Seagate Transfer Emergency!

[kinnika]

So, I used my Seagate for as a vault to hold backup data for my PC. I tried to transfer it to my Macbook Pro. Fine... it did that, no problem. Then, a couple days later, I tried doing it again and all I got was a pop up window that read Disk Insertion with an exclamation point in an octagon sign right next to it. Then it read "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer. It gave me three options... 1) Initialize 2) Ignore or 3) Eject.

Now when I hook my Seagate up to my PC and try to open it, it only gives me an option to format it (erase it). What the heck?!

I don't know what to do. If I would have known I could only hook up my Seagate ONCE - then I would have transferred everything I had on there when I had the chance.

Frustrated and on the verge of a serious panic attack.

 

[rontheancient]

I had a Seagate drive with this issue a couple months back. Fresh from the shipping box too, it turned out to be a bad drive and sent it back for a replacement. Your issue seems to be a mechanical failure. Your data is not lost though, just inaccessible, but you will need to go to some experts for the actual data recovery. That is if your drive had a mech failure.

Someone else please chime in.

 

[kinnika]

Thanks, ron.

Anyone else? Is there a way to set it up on the "Initialize" option so I can restore my data? Options on initializing include: 1) First Aid 2) Erase 3) Partition 4) RAID 5) Restore

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

 

[merl1n]

Thanks, ron.

Anyone else? Is there a way to set it up on the "Initialize" option so I can restore my data? Options on initializing include: 1) First Aid 2) Erase 3) Partition 4) RAID 5) Restore

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

When you insert the disk, use the Ignore button. Then launch Disk Utility and try to repair the disk. If it can't, it is toast.

The only other option I can think of is getting a utility (such as "DataRescue") and try to recover your files from it.

 

[Radio Monk33]

You could try TestDisk, I've had a good experience in the past with it.

 

[rontheancient]

When you insert the disk, use the Ignore button. Then launch Disk Utility and try to repair the disk. If it can't, it is toast.

I also suggest using a Seagate Seatools to test the drive in a PC, do the extended test (or whatever its called).

 

[kinnika]

You could try TestDisk, I've had a good experience in the past with it.

Okay, I am seriously computer challenged. I don't even know what a partition is! So, hopefully, you can be patient with me.

For one, when I look up test disk for a step-by-step guide to use the software, I can't find anything.

And two - do I get it to be compatible with my PC (Windows XP) or my Mac (Leopard)? Does this matter?

I called up Seagate and they don't know how to help me. They just said that I could try data recovery software but they don't know if it will work. That's what it sounded like. I really don't want to pay out 100 bucks on something if I'm unsure if its even going to work.