Dead? External Hard Drive

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I have an old Seagate 500GB hard drive I use for backing up files, but I also keep all my graphics and video projects on there. Yesterday Windows updated and this morning the hard drive isn't being seen. Its light is still on and there is a beep when it is connected or disconnected but the drive isn't showing in File Explorer. I've tried it on my old laptop which didn't update and it isn't showing there either. Also tried it with a different connection cable.

 

The only thing I really need off it is the graphics material, everything else is backed up elsewhere as well.

 

Any ideas if what is on there can be retrieved? Bear in mind it needs to be in terms Noddy would understand.

 

Ta.

[husoi]

Check the IP address.

Try connecting via USB.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

14 minutes ago, husoi said:

Check the IP address.

Try connecting via USB.

There's nothing showing when I do that. Nor does it show in disk management.

[husoi]

Just now, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

There's nothing showing when I do that. Nor does it show in disk management.

If it is a cloud device (plugged to your router) you will need to check the IP address through the router unless you can get access to it via your network.

If the device have a shared folder then you will be able to find it in the network.

disk management is for local drives not cloud ones so it won't show there unless is via USB.

by login into your router you will be able to se the device IP and then you can try to login into it.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

5 minutes ago, husoi said:

If it is a cloud device (plugged to your router) you will need to check the IP address through the router unless you can get access to it via your network.

If the device have a shared folder then you will be able to find it in the network.

disk management is for local drives not cloud ones so it won't show there unless is via USB.

by login into your router you will be able to se the device IP and then you can try to login into it.

It is a physical hard drive connected by usb.

[husoi]

Have you check Seagate website for tools that could help recovering the drive?

I had a similar issue with my WD cloud drive and they sent me a recovery tool. Managed to recover most data.

Doesn't hurt to contact them for assistance.

[dynax]

In disk management check to see if it has a drive letter assigned, if not you can easily assign a new one  by right clicking on the drive then clicking add and choose another letter for it.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

1 hour ago, dynax said:

In disk management check to see if it has a drive letter assigned, if not you can easily assign a new one  by right clicking on the drive then clicking add and choose another letter for it.

It doesn't register in disk management. Fortunately a friend has the same graphics package so I can replace the only bits I've lost.

[manxie49]

I had a similar issue some time ago, funnily enough that was after a windows update as well!  My issue was apparently a driver issue, drivers on the computer had to be updated .... I'm no computer whizz, a neighbour did it for me, I'm sure there'll be instructions on Google somewhere for it though.

[S-Westerly]

Last windows 10 update I did killed off my nvidea  graphic card. Got it back by retrieving drivers etc. but it pisses me off when windows updates kill things. The Apple was better for that but not much use for gaming which is my main use for it when I'm at sea. Also proving useful when under house arrest.

[Bender]

My pc is now removed from the Internet due to updates causing issues.

[husoi]

You can always backtrack on windows updates.

[S-Westerly]

4 minutes ago, husoi said:

You can always backtrack on windows updates.

Yes, but it's a pain in the arse. It shouldn't be that way.

[husoi]

Just now, S-Westerly said:

Yes, but it's a pain in the arse. It shouldn't be that way.

Welcome to Windows... 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I am playing with Disk Drill - that is finding the entirety of the missing hard drive. I suspect I'll need to buy a licence to actually recover the files.

 

I'll look at backdating Windows as well.

[dynax]

If you're able to make an ISO for Linux on a usb drive, you can run linux from that and access your HD that way, it is long winded and you would have to shut down and from the bios enable boot from usb etc.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

44 minutes ago, dynax said:

If you're able to make an ISO for Linux on a usb drive, you can run linux from that and access your HD that way, it is long winded and you would have to shut down and from the bios enable boot from usb etc.

I have no idea what any of that means. 

 

Disk Drill is finding everything - but it will take a few hours due to how much stuff was on there. 

 

I connected it to my old laptop that hasn't been updated and it didn't work on that either so I reckon winding Windows back to before the update won't do the trick.

[fredc]

Post it to me, I'll recover it for you

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

35 minutes ago, fredc said:

Post it to me, I'll recover it for you

Thanks, but I've got it sorted using Disk Drill. Most of it is stuff I don't need but the graphics files were the only copy I had.

 

Appreciate the offer.

[skyrider]

5 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

Yes, but it's a pain in the arse. It shouldn't be that way.

that's modern technology for you it's ok while it's working