When i plug my WD 500GB external hard drive in, it doesn't automatically come up, and when i try to locate it from "my computer", it shows up as a regular hard drive. when i try to open it, it says it's not formatted and doesn't open. i've had this for babout 2 years and never had any trouble with it. what do you recommend?

I have SeaGate FreeAgent GoFlex 500GB external hard disk and it shows only 230GB. I formatted it many a time but still shows 230 Gb only..Please help me to fix the problem....

An external storage-device has four major components:

* the USB cable

* the power-adapter

* the disk-drive inside the enclosure

* the USB-to-disk-drive adapter inside the enclosure.

One of these components has failed.

Try a different USB cable.

Try connecting to a different USB port on your computer.

Try connecting to a USB port on a different computer.

Take a "multi-meter" and measure both the voltage and amperage output from the AC adapter, and compare with the specifications on the label on the adapter.

Open the enclosure, and remove the disk-drive, and then connect it as a "slave" disk-drive in a desktop computer, to see if it works at all.

Purchase a new, compatible, disk-drive, and install it in the enclosure, to "revive" your external storage device.

Get the part-number and serial-number from the label on your disk-drive, and access the manufacturer's web-site, and use "check warranty status", to see if they will replace the device, at minimal cost to you.

Note that W.D. has a "Customer Loyalty" program -- you can buy a new W.D. device, through the W.D. web-site, at a significant discount.

There exist commercial "data recovery" services that can try to repair your device, just long-enough to rescue and copy your files. For example, see: https://services.seagate.com/index.aspx?lng=en-US for a "no data - no charge" guarantee.

you have format it without that it will shows or before that try scan it with updated anti virus or check no files added to hidden option

Try it on another computer to see if it is working. Sometimes the USB cable can fail, too, so if you have another USB cable that fits, try it.

If it still does not work, perhaps the drive has failed.

That could even be a USB problem, I have the same one, my issue turn out to be just power. You are not the first one to have that problem. Replace the USB cord and see if that affects anything.

hi...if you want to see again the files on the external hard drive i suggest you make to re-install the windows or repairs the windows you`re using or try to update the mother board drivers..thank you...^_^

Try a replacement USB cable first. If that does not fix the problem, then the USB to SATA adapter board is faulty, in that case you will need to take out the internal disk to replace the external enclosure.

see
YouTube - How To: Take Apart A Western Digital My Book Enclosure

If unit is under warranty see : WD Support > Warranty Services > End User > Warranty Policy.

Note any SATA external enclosure willl work wthe same with the internal WD HD.

Doewnload Testdisk and run it to see if it can find a boot sector.

Yes. This is going to sound strange. Put the drive in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Next day, take it out, hook it up, and see if it is recognized.

If so, under My computer, right click on the drive - click Properties - then Tools, then Error Checking. Check box Automatically Fix File System Errors. Let it run. If everything shows up, be ready to transfer wnat you want off of it.

Freezing shrinks the metal parts . Microscopically, but often enough to get stuck parts free enough to get working.

I just went through this with a 750Gig Book. now i have reformatted the drive (after transferring all over to new drive) and the clicking is gone and all disk checks are fine and i wonder whether to trust this device ever again... Hate to just throw out a large drive.

I just had this problem, go to Computer Management/Disk Management, and assign a drive letter to it, for some reason it doesn't automatically.