How to Troubleshoot the Seagate Free Agent

Seagate Free Agent hard drives operate internally just like any other hard drive.

Troubleshoot problems with a Seagate Free Agent external desktop hard drive by using the bundled Seagate Manager software, SeaTools for Windows or Windows 7 utilities. Determine the functionality of the hard drive and perform comprehensive testing on the mechanical or logical operations with these free tools that are easy to run. Run tests prior to using the Free Agent drive for the first time or test the drive when there is an indication of a problem.

Things You'll Need

• Internet connection

Instructions

Seagate Manager

1. Click "Start," "All Programs," "Seagate" and "Seagate Manager" to launch the application.

2. Click once on the drive to be checked if more than one Seagate Free Agent hard drive is installed in the system.

3. Click "Settings" in the lower section of the Seagate Manager interface to bring up the advanced tools.

4. Click "Test My Drive" from the menu and allow the drive test to run until completed. This test is data safe and provides a basic hardware functionality testing of the drive mechanics. It does not evaluate the partition information or whether the drive is accessible from Windows, but only whether the drive is capable of functioning correctly.

Seagate SeaTools

1. Download and install the Seagate SeaTools software from the Seagate website (See "References").

2. Launch the Seagate SeaTools diagnostic utility and select the drive to be tested by placing a check in the box next to the drive on the main screen. Multiple drives can be tested at the same time with the same test, or additional drives can be tested using different tests once the first test begins.

3. Click "Basic Tests" to show a selection of various tests available for the drive type checked. Not all tests are available for all drive types.

4. Click "Long Generic" to begin comprehensive testing for the Seagate Free Agent external hard drive. Allow several hours for the test to complete. Alternately launch "Short Drive Self Test" or "Short Generic" for a quick scan of basic functionality.

Windows 7 Operating System Tools

1. Click "Start" and "Computer."

2. Right click on the Seagate Free Agent hard drive and click "Properties" from the context menu.

3. Click the "Tools" tab and click "Check Now" under "Error Checking."

4. Supply the administrator password if prompted.

5. Click "Start" without any check boxes checked for a basic test that can be performed in Windows or check either "Automatically Fix File System Errors" or "Scan For and Attempt Recovery of Bad Sectors" or both for a longer test that must be performed the next time the system starts up. Restart the system to perform the test immediately if prompted.

Tips & Warnings

• Close any other programs that access information stored on the same drive for faster testing. Adjust power savings features to allow an extended test to complete before the system goes into standby, sleep or hibernation. Connect the power adapter to laptop computers prior to starting the test.

• Consult the data recovery experts at Seagate if critical files are located on the Free Agent hard drive prior to attempting to troubleshoot a drive that is inaccessible to avoid permanent data loss (See "Resources"). The Advanced Tests in Seagate SeaTools should be left to the experts as some of these tests are data destructive and can erase the entire partition as part of the testing routine.

References

• Seagate: FreeAgent Family Downloads
• Seagate: SeaTools
• Seagate: SeaTools for Windows User Guide
• Microsoft: Check Your Hard Disk for Errors

Resources

• Seagate: DiscWizard
• Seagate: Seagate File Recovery
• Seagate: FreeAgent Desk External Hard Drive User Guide
• Microsoft: Back Up your Programs, System Settings, and Files