Free Agent Aux Drive has stopped showing up - ideas? (Page 3): No problem. That's what we're here for. :thumbup: Too bad the restore didn't help. Maybe if she went back further?

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

RWR wrote:

Thanks for assisting. :)

No problem. That's what we're here for.
:thumbup:
Too bad the restore didn't help. Maybe if she went back further?

wmontgomery Loc: Louisiana

If you have data on the Seagate drive you need I would do this:
Purchase a copy of Gibson Research's SpinRite $89(gmc.com). Money back no question quarantee. Follow instructions, download, burn to CD, boot your Win 8 machine. SpinRite should be able to see your Seagate drive. Run with option 2.
I have used SpinRite for over 10 years on all my drives at least once a year for normal maintence. I use it on all new drives. I have recovered many drives for friends.
Note that all drives will fail the question is when.
Also I have not purchased a Seagate drive in 3 years because of the high error count of ECC errors. Seagate is letting the drive software correct errors rather than producing error free drives. I only use Western Digital or Samsung.
Hope this helps.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

donnahde wrote:

Why would this occur months (at least 6) AFTER first hooked up to this computer? Thanks for your input.

Actually, it shouldn't, but in support situations, it's never known what has been done with the PC or the drive recently. My recommendation was simply to ensure this wasn't the issue.

If only one external drive is used on a PC, this situation should never occur. However, if there are multiple external drives involved, that are regularly disconnected and re-connected, this can happen very easily.

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

wmontgomery wrote:

If you have data on the Seagate drive you need I w... (show quote)

This sounds like a winner, wmontgomery, but your link takes me to a truck. (-: I'm reading about the company now on Wikipedia but there are a LOT of google results and having been burned before by choosing the wrong one to buy from (thinking Malwarebytes clone) I'd appreciate it if you could give me a trusted place to deal with.

Thanks so much!!
Donna

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

donnahde wrote:

One thing I did realize during the restore was that it listed something it was going to delete: Dell Support Assist Agent. That was an incessant pop up about something Dell had to make my computer run better. I now realize that it was likely some kind of virus that I idiotically invited aboard! I also have some kind of Malware update trying get itself installed mascarading as Malwarebytes that I DO have on my computer. Agh!!! I need sleep!

There you go! These viruses wreak havoc with speed, drives, etc. Again, I STRONGLY recommend getting professional help locally.

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

donnahde wrote:

This sounds like a winner, wmontgomery, but your link takes me to a truck. (-: I'm reading about the company now on Wikipedia but there are a LOT of google results and having been burned before by choosing the wrong one to buy from (thinking Malwarebytes clone) I'd appreciate it if you could give me a trusted place to deal with.

Thanks so much!!
Donna

This sounds GREAT! Here's the link I'm perusing now.....https://www.grc.com/sroverview.htm It looks legit. Hope so.

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

wmontgomery wrote:

If you have data on the Seagate drive you need I w... (show quote)

Question from non-techie me: HOW can SpinRite fix a drive it can't see? Once I get my head wrapped around that I'll definitely be investing in this nifty product. Oh also, would I be able to use for mine AND my s/o's computers? We both have Dell AIO's.

Thanks!

Earworms Loc: Sacramento, California

flyguy wrote:

It would help us help you if you told us what type of computer you own --- a Mac or a PC?

Also, which version of the operating system is currently loaded on the machine.

You can tell just by the tone of the post that the OS is Windows. You don't have drive mapping issues with OSX.

Earworms Loc: Sacramento, California

donnahde wrote:

Question from non-techie me: HOW can SpinRite fix a drive it can't see?!

Some people have a tendency to over think things. In all likelihood it is a drive mapping issue, one of the hallmarks of Windows. Otherwise it is an issue with the plug or port.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Indi wrote:

No problem. That's what we're here for.
:thumbup:
Too bad the restore didn't help. Maybe if she went back further?

I'm also thinking it might help to go back at least to when it was working. Everything is a guess, though. As I understand, all was fine at first, so it sounds like a bug. All I know about 8.1 is that I'm keeping mine in abeyance til 10 comes out. I'm following this thread with interest.

Earworms Loc: Sacramento, California

Indi wrote:

If this doesn't work, I'd take the aux drive into work tomorrow and see if it's recognized on another computer. If there's an I.T. guy at work, give it to him and see if he can find the problem.
DO NOT LET HIM FORMAT THE DRIVE! If he does, everything on that drive will be lost.

I hope this helps.

Technically, if you only do a quick format, you can still recover all the old files. I believe that Seagate even has a utility for that purpose. Has anyone confirmed that the issue isn't cord, plug or port related?

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

Earworms wrote:

Technically, if you only do a quick format, you can still recover all the old files. I believe that Seagate even has a utility for that purpose. Has anyone confirmed that the issue isn't cord, plug or port related?

Yes, Seagate is running so there's nothing wrong with the electric cord and I've switched the USB ports it's plugged into with no luck. Thanks for your input even though I didn't understand it all.

Earworms Loc: Sacramento, California

donnahde wrote:

Yes, Seagate is running so there's nothing wrong with the electric cord and I've switched the USB ports it's plugged into with no luck. Thanks for your input even though I didn't understand it all.

Terminology is often kind of tricky. Hopefully your auxiliary drive isn't toast. A spinning drive is not a "booting" drive. The Operating System is what "boots."
I'm also wondering if the partition table is still there, intact. Malware can wreck a partition, in which case you would definitely have to reformat.

I'd head to the Seagate website and make inquiries there, it is a Seagate product and they will provide some support.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

RWR wrote:

I'm also thinking it might help to go back at least to when it was working. Everything is a guess, though. As I understand, all was fine at first, so it sounds like a bug. All I know about 8.1 is that I'm keeping mine in abeyance til 10 comes out. I'm following this thread with interest.

Good plan, although I'm not jumping on the Win 10 bandwagon until it's been out for a while, just like iOS 8.3. Still using iOS 8.2

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

Indi wrote:

No problem. That's what we're here for.
:thumbup:
Too bad the restore didn't help. Maybe if she went back further?

I restored to the earliest date offered - April 9th.