supply? if so, have you checked/swapped it?
How is it connected to the computer? USB or lightning or…? If so, have you swapped the cable?
Can you feel the drive spinning?
If so, does it have an external power supply? if so, have you checked/swapped it?
How is it connected to the computer? USB or lightning or…? If so, have you swapped the cable?
Can you feel the drive spinning?
Feb 19, 2023 15:02:13 #
Mr. SONY
Loc: LI, NY
Longshadow wrote:
You were i extremely /i lucky! br br If you pla... (show quote)
I didn't do this so the drive could be put back in service.
I did so lost data could be recovered.
Who cared if the drive wasn't able to be put back in service.
Data recovery, data recovery!
Feb 19, 2023 15:04:25 #
Mr. SONY wrote:
I didn't do this so the drive could be put back in service.
I did so lost data could be recovered.
Who cared if the drive wasn't able to be put back in service.
Data recovery, data recovery!
I did so lost data could be recovered.
Who cared if the drive wasn't able to be put back in service.
Data recovery, data recovery!
Good.
That was a disaster waiting to happen.
Glad you were able to recover the data!
Feb 19, 2023 15:50:03 #
Longshadow wrote:
You were i extremely /i lucky! br br If you pla... (show quote)
I’ve replaced the controller board a number of times, but I’ve never opened the case enclosing the platter since I don’t have a clean room. What I have done, if the drive isn’t spinning and all else fails, is to give it a hard slap with my hand on the bottom of the drive. Often that will start it, but you hope the head wasn’t stuck over the allocation table. Older drives used to be lubricated (which could dry out), but all drives that I’m aware of now use air bearings. Our engineering dept at DDN used to open failed drives to a certain the failure mode. Often when we found a drive that wouldn’t spin and the controller board was dood, the head was parked on the outer track in the debris that flakes off the surface over time and is spun to the periphery of the platter. Some people have advocated putting a non spinning drive in the freezer in a plastic bag for a few minutes, but I’ve never tried that tactic - too much danger of condensation on the platter.
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