Explorer unresponsive/freeze when trying to read Seagate External HD

chrysanthemom · 05 Aug 2017

Greetings from the other side of the world!

I have Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB Portable External Hard Drive that starting to get weird and my main goal now is to save the data in it before it's too late. For information, I have 4TB WD Elements I intend to use as the backup.

First significant problem is that every time I plug it, it shows up just fine on Explorer:

Explorer unresponsive/freeze when trying to read Seagate External HD-20170805-18-45-52.png

But if I tried to interact with it (double click, right click, etc) Windows Explorer become unresponsive, my pointer turn to the loading blue circle one and nothing happens, if I tried to close the explorer, the "Not Responding" text appears on the title bar and then I need to force end it. I'm also unable to open some programs, after I unplug the external hard drive, then those program I clicked earlier open simultaneously.

I've read several solutions online, but I'm trying to be cautious by asking first than further messing with my external hard drive. Here some other screenshots I took:

Explorer unresponsive/freeze when trying to read Seagate External HD-20170805-17-02-48.png

Explorer unresponsive/freeze when trying to read Seagate External HD-20170805-17-11-30.png

By the way, I can't start Safe Mode while connecting it from the start (it stucks at the blue window logo). When I tried to run Check Disk with Command Prompt (Admin) it doesn't return anything, instead, it turns unresponsive and I need to unplug the Seagate just to close it.

Any help is appreciated!

Caledon Ken · 05 Aug 2017

Hi chrysanthemon. Welcome to the TenForums @chrysanthemon

Things you've likely tried already but...

Have you tried a different USB port, different cable (although I know this is somewhat of a custom cable, a different computer?

There are Seagate tools but like you said you don't want to make things worse.

http://www.seagate.com/ca/en/support...oads/seatools/

When you ran chkdsk did you include any options (switches) or was it the simple scan.

Ken

spunk · 05 Aug 2017

Chances are great that the Seagate drive or the USB Controller inside the Enclosure is starting or has already failed
You can disassemble the Seagate enclosure and remove the HDD from within, you then can attach it internally to a desktop computer, or Via a USB Adapter, Dock or Enclosure with a power adapter. If the drive doesn't spin up, then it has failed.
If it spins up, then download Seatools for Windows and run the Short and Long tests on the drive. If either test fails, the HDD needs to be replaced.

jumanji · 06 Aug 2017

1. Yes, as Caledon Ken suggested try the external HDD on another working PC. If you can access the data back it up.

2. Breaking open the case? Not yet. Try to access the external from a bootable Live Linux pen drive putting Windows at rest .

https://www.sevenforums.com/hardware...ml#post2936753

That in turn will take you to this thread on how-to. https://www.sevenforums.com/software...-computer.html ( applies to recovery from an otherwise inaccessible external storage media too.)