Seagate External Hard Drive
I have a Seagate external HD 2 TB desktop model. I have had it for some time . I use it for Carbonite back up. As of 05/07/15 The back up in carbonite and I get a message to re connect my HD. Now there in power light comes on the HD as it used to. I unplugged the power supply from the APC surge protector tower and plugged into another surge protection strip and plugged into the wall outlet. What could possibly happened here? is the power supply gone bad? or what please let me know if I need to buy another power supply or not? or is my External HD gone bad??
this is the power supply AC adapter I found on eBay, Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 9ZQ2P5-500 2 TB HDD HD Power Supply AC ADAPTER
this is the power supply AC adapter I found on eBay, Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk 9ZQ2P5-500 2 TB HDD HD Power Supply AC ADAPTER
ASKER
sorry John my bad . NO power light comes on. Typo!!-I do not have another machine
It may be worth replacing the AC adapter. You can check the adapter if you or a friend has a DC voltmeter by measuring the output.
Other than that, it is hard to say. If there is NO indication at all on the external hard drive when plugged in, it could be the AC adapter.
Other than that, it is hard to say. If there is NO indication at all on the external hard drive when plugged in, it could be the AC adapter.
I find that the most common failure of these devices is the enclosure electronics.
If you remove the hard drive ( pretty easy to do), you can test it "bare" to see. Likely it's OK.
Then you can decide what to do with it.
Generally I keep the drive as a backup and throw out the enclosure.
If you remove the hard drive ( pretty easy to do), you can test it "bare" to see. Likely it's OK.
Then you can decide what to do with it.
Generally I keep the drive as a backup and throw out the enclosure.
ASKER
John
what causes the ac adapter to go bad?
Fred
what do you mean test it bare
what causes the ac adapter to go bad?
Fred
what do you mean test it bare
Any given adapter can go bad because of a faulty part or intermittent part under load.
Test it bare means remove the drive from its enclosure and test it in an other enclosure or directly connected (which you may not be able to do).
Test it bare means remove the drive from its enclosure and test it in an other enclosure or directly connected (which you may not be able to do).
You have some alternatives in order of likely cost:
1) replace the AC power adapter because that's the likely least expensive way to restore the capability (around $12).
2) replace the external hard drive enclosure (under $20 new on ebay and includes the AC power adapter).
3) replace the hard drive (maybe as expensive as replacing the entire external usb drive).
4) replace the external usb hard drive entirely.
I would likely be tempted to go for #2 but would test the hard drive first.
Testing the hard drive is fairly simple:
You will need:
- a desktop computer
- a SATA drive cable
Then turn off the computer and remove the AC power plug.
Open the computer case.
Plug the hard drive to be tested into a power supply cable connector.
Plug the SATA cable between the motherboard and the hard drive.
(No need for mounting etc. if you can be reasonably careful to not short anything on the board or the hard drive).
Plug in the computer AC power.
Turn on the computer.
You should see the added hard drive now.
You might run a hard drive test program to determine if the hard added drive is OK.
If you've gone this far, and if there is room for mounting the hard drive inside the computer case then you may consider mounting the drive inside the computer (assuming it tests OK) and forego having an external drive altogether.
That's relatively free except for the likely need for a SATA cable.
How that works exactly with Carbonite's capabilities - I don't know. But there's reason to believe it would be fine.
1) replace the AC power adapter because that's the likely least expensive way to restore the capability (around $12).
2) replace the external hard drive enclosure (under $20 new on ebay and includes the AC power adapter).
3) replace the hard drive (maybe as expensive as replacing the entire external usb drive).
4) replace the external usb hard drive entirely.
I would likely be tempted to go for #2 but would test the hard drive first.
Testing the hard drive is fairly simple:
You will need:
- a desktop computer
- a SATA drive cable
Then turn off the computer and remove the AC power plug.
Open the computer case.
Plug the hard drive to be tested into a power supply cable connector.
Plug the SATA cable between the motherboard and the hard drive.
(No need for mounting etc. if you can be reasonably careful to not short anything on the board or the hard drive).
Plug in the computer AC power.
Turn on the computer.
You should see the added hard drive now.
You might run a hard drive test program to determine if the hard added drive is OK.
If you've gone this far, and if there is room for mounting the hard drive inside the computer case then you may consider mounting the drive inside the computer (assuming it tests OK) and forego having an external drive altogether.
That's relatively free except for the likely need for a SATA cable.
How that works exactly with Carbonite's capabilities - I don't know. But there's reason to believe it would be fine.
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ASKER
Ok Nobus I will try that thanks
ASKER
nobus
You are a genius my friend. The problem was not with the power supply ac adapter, but rather the usb cable I had it folded when I relaxed it light came on. Thank s
You are a genius my friend. The problem was not with the power supply ac adapter, but rather the usb cable I had it folded when I relaxed it light came on. Thank s
tx basem for posting the solution
Failing that, it is difficult to know about the power supply versus drive. The power light comes on, so the power supply is likely OK and it is probably the drive itself that has gone.