iMac random shutdown “previous shutdown cause: -64”

Please note the excerpt from the panic report:

      Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

         com.paragon-software.filesystems.ntfs(288.2.14)

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: Finder

Mac OS version:

19A602

last loaded kext

com.paragon-software.filesystems.ntfs 288.2.14

com.seagate.driver.PowSecLeafDriver_10_5 5.2.7

com.seagate.driver.PowSecDriverCore 5.2.7

These are the potential causes of the panic. Paragon's version of Parallels that you have installed is the most probable candidate. However, there are two Seagate drivers installed that may also be part of the problem. I don't know the product you have but I would find out why these drivers are needed. If they are not, then you should remove them.

To test what happens without them, you would need to boot into safe mode which should disable them until the next normal boot.

I'm getting the same thing on Catalina - USB drive I've had for years, the second is a new Samsung Portable SSD T5. I'll try disconnecting that one and see if it makes it happier.

Seems to be when it's going to deep sleep.

noDriveErr = -64, /*drive not installed*/

No further explanation like possible causes, but I would consider using MBR with FAT32. ExFAT seems problematical. Or this may be a simple cable or port issue. Is this a TB2/USB 3.0 enclosure? How much time into the original transfer were you before the shutdown? Any indication of kernel panic? If so, post the panic report (Mac OS X- How to log a kernel panic.) Is the enclosure's power supply adequate for the power needs of the drive? Usually, the drive's power requirements are shown on a sticker attached to the bare drive.

Well, it's a close call. The supply provides 24 watts of power while the drive needs nearly 8 watts in use and 5 watts on idle. Guess that isn't a problem. Times to shutdown appear random, so it probably isn't related to when the computer automatically goes to sleep (should turn off the Energy Saver option to put drives to sleep during computer idle times which can cause spontaneous disk ejections, but not likely shutdowns.

Any chance Seagate has installed its backup/maintenance software on the drive but you did not fully erase the drive prior to usage thus leaving that software intact? The Seagate software is not yet Catalina compatible. I would also give Seagate's tech support a call to see if they can offer any help. Beyond this I can only suggest being sure you don't have something running that may cause the problem instead of the drive being the cause. And, you may want to try a different enclosure just in case as well as different connecting cables.