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5 June 2024  Jennifer Thatcher  Technology Manager of Test Dept.
 

Summary
Address common failures like "Seagate external hard drive not working". Prioritize data backup to avoid data loss.



Table of contents

table iconI. What are the reasons why the Seagate external hard disk cannot be used normally?
table iconII. Recover lost data with Renee Undeleter
table iconIII. How to fix the problem that the Seagate external hard disk cannot be used normally?
seagate external hard drive not working

I. What are the reasons why the Seagate external hard disk cannot be used normally?

There are many reasons why the Seagate external hard disk cannot be used normally, which may include the following aspects.
● The USB port or cable is damaged.
● The external hard disk has no drive letter.
● Hard disk partition problems, such as partitions suddenly disappear and become unallocated space.
● Invaded by viruses.
Before starting repairs, address basic faults to determine if higher-level interventions are needed.
● Try using another USB port on the computer.
● If the current data connection cable is damaged, please replace it with a new one.
● Try to connect the external hard disk to another computer to check whether it can be used normally.
● Check whether the hard disk indicator lights up normally. (The indicator light is off to indicate that the power is not connected)
If the Seagate external hard disk still doesn’t work, please check the repair method below. To prevent data loss, use professional data recovery software to restore or transfer the data. We recommend Renee Undeleter. This software can scan and recover data even if the external hard disk partition disappears or all data is lost.

II. Recover lost data with Renee Undeleter

1. What is Renee Undeleter?

Renee Undeleter is software designed to restore various data files. Whether you’ve accidentally deleted important files, emptied the recycle bin, or formatted the disk/storage, this tool can retrieve the lost data. It includes four modules: Fast Partition Scan, Whole Partition Scan, Whole Disk Scan, and Image Creation, addressing all potential data loss issues comprehensively and conveniently.
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2. How to use Renee Undeleter?

Step 1: Download, install and run Renee Undeleter, select the (Whole Disk Scan) option on the main interface.
Note: Do not install on the disk that needs to restore data, so as not to cause data overwriting.
select whole disk scan in renee undeleter
Data Recovery Function:

  • Fast Partition Scan – Quickly retrieve files lost due to accidental deletion or emptying the recycle bin.
  • Whole Partition Scan – Recover files from inaccessible or formatted partitions.
  • Whole Disk Scan – Analyze partition information and fully scan the entire disk.
  • Image Creation – Create an image of a partition to back up its current state.
Step 2: Select the drive and click (Next).
select a disk to recover in renee undeleter
Step 3: The software will analyze the drive. After the analysis, a prompt window may appear asking you to select the partition to scan. Choose the partition according to your needs.
recover partition with Renee Undeleter
After scanning, preview the files in the right window, select the files to restore, and click the Recover button in the lower right corner.
select taget files to recover with renee undeleter
Step 4: Select the target folder, click Browse to choose another disk for saving the file, and click Recover to start the recovery. Wait patiently.
recover files from whole disk scan with renee undeleter

III. How to fix the problem that the Seagate external hard disk cannot be used normally?

1. Update the hard disk driver

If you can’t find the Seagate external hard disk in disk management, update the hard disk driver in device manager with these steps:
Step 1: Connect the Seagate external hard drive to the computer.
Step 2: Enter “Device Manager” in the search box at the bottom left corner and click on (Device Manager).
device manager windows 10 find
Step 3: Then expand the Disk Drives list, right-click on the Seagate Portable Hard Drive, and select the (Update Driver) option.
update driver disk
Step 4: Select “Search automatically for updated driver software” and restart your computer. If the problem persists, uninstall the Seagate drive device in the device manager, unplug the hard drive, reconnect it, and update the driver again.
update Driver Confirm

2. Change the device drive letter

If the external hard drive letter matches the internal disk partition letter, Windows will not display the external drive letter. It will appear as a “new volume” in Disk Management. Without a drive letter, the external drive won’t show up in File Explorer and won’t function properly. To resolve this, add a new drive letter to the Seagate disk as follows:
Step 1: Run the computer, enter “computer management” in the search box in the lower left corner, and then click on it.
find computer management
Step 2: Click Disk Management on the left. If a disk lacks a drive letter, check if it is a Seagate external hard drive.
disk management
Step 3: Right-click on the target disk and select the (Change Drive Letter and Paths) option.
change drive letter in disk management
Step 4: Click the (Add) button.
add a drive letter
Step 5: Check (Assign the following drive letter), select a letter, and click (OK) to complete the operation. The external hard disk will then display normally in the file explorer.
disk Management Change Driver Letter