Seagate STEA2000400 Installation guide

My second external drive isn't detected in
Windows
Sometimes only one of two external (ie, GoFlex, Backup Plus) drives mounts with a drive letter
when connected to Windows. This article explains.
Sometimes only one of two external (ie, GoFlex, Backup Plus) drives mounts with a drive letter
when connected to Windows.
This is caused if two drives have the same drive signature, which can occur when drives are
setup in a mass production environment or when they are cloned.
The issue can be quickly fixed by forcing the drive on-line. To force a drive online in Windows:
1. Press Windows key ( ) + R.
2. In the run box type diskmgmt.msc
3. On the right, scroll down so you can see your external drives.
4. You will notice that the 1st external drive is Online.
5. You will notice that the other external drive is Offline.
6. Right-click on Offline (in the grey area of the box) and choose Online from the menu.
The drive should show in Computer (Window Explorer) in a few seconds.

Why won't my 3TB or 4TB external drive
work with Microsoft Image Backup in
Windows 7?
Microsoft Image Backup in Windows 7 will not support any Seagate Backup Plus, 3TB or
4TB GoFlex drives and the older model Expansion Portable And Desktop drives (along
with most other external drives above 2.1TB). This article explains.Windows Image Backup
in Windows 7 will not support any Seagate Backup Plus drives, GoFlex drives that exceed 2.1TB
(3TB and 4TB models), or older model Expansion Portable and Desktop
drives (along with most other external drives that exceed 2.1TB in size).
Microsoft only supports drives that are set up to use 512 byte blocks as destinations for image
backups. The drives listed above are compatible with all other Windows functionalities.
To allow 3TB and 4TB drives to work in older operating systems such as Windows XP, these
drives are configured using 4K byte blocks. Microsoft has added support for 4K drives in
Windows 8. See here for more information.
For Backup Plus and GoFlex drives, the bundled software will allow you to back up your data.
As an alternative to Windows image backups for Backup Plus drives, GoFlex drives, and older
model Expansion drives, consider using DiscWizard.
Computer won't boot with USB drive
connected

Issues booting while a USB drive is connected is usually the result of a USB Device option being
enabled in the System BIOS' Boot Order or Boot Sequence.
Some of these steps require accessing the system’s BIOS. Please refer to the system or
motherboard manufacturer’s documentation for access and configuring options.
Here are some steps to try and resolve the issue:
Check to see if the active flag is set to active on the partition. If it is then remove the
active flag using these instructions.
Check the format of the drive. Some Seagate drives ship as exFAT for Window and Mac
compatibility. For some systems this may present issues. If using on Windows only, then
format the drive to NTFS. See how to format your drive here. If using exFAT is required,
try one of the other options listed.
Disable Boot from USB devices in the BIOS
Note: Verbiage will vary from system to system
Disable USB Legacy Support in the BIOS
Note: If you are using a USB mouse or Keyboard disabling legacy support may result
in those devices not functioning in Real mode (MS-DOS) or Safe Mode.
Here are two Microsoft links that cover Disabling USB Legacy support
oComputer Hangs During Shutdown with USB Legacy Support Enabled in the
BIOS
oUSB Keyboard or Mouse May Not Work After You Restart Your Computer in
MS-DOS Mode
Some System BIOS' may not include the ability to disable USB devices from the Boot
Order/Boot Sequence. If this is the case, it is recommended that you disconnect the USB
External Drive from your system until the system’s operating system has fully booted; at which
time you can connect the USB Drive to your system.
Disclaimer: REFERENCE TO THIRD PARTIES AND THIRD PARTY WEB SITES. Seagate
references third parties and third party products as an informational service only, it is not an
endorsement or recommendation - implied or otherwise - of any of the listed companies. Seagate
makes no warranty - implied or otherwise - regarding the performance or reliability of these
companies or products. Each company listed is independent from Seagate and is not under the
control of Seagate; therefore, Seagate accepts no responsibility for and disclaims any liability
from the actions or products of the listed companies. You should make your own independent
evaluation before conducting business with any company. To obtain product specifications and
warranty information, please contact the respective vendor directly. There are links in this
document that will permit you to connect to third-party web sites over which Seagate has no
control. These links are provided for your convenience only and your use of them is at your own
risk. Seagate makes no representations whatsoever about the content of any of these websites.

Seagate does not endorse or accept any responsibility for the content, or use of any such
websites.
Newer model Expansion portable and Expansion desktop drives are
compatible with Windows image backup.
For more information about the limitations of Windows Backup and Restore, please
contact Microsoft.
Drive reports 'write protected' or 'read only'
when trying to save to or delete from it
Discusses what to do if an external reports "Write Protected" when trying to save files onto it or
delete files from it.
A drive can sometimes report "Write Protected" when trying to save files onto it or delete files
from it.
This typically means that you have connected an external drive that is formatted with an NTFS
partition to a Mac computer. MacOS cannot write to NTFS partitions and so will often indicate
the drive is write-protected.
Seagate GoFlex and GoFlex for Mac drives include an NTFS driver that can make the drives
intercompatible between Mac and Windows, so that may be a good solution.
See Document ID: 214531 for more information.
For all other drives, please see Document ID: 207851 for instructions on reformatting the drive
in MacOS.
Reformatting the drive will ERASE ALL DATA on the drive. Please note that
Windows partitions (ie, NTFS partitions) and MacOS partitions are not easily compatible at this
time without special software, so using an external drive to transfer data between a Windows
computer and a MacOS computer can be difficult and sometimes dangerous to your data.

Windows 7 or Vista requests drivers for an
external drive

Troubleshooting when external drives encounter driver and ʺUnknown Deviceʺ problems in
Windows 7/Vista Device Manager.
Windows 7 or Vista sometimes encounters problems locating the drivers necessary for the proper
function of external hard drives.
When that happens, it may alert you that drivers were not loaded correctly. These drivers are part
of its own Windows registry.
First, update Windows Vista to Service Pack 1.
If this does not resolve the problem and the drivers do not now load automatically, you may
simply point Windows 7 or Vista to its own drivers manually.
From Vista:
1. Right-click on Computer.
2. Choose Manage.
3. Choose Device Manager.
Here is the relevant graphic for Vista's Device Manager:
(Click to expand image.)
Here is the procedure to load the drivers manually:

Troubleshooting GPT Protective Partition
Issues
Sometimes, after connecting an internal or external hard drive to your system, Windows Disk
Management says that it is prepared with a GPT Protective Partition. This will mean that you
cannot repartition or reformat the drive. This article will discuss how to overcome this issue.
What is a GPT disk?
The GUID Partition Table (GPT) was introduced as part of the Extensible Firmware Interface
(EFI) initiative. GPT provides a more flexible mechanism for partitioning disks than the older
Master Boot Record (MBR) partitioning scheme that has been common to PCs.
A partition is a contiguous space of storage on a physical or logical disk that functions as though
it were a physically separate disk. Partitions are seen by the system firmware and the installed
operating systems. Access to a partition is controlled by the system firmware before the system
boots the operating system, and then by the operating system after it starts.
The GUID Partition Table (GPT) Scheme was implemented under Microsoft Windows XP x64
edition, Windows Server 2003 (64-bit), Windows Server 2003 SP1 (all versions), Windows
Vista, Windows 7+
In a nutshell, GPT Partition was developed to get around known, MBR partition size issues; the
maximum size for a MBR partiton is 2 Terabytes (TB). GPT partitions enable this limit to be
exceeded.
Note: For more comprehensive information on GPT Protective Partitions, refer to the following
Microsoft link:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-and-gpt-faq
GUID Partition Table (GPT) partitions are also found in Mac OS X versions 10.4.6 and newer.
All Intel-based Macs require a GPT partition on a boot volume, whether it be internal or external.
When connecting an internal and/or and external hard drive to a Windows XP (or newer), 32-bit
operating system, you may find your drive is inaccessible and that Disk Management reports that
the drive has a GPT Protective Partition on it. The drive cannot be repartitioned and formatted in
this state. This is because the internal or external hard disk was previously prepared on either a
Windows or Macintosh computer with a GPT partition.

Normal Disk Management facilities will not overcome this issue. To prepare this drive, you will
need to use the Windows diskpart command-line utility. The following procedure provides the
steps for cleaning a GPT Protective Partition from a hard disk drive connected to an existing
Windows XP (or newer), 32-bit Operating System.
This is a data destructive process. This procedure not only removes the drive's partition,
but also removes the Drive Signature. It is highly recommended that you backup any/all critical
data on the drive before proceeding.
You must open Disk Management and document the Disk Number of the drive
containing the GPT Protective partition, as you will need this information later in the procedure.
1. Determine the disknumber assigned to the GPT-protected drive.
1. Right-click on (My) Computer.
2. Choose Manage.
3. Select Disk Management (listed under Storage).
4. Look for the drive that is identified as GPT and note the Disk number (such as
Disk 1).
2. Open a Command Window. From the command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter.
The diskpart prompt will open.

3. From the diskpart prompt, type list disk and press Enter. A list of disks will appear in a
text format. You will return to the diskpart prompt.
4. From the diskpart prompt, type select disk disknumber (for instance, if the disk
containing the GPT Protective Partition is Disk 2, you would type select disk 2)and press
Enter. A message appears saying that the disk is selected. You will return to the diskpart
prompt.
5. From the diskpart prompt, type clean and press Enter. At this point the drive's partition
and signature a removed. You will return to the diskpart prompt.
6. From the diskpart prompt, type exit and press Enter. Type exit once more to close the
Command Window. At this point, the internal and/or external drive can be re-initialised,
partitioned and formatted.
7. Launch Disk Management, and to initialise the disk:
oUse the Initialise and Convert Disk Wizard...
-OR-
oClose the Wizard, right-click on the disk in question and select Initialize Disk
from the drop-down menu.
8. Once the drive is initialised, continue using Disk Management to partition and format the
drive.
REFERENCE TO THIRD PARTIES AND THIRD PARTY WEB SITES. Seagate
references third parties and third party products as an informational service only, it is not an
endorsement or recommendation - implied or otherwise - of any of the listed companies. Seagate
makes no warranty - implied or otherwise - regarding the performance or reliability of these
companies or products. Each company listed is independent from Seagate and is not under the
control of Seagate; therefore, Seagate accepts no responsibility for and disclaims any liability
from the actions or products of the listed companies. You should make your own independent
evaluation before conducting business with any company. To obtain product specifications and
warranty information, please contact the respective vendor directly. There are links in this
document that will permit you to connect to third-party web sites over which Seagate has no
control. These links are provided for your convenience only and your use of them is at your own
risk. Seagate makes no representations whatsoever about the content of any of these web sites.
Seagate does not endorse or accept any responsibility for the content, or use, of any such web
sites.
1. Click the + box next to Other Devices.
2. Double-click the drive (usually listed as USB Mass Storage, but may be listed under
another name).
3. A new window will open showing properties; click the Reinstall Driver button.
4. This will open the Update Driver software wizard, click "Locate and install driver
software (recommended)".

5. Then click "Browse my computer for driver software".
6. Click Browse.
7. Open the Windows folder on the C: drive (Computer > C: > Windows) and click OK.
8. Make sure the "Include subfolders" box is checked.
9. Click Next. This should load the drivers.
Additional Troubleshooting Step for External Drives requesting drivers or if receiving an
Error Code 28 on an External Drive / Mass Storage Device in Device Manager.
Vista and Windows 7: If the drive works fine on another computer, there are a few steps to
try while the drive is connected to the original computer:
1. Click the Start / Windows button at the bottom left corner of the screen.
Right-click on Computer and choose Manage.
2. Double-click on the Device Manager.
3. The device will usually appear under "Other Devices" or "Unknown Devices"; right-click
on it and choose Uninstall.
4. Once it has disappeared from the Device Manager, disconnect the external hard drive.
5. Disconnect the device from the computer (unplug the USB cable).
6. Click Start / Windows button in the bottom left corner of the screen
7. For Vista - In the Search field, type c:\windows\inf and press Enter.
For Windows 7 - In the Search field, type C:\windows\system32\driverstor and press
Enter.
8. Delete the file INFCACHE.1.
9. If you get an error when trying to delete this file, try the following steps:
1. Right-click on INFCACHE.1.
2. Select Properties.
3. Click the Security tab.
4. Click the Edit button.
5. Select (Users xxxx-PC\Users) or something like (Users 7xxxx \Users)
6. Under the "Permissions for users" check, mark everything to "Allow All".
7. Click Apply then OK.
If you receive a Windows Security box click Yes, then OK, then OK again.
8. Right-click on INFCACHE.1 file and choose Delete.
9. Reboot and reconnect the drive. The file should be rebuilt, correcting the
problem.
10. If that fails, you will need to try to reload the USB drivers for the operating
system by inserting your Vista install CD, rebooting, and attempting a
Repair/Restore.
This can be dangerous to your data and you should disconnect your
external drive before attempting this.
REFERENCE TO THIRD PARTIES AND THIRD PARTY WEB SITES. Seagate
references third parties and third party products as an informational service only, it is not an
endorsement or recommendation - implied or otherwise - of any of the listed companies. Seagate
makes no warranty - implied or otherwise - regarding the performance or reliability of these

companies or products. Each company listed is independent from Seagate and is not under the
control of Seagate; therefore, Seagate accepts no responsibility for and disclaims any liability
from the actions or products of the listed companies. You should make your own independent
evaluation before conducting business with any company. To obtain product specifications and
warranty information, please contact the respective vendor directly. There are links in this
document that will permit you to connect to third-party web sites over which Seagate has no
control. These links are provided for your convenience only and your use of them is at your own
risk. Seagate makes no representations whatsoever about the content of any of these web sites.
Seagate does not endorse or accept any responsibility for the content, or use, of any such web
sites.
My USB device is detected with a ! or ? in
Device Manager
If a USB external drive displays in "Other Devices" in the Windows Device Manager, it is
possible that additional drivers are required for it, that Windows lost track of the drivers, or the
drive is malfunctioning. This article gives troubleshooting steps.
If the device is in "Other Devices" (look for "USB Mass Storage Device") then it is possible that
additional drivers are required for it, that Windows lost track of the drivers, or the drive is
malfunctioning.
To see Device Manager, right-click on (My) Computer/ This PC > Manage > choose Device
Manager from the left column.
1. ensure you have Service Pack 4 (Window 2000) or at least Service Pack 1 (Windows
XP).
2. try another USB cable and another USB port.
3. try another computer. If it works on another computer, the drive is fine but the Windows
drivers on your computer need to be reloaded.
4. If the drive is not detected there in the same way, go back to the USB Mass Storage
Device and double-click on it. Look under the General tab.
If Code 28 appears:
1. First see the Microsoft support article related to this issue.
2. In general, Code 28 can often be overcome by following these steps:
1. right-click on the drive (probably USB Mass Storage Device) and choose
Uninstall
2. turn off the drive

3. reboot the computer
4. turn the drive back on and retry.
3. If the problem still continues, then you will possibly need to reload your USB controller
drivers, which means you would need to insert your Windows install CD and boot to it to
launch the Windows Repair.
Warning: (This can be dangerous to your data, so use discretion when doing this.)
If Code 10 appears:
1. First see the Microsoft support article related to this issue.
2. In general, Code 10 often means, unfortunately, that the drive has failed. If the drive
shows the same problem on another computer, try connecting the drive via 1394
(Firewire) if possible. If that is not possible, please replace the drive.
Related problems:
Windows Vista asks for drivers when I connect my Seagate/Maxtor external drive. See
Document ID: 201235.
My locked Maxtor OneTouch drive does not show up anywhere. You must unlock your
drive on this computer before it will be detected.
-To unlock a Maxtor OneTouch 4 drive, see Document ID: 200271.
-To unlock a Maxtor OneTouch III drive, see Document ID: 199871.
REFERENCE TO THIRD PARTIES AND THIRD PARTY WEB SITES. Seagate
references third parties and third party products as an informational service only, it is not an
endorsement or recommendation - implied or otherwise - of any of the listed companies. Seagate
makes no warranty - implied or otherwise - regarding the performance or reliability of these
companies or products. Each company listed is independent from Seagate and is not under the
control of Seagate; therefore, Seagate accepts no responsibility for and disclaims any liability
from the actions or products of the listed companies. You should make your own independent
evaluation before conducting business with any company. To obtain product specifications and
warranty information, please contact the respective vendor directly. There are links in this
document that will permit you to connect to third-party web sites over which Seagate has no
control. These links are provided for your convenience only and your use of them is at your own
risk. Seagate makes no representations whatsoever about the content of any of these web sites.
Seagate does not endorse or accept any responsibility for the content, or use, of any such web
sites
Hard Disks Do Not Turn Off After Your
Computer Has Been Idle

When your Windows 2000/XP/Vista-based computer has been idle for an amount of time that is
sufficient to make your hard disk turn off, your hard disk may not turn off. This article explains.
When your Windows 2000/XP/Vista-based computer has been idle for an amount of time that is
sufficient to make your hard disk turn off, your hard disk may not turn off. For example, even
though your Turn off hard disk setting is set to 3 minutes, your hard disk might not turn off until
your computer has been on and idle for 15 to 20 minutes.
For information about disk activity and the MacOS see Apple support article 303698 "Mac OS
X: Why your Mac might not sleep or stay in sleep mode".
This behavior can be caused if any disk activity occurs, whether it is caused by user input or
system tasks. Disk activity of any type resets the hard disk idle timer, and this can increase the
amount of time it takes for your hard disk to turn off.
Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 is designed to automatically perform maintenance tasks to improve
performance and reliability. When your computer is on AC power and is idle, system
maintenance tasks may be able to run for a few minutes. These system maintenance tasks include
disk-layout optimization to improve performance and preparing automatic system restoration
points to increase reliability. Typically, these tasks occur the first time you leave your computer
idle after you start it. These tasks ensure that the system maintains its performance and reliability
even after long use. Because these tasks involve reading and writing to the hard disk, the hard
disk idle time is reset regularly during this maintenance period.
There are other items that can reset the hard disk idle timer. These items can include:
Paging operations.
Windows Update checking the system state.
Event logging.
Network detection such as DHCP or Autonet.
Third-party services such as quota software or an antivirus program.
Scheduled tasks.
The loading of services or drivers.
When these items either read from or write to the hard disk, the hard disk idle timer is reset. This
behavior is by design.
You can use the Power Options tool in Control Panel to configure your computer to turn off hard
disks after your computer has been idle for a specified amount of time.
The light on my external drive is blinking.
What does it mean?

Troubleshooting and links for when the light or LED on your external drive is blinking.The
behavior of the light (or LED) on your external drive can vary in meaning depending on the
drive model. This article will provide numerous useful links for checking and troubleshooting
this behavior.
If your external drive's LED behavior has recently changed (and particularly if the drive is no
longer detected or has changed the way it interacts with your computer), begin troubleshooting
by following these steps:
1. Make sure the computer and external hard drive are powered on.
2. Safely remove the drive from the computer (if possible).
3. Disconnect the external drive's USB or FireWire cable.
4. Disconnect the power supply plug from the external drive.
5. Power off the computer.
6. Disconnect the computer's power supply cord for 60 seconds.
7. Reconnect the computer.
8. Power on the computer.
9. Connect the power supply to the external drive.
10. Connect the drive's USB or FireWire cable and check for detection.
If that does not correct the behavior, and if the drive is also not detected by your computer, the
blinking light is probably a symptom of a larger problem. If those steps do not return the drive to
correct function, it is very possible, even probable, that the drive has failed and needs to be
replaced - see our Warranty page to check the warranty.
If your external drive's power supply (also known as the power adapter) needs to be replaced
because of malfunction or because it was lost, please contact Seagate Support.
Windows will not allow me to safely remove
my drive. It keeps reporting the drive is busy
or in use
When you cannot safely remove a drive successfully, the cause is usually a program that is trying
to read from the drive. This article explains.
It is always considered a safe removal to shut down/reboot the computer and turn off/disconnect
the drive while the computer's power is down, but that is not always a convenient solution. This
document will explore several possible resolutions for the problem.

Step 1: Try the drive on another computer so as to attempt to isolate the problem. If the
problem does not repeat itself on the second computer, then it might well be system-related. If
the problem follows the drive, then continue troubleshooting.
Step 2: A process that can hold up the drive is explorer.exe. This is because of the Windows
Recycle Bin.
The Recycle Bin may need to be disabled.
1. Right-click on the Recycle Bin on the desktop.
2. Select Properties.
3. Select the Global tab.
4. Select Configure drives independently (instead of Use one setting for all drives).
5. Select the USB drive letter tab on the top.
6. Put a check in the Do not move files to the Recycle Bin checkbox.
7. Click OK.
Disabling the Recycle Bin will cause deleted files to be permanently deleted
immediately.
This option may not be available in Windows Vista or Windows 7.
Step 3: If you have Norton System Works installed, the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the
System Tray will not work with the external drive because of the Norton Protected Recycle Bin.
If your Windows Recycle bin on the desktop has an "N" with a shield, then Norton is running a
special software on your system.
This is a known issue.
Step 4: Other software like antivirus programs, or any programs or image files that remain open
on the drive (even Windows Explorer if its window is open and displaying the contents of the
external drive) can prevent safe removal. Close all programs and any open files or windows
displaying the drive contents and attempt to remove the drive again.
Step 5: In Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000, please follow these directions:
1. Right-click on (My) Computer.
2. Select Manage.
3. Select Device Manager.
4. Open Disk Drives.
5. Double-click on the hard drive's model number.
6. Go to the Policies tab.
7. Check whether the drive is set to Optimize for Quick Removal.
If so, the hard drive does not need to be Safely Removed manually from the system. Just turn
off the hard drive or disconnect it at your convenience whenever the hard drive is not busy
transferring data.

This way there is only a slim chance that the partition will be corrupted by a removal. This
carries no risk for the drive hardware, but it does put your data at a small risk.
Please remember that you would be very unwise to put yourself in a situation where that
is a concern for you. If this drive were to experience a sudden mechanical or electronic failure or
if it should fall, or if the drive's partition should become corrupted, your data could be lost and
data recovery is very expensive. Remember that this is a backup drive, and a backup is defined
as "a second copy of data in a second storage media".
Whether on a second external hard drive, a CD or DVD, an internal hard drive, a network hard
drive, or tape, make a 2nd copy of your data today and keep it.
If not, please continue.
Step 6: If the Windows Media Player Library is configured to monitor a folder on the external
drive for new content it will not allow a Safe Remove.
Instructions may vary depending on the version of Media Player.
1. Open Media Player.
2. From the top menu, choose Tools, then Options.
3. Choose the Library tab.
4. Click the Monitor Folders button.
5. View the Advanced Options.
6. Remove items that point to the drive letter used by the external drive (ie, E: or F:).
Other multimedia applications may have similar issues if they automatically add new
music to their library by monitoring file locations, specifically on the external drive.
Step 7: If Windows Media Center is set to record shows, podcasts, etc. to the external drive,
Windows may not allow the removal of the external drive.
Step 8: If Windows Indexing Service is turned on, Windows may not allow the removal of the
external drive, since it causes Windows to constantly watch the drive.
For Windows 7/Vista:
1. Click the Windows start button in the bottom left of your screen. Select Control
Panel, and then Programs and Features.

2. Select Turn Windows features on or off.
3. Confirm that the Indexing Service is unchecked. If it is checked, uncheck it and
click OK.

4. Double-click on Computer to open it, then right-click on the external drive's
drive letter (for example, E:) and select Properties.
5. Uncheck the Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to
file properties box.

6. Then retry the Safe Removal.
For Windows XP:
1. Click on the Start menu on the bottom left of your screen. Select Control
Panel and then Add/Remove Windows Components.

2. Confirm that the Indexing Service is unchecked. If it is checked, uncheck it and
click OK.
3. Double-click on My Computer to open it, then right-click on the external drive's
drive letter (for example, E:) and select Properties.
4. Uncheck the Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file
searching box.

5. Then retry the Safe Removal.
Step 9: For the Seagate Pocket drive - The Pocket drive Toolkit is constantly updating the free
space of the drive and other information in order to display it to the user.
You can use the Eject option in the Toolkit or exit the Toolkit software:
1. Right-click on the Toolkit icon in the System Tray
2. Choose Exit.
This will release the drive and may allow you to safely remove the drive.
Also, please see the linked-to Microsoft Support article on this topic.
REFERENCE TO THIRD PARTIES AND THIRD PARTY WEB SITES. Seagate
references third parties and third party products as an informational service only, it is not an
endorsement or recommendation - implied or otherwise - of any of the listed companies. Seagate
makes no warranty - implied or otherwise - regarding the performance or reliability of these