# Portable Hard Drive not getting detected.



## hunter2002 (Apr 28, 2012)

I have a Seagate FreeAgent Go 320GB portable Hard Drive. 
It was working fine with about 250GB used up, but one day it just stopped working. 
What really happened is it stopped detecting on the computer in which I was using it. The HD has a light indicator, and it kept glowing even when it was not detected on the computer. And it still glows as if the HD has been connected normally.
Since then I have tried to run the HD on about 10 computers, including those running Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8 CP, but it still doesn't show up in My Computer. 
The device manager simply hangs and stops responding when the HD is connected, but runs back into action as soon as the HD is disconnected. 
I also tried Command Prompt's DISKPART, but then too, the computer stops responding. 

A few days ago I took it to a shop, where I told them my problem. The guy there connected the HD to his laptop and it simply showed up as it should. All drives were visible with their content. So he said that it's fine and I took it home, thinking that it had started working. But it did the same at home and it still doesn't work. I didn't get a chance to get back to that shop as it is too far away from my house.
I'm on a different computer now which runs Windows 8 CP. The HD doesn't work here either. The drives show up, but without any content. They just don't open when double clicked and the computer stops responding. Same is the case with Windows 7, but on XP the Drive doesn't show up at all.

I have attached the current screenshot of the HD in My Computer. Disks F, L and M are partitions on the HD.
Please ask for any more necessary details and help me with this problem.

Thank you.


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## pip22 (Aug 22, 2004)

That's a tough one, it worked okay at the shop but not when you brought it home. 
Just to try and get this problem going somewhere at least, I suggest you test the drive with "_Seagate SeaTools for Windows_" and see what that has to say about it's physical health. Get it here (click the Downloads tab): SeaTools | Seagate

Install SeaTools, open it, choose your external drive from the list of detected drives, then use the Long or Extended test (if available) rather than short test.

If it passes the test, well at least when you post back you can say "I've already tested it & it passed". Then we can confidently say it's fixable but we need to find the fix.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Make sure you are plugging this drive into the _Back _USB port of the computer and not the front or through a hub as this diminishes the power. Considering how many drives you have, Your USB ports may not be providing enough power to power the drive up. 
In Windows 7 and 8 Go to Start/Search and type *diskmgmt.msc* Right click *diskmgmt *icon in the search results and Run As Administrator. Here you can see all of your drives an partitions. 
You can also remove the drive from it's enclosure and attach it to a USB Adapter or an enclosure with a power adapter. Seagate 2.5" 1.5TB Ext FreeAgent GoFlex Disassmebly/Removal - YouTube


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## hunter2002 (Apr 28, 2012)

Thank you pip22 and spunk.funk for the quick response.

pip22: I did as you told and downloaded SeaTools.
However, the drive did the same as it does with the device manager. When the drive is connected and I start the SeaTools scan, it just stops responding at the scanning interface. As soon as I disconnect the drive, the scanning completes, and the drive shows up in the list. But of course, the drive is disconnected now and SeaTools can't test it. If I reconnect it at this point, SeaTools becomes unresponsive again and shoots back into action as soon as I disconnect the drive.

I just scanned again via SeaTools. This time the HD has been detected by SeaTools while being connected to the computer. However, no tests are available (screen attached) and it says "SHORT DST - FAIL". Screens 1 and 2. :ermm:



spunk.funk: I have only one portable HD. And yes, I also tried connecting it to the back USB port. I do not use a USB hub. Disk Management simply stops responding. Screen 3.
I do not have a USB adapter. However I will try that too, if I get a chance.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Remove the drive from the enclosure and either Get a USB Adapter or another enclosure or you can attach the drive internally to a Desktop computer,


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