External HDD is not detecting

Usually indicates the HDD has died

it is best for you to go directly to the store where you bought it so that they can coordinate on having it serviced or replaced for you.

try other usb port, or other computer and see whether the hdd is detected. If still not, try to go to device manager ( http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000833.htm ), and then assign a drive letter to the hdd. After that, try to access it from Computer, if not able to access it, format it (use quick format) and then use this program to recover your files.
http://www.asoftech.com/adr/

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.

Check Following Instructions:
1. Check your USB cable properly connected to the computer.
2. Go to My computer - right click on property - Hardware - Devices Manager - in below - USB Mass storage device - right click on this - and Uninstall - then again right click - click on Scan - it should be reload your USB drivers
your External Hard Drive will be detected

You need to test it by connecting it to another computer. This is the cheapest, easiest way to test if it's working.
If it does not detect on another computer then you can get it replaced by seagate. All freeagent series of drives have a 5 year warranty on them, so your drive will still be under warranty.
However, bear in mind warranty will replace the drive but does not include recovering your data. If your data on the drive is important you will need to speak to either your mac specialist or a company specialising in data recovery who can assist you.
If however the drive works in another computer, then you have confirmation that it's only something on your computer that is giving the problem. You can try connecting to a different usb port if you have not already tried that.

Okay the problem could be either with your computer or the external drive the first thing you need to do is try the external drive on another computer a friend's or someone's and see if it shows the files if it does not show the files on an another computer as well as your current computer then I suspect the problem is with the drive this is common especially if these drives have dropped or taking a file or gotten old if the drive is clicking and not spinning that's a big problem if the drive is spinning and you can hear it spin but it's not showing up on the computer there may be a different issue you may need to look towards data recovery for that external drive that's the best I can tell you at this time and based on the information you've given best of luck

Do not despair - check out the documentation on page 3 (you'll need Adobe Reader to open this PDF file):

http://www.seagate.com/support/freeagent/FA_Pro_15_QSG_US.pdf

Hope this helps

If the HDD isn't detected, this means either the HDD has failed or the disk controller has failed.
Most likely the HDD has failed, remove the drive and test it in another computer as a slave drive, if the other computer can see the drive and the files then the drive is OK and the fault is the motherboard/controller.
Alternately you can also test the HDD with a USB hard drive adapter and connect it to a working computer's USB port, if the computer sees it as an external drive and the files then the HDD is OK.

Hi,
After plugging ur HDD, verify the device is detected or not in Device manager and Try Partitioning Again GUI mode (means in XP).. or follow the steps..

1- Go to Computer Management, Click Disk Management
2 - You will find you External HDD in the Right side
3 - Just Right Click the Drive, if it asks Initialize HDD, just Initialize and Create Partition as u like.

Have Fun
- Rajkumar