I have a external Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1TB and it came unplugged without it being removed safely and now my computer does not recognize it.
What should I do?
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
Can you see it in Disk Utility? If so try to repair it.
9 replies
No, I cannot see it in disk utility. The harddrive is all lit up and everything, but it still doesn't see it.
Ugh.😠 These Goflex drives are more trouble then they are worth. I don't know how many posts there are in these forums with problems with that thing.
I think they have their own software (encryption? drivers?) which gets in the way of everything. To check that boot in safe mode and then see if Disk Utility can see the drive. If it can, report back. But don't try to repair it yet.
FWIW, the HD in the GoFlex has a Master Boot Record, which is retained even when the GoFlex is formatted for a Mac. If the GoFlex base interacts with the MBR to make the drive accessible to a Mac, it may be affected by not being properly ejected. I know that a Mac can talk to a GoFlex drive's Mac partitions when it's used as designed, but the Mac partitions on a bare drive that came out of a GoFlex case will not be accessible, and the drive has to be reformatted to be used, with all the Mac data already stored on it being lost.
Okay, I let it sit over night and the computer for some reason now recognizes it again. Thanks for your help.
Filmexec21 wrote:
Okay, I let it sit over night and the computer for some reason now recognizes it again. Thanks for your help.
GoFlex Desk drives have a tendency to overheat with extended use and if yours happened to overheat just as the plug came out, that could have been the problem; sitting overnight let it cool down.
Avoid name brand external cases; make sure you have redundant sets of backup...
Cases that are just SATA drive you can swap out and install or take your internal drive at some point and use in one.
I'm still able to use cases from 10 yrs ago, OWC Mercury with replacing the hard drive if needed and never an issue.
Avoid your name brand and use case you can swap out drive and use any you want - handy to put your own drive in when needed.
I agree with hatter. I always prefer a dumb box whose only goal in life is to allow communication with the drive inside it. I have OWC cases, some of which are 10 years old too. I buy empty enclosures of my choice (usually OWC's) and put the drive of my choice in them.
These name brand boxes with their own software and convntions just get in the way and lead to nothing but trouble, if not sooner, then later.
X423424X wrote:
I agree with hatter. I always prefer a dumb box whose only goal in life is to allow communication with the drive inside it. I have OWC cases...
I do too. Two Seagate Barracuda XT's that were removed from GoFlex Desk boxes for their own protection are sitting happily in an OWC Mercury Elite Dual Bay case which even allows the drives to mount separately. The big feature is that the OWC case has a fan built in that the Barracudas, which tend to run hot, really need. Indeed, they ran hot enough that I replaced the OEM fan with a 40MM fan from Radio Shack which is pretty much a drop-in replacement. It's noisier, but it moves noticeably more air. And with its functional (rather than fashionable) design, the OWC case looks just like a baby Mac Pro, sitting on top of its Dad.
I have a external Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1TB and it came unplugged without it being removed safely and now my computer does not recognize it.