Seagate 4TB backup HD seems dead

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  1. Corona
    Posts : 351
    Windows 10 Home 64bit
       New #1

    Seagate 4TB backup HD seems dead


    I had an external 4TB Seagate backup HD for 2 to 3 years now used solely for Macrium. Never had a problem with it. Now my PC won't reboot without me unplugging that HD. It won't even show up in Explorer, or the 'safely remove' desktop icon. That tended to freeze if I clicked on it. HWiNFO64 didn't even start unless I unplugged it from my PC.
    Also I noticed a quiet whirring sound from the HD I never heard before. So I bought a new one from Newegg yesterday. I'll have it in about a week.

    Do Seagate 4TB backups tend to crap out so soon? It was only about 1/4 full. I got a years' worth of backups on that HD. I'll start fresh with the new one no problem. But still it'd be nice to have that old one working, just for access. Any thoughts?
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  3. Samuria
    Posts : 8,692
    windows 10
       New #2

    Whats the warrenty on the drive a lot have 5 years now. Goto seagate webstie they should have their test program to get a replacment you would need a report from their software
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  4. MisterEd
    Posts : 2,511
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit v23H2
       New #3

    I have had drives last 1 or 2 years and others still working after 15 years.

    Check warranty
    Warranty & Replacements | Seagate Support US
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  6. SIW2
    Posts : 5,115
    several
       New #4

    Corona said:
    I had an external 4TB Seagate backup HD for 2 to 3 years now used solely for Macrium. Never had a problem with it. Now my PC won't reboot without me unplugging that HD. It won't even show up in Explorer, or the 'safely remove' desktop icon. That tended to freeze if I clicked on it. HWiNFO64 didn't even start unless I unplugged it from my PC.
    Also I noticed a quiet whirring sound from the HD I never heard before. So I bought a new one from Newegg yesterday. I'll have it in about a week.

    Do Seagate 4TB backups tend to crap out so soon? It was only about 1/4 full. I got a years' worth of backups on that HD. I'll start fresh with the new one no problem. But still it'd be nice to have that old one working, just for access. Any thoughts?
    I took the disk out of the enclosure. It works fine. Possibly that would be worth a try in your case.
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  7. Corona
    Posts : 351
    Windows 10 Home 64bit
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    MisterEd said:
    I have had drives last 1 or 2 years and others still working after 15 years.

    Check warranty
    Warranty & Replacements | Seagate Support US

    Warranty expired June 2020.

    - - - Updated - - -

    SIW2 said:
    I took the disk out of the enclosure. It works fine. Possibly that would be worth a try in your case.
    Whaa...?! How long would an HD last outside of its protective shell? One spec of dust would prolly kill it.....not to mention my super human-like electro-magnetic charges.
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  8. SIW2
    Posts : 5,115
    several
       New #6

    https://youtu.be/G0DevtBXP6A?t=63
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  9. Bastet
    Posts : 2,574
    Windows 10 Pro 64bit
       New #7

    My Seagate has been known to be problematic on rare occasions but using diskpart to ‘clean’ it & setting it up again to use with Macrium usually fixes things.
    You could try diskpart.
    Right click Start>Powershell with admin & enter:
    Diskpart
    List Disk
    select disk X (where X is the number of the Seagate drive)
    Clean
    Exit
    Exit
    Now go to disk manager & you’ll be asked to initialise the drive, allow this, then format it.
    Ensure the drive letter is the same as it was previously otherwise Macrium won’t ‘see’ the drive.
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  10. MachineLanguage
    Posts : 51
    Windows 11 Pro 21H2 Build 22000.282
       New #8

    @ corona
    Interesting. A few short years ago I purchased a couple of external usb Seagate 2TB drives. I used them frequently for over a year with no issues. Then I saw the Seagate 4TB external usb drive and assumed it would be just as reliable. It was not. The Seagate 2TB Drives are still working fine.
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  12. jumanji
    Posts : 11,667
    Windows11 Home 64bit v:23H2 b:22631.3374
       New #9

    Corona said:
    Whaa...?! How long would an HD last outside of its protective shell? One spec of dust would prolly kill it.....not to mention my super human-like electro-magnetic charges.
    Most external drives have a standard 3.5'' or 2.5" laptop drive with standard SATA connector and a SATA to USB Bridge circuit. The external case is only a housing for these two components.

    If the SATA to USB electronics fails you will not be able to access the drive.

    Assuming that your 4TB Seagate Backup HDD is a desktop external HDD with a power brick, it will have a standard 3.5 " HDD inside.

    SIW2 has in his post #6 referred you to a youtube video on how to pry open the housing. and retrieve the HDD. Disconnect the USB bridge circuit from the SATA connector and connect the HDD internally on your Desktop.

    Check whether you can access the drive.
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  13. Corona
    Posts : 351
    Windows 10 Home 64bit
    Thread Starter
       New #10

    Sorry for the delay, gang. Thanks for your replies.

    SIW2 and Jumanji, I've never popped open an external HD before. That video should be fun to watch.

    MachineLanguage, wish I had known earlier, I would've gotten a 2TB instead. That's okay though. Par for the course for me.

    Bastet, I don't think I'd want to format that drive yet, it has stuff on it I may want to access first.
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