My New Seagate External Drive Crashes My Computer

[PlatinumAce]

I have tried connecting the External Seagate drive using both USB and Firewire ports. I have Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 installed. So it cannot be a driver problem, I assume. I have tried all of the different USB ports and all of the firewire ports. I have disconnected all other USB and Firewire devices. Seagate Technical support has no idea what to do. The Microsoft website is of no assistance. I am stumped. No matter what I do, the External drive crashes my system.

 

[rvnguy]

PlatinumAce,

Are you booting with this drive connected?

Try booting without it connected, then once booted, connect the drive.

Post back with particulars above that it crashes the system

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[PlatinumAce]

I rebooted my computer and then connected the new drive. My computer did not recognize the new external Seagate drive. However, earlier I changed some power management settings in the Bios, and now the computer does not shut down when I connect the external drive to a USB port. But it still shuts down if I connect it to a firewire port. Well at least the computer does not keep shutting down. I tried the add-hardware wizard but that did not work. According to Seagate, the external drive does not need any drivers. They are supposedly all supplied in Service Pack 2. I went to device manager and clicked on the USB Controller devices (List of USB Intel devices). I right clicked each one and clicked on the option to update their drivers. This did not solve the problem. I thought when I bought this drive, I would just connect it to the computer and the plug and play OS would detect it. What a nightmare it has beem trying to get it to work. I could return the drive, but my internal drive is almost full and I want to back it up or at least to free up some space on it.

 

[PlatinumAce]

I talked again to Tech Support at Seagate. They walked me through some troubleshooting on my computer and concluded that my new Seagate External Drive is defective. So I will be taking it back to the place I bought it to exchange it for a new one. The computer would just not recognize the drive. Every possible driver for the external drive is installed on my computer.

 

[PlatinumAce]

I exchanged the Segate 300 gig External hard drive for a new one at Fry's. I tried connecting the new drive according to the instructions, but the drive still keeps crashing, no matter if I connect it to the USB port or the Firewire port. The Tech Support people at Seagate are about ready to throw up their hands and tell me to return the drive for a refund. But I really would like to get it working. Any suggestions? I fiddled with the power management options in my BIOS before and that kept the system from crashing, but the drive was not recognized. Now I cannot seem to do that anymore. My bios does detect the new external hard drive, but the Windows OS does not. Please help.

 

[dglienna]

Try plugging it in after Windows starts. It should be discovered. Then, look in Device Manager to see if it is there or not.

-David
2006 Microsoft Valued Professional (MVP)

 

[PlatinumAce]

I tried it. My computer still keeps crashing. Could my operating system drivers be corrupted? Could there be an electrical problem on my motherboard? This is the second new external hard drive I have tried. I have Windows XP Pro with service pack 2. My computer works fine except when I connect the external hard drive, whether I connect it before or after Windows boots. It makes no difference which port I connect to - USB or Firewire. The computer is a VPR Matrix made by Best Buy. (discontinued system).
It is raid ready. I could get an internal hard drive, but I changed the operating system after I bought the computer. It came with Windows XP home edition. Any ideas about what I should do next?

 

[rvnguy]

try the drive on another system to insure that it works.

Plug it in to a booted XP OS and it should recognise it.

If this works post back and we can troubleshoot your OS installation.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[dglienna]

I ran into a problem today, in which a pc wouldn't see the all-in-one printer via usb port. After trying a few things, I got rid of the 'mini' usb cable that we had just bought, and brought one from my house. Everything was fixed.
Just goes to show you. 1/4" difference is akin to night and day. The printer actually was seen, but we got the 'failed' message. Then it never appeared again. What a headache! It was for my father, so I couldn't pad my frustration with some cash. I'll have a few choice words for the vendor tomorrow, though.

-David
2006 Microsoft Valued Professional (MVP)

 

[PlatinumAce]

Reply to rvnguy

I tried my new external Seagate 300 gig on another computer and it worked. But it still keeps crashing my computer no matter how I connect it, firewire or USB. Also, I have connected it prior to booting the computer and after the XP OS has booted. I also went out and bought a USB hub with a power adapter and connected it via the hub. The computer still crashed. Other USB devices such as my digital camera card reader do not crash the computer. I have Windows XP with service pack 2. But one problem I have is that I bought the computer from a private party who bought it from Best Buy. It is one of Best Buy's discontinued lines - a VPR Matrix. The computer originally came loaded with Windows XP Home Edition. However, the person I bought it from loaded Windows XP Professional onto it. I tried downloading Microsoft and Windows Updates from the Microsoft site, but they requested that I validate my OS. So I consented to Microsoft trying to validate my OS and validation failed. According to Seagate no drivers are needed if running Windows XP. I believe I might have the disks for Windows XP Home edition or the VPR Matrix disks. But I need to back up my almost filled up internal harddrive of 120 gigs before I reinstall anything. It would take me alot of CD burning to back up my internal hard drive. This is where I am at. Is my situation hopeless?

 

[rvnguy]

try checking in control panel system hardware devices. Look for any conflicts/errors for any device....try to correct if found.

Check the USB root hub and USB controller entries. Remove all of them. Reboot and XP should re-find these and re-install.

Look for "found new hardware" notification and then check to see that they have installed in CP.

Assuming they have, then re-try to connect the USB drive.

If this still fails try a repair install of the OS if you have the CD that this OS was installed from. Or install second instance of XP (if you have the Space) from you CD.

These might help if you need them

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

How to create a multiple-boot system in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306559/EN-US/

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[PlatinumAce]

I looked for conflicts and could find none. I uninstalled all of the USB devices and rebooted and the computer crashed. I do not have a CD with Windows XP Professional which is currently the OS installed on my computer. I do have Windows XP Home Edition. Also, I read the following on the Microsoft Website by clicking on the links you provided:

"Do not use a repair or in-place upgrade if you suspect disk problems.
• Do not use a repair or in-place upgrade if you suspect a problem with a third-party device, and the latest device drivers are currently installed for the device."

It seems that they are saying that I should not use a repair or inplace upgrade if I am having disk problems such as the one I am currently having. Unless, my real problem is a hardware problem, I probably will have to purchase Microsoft Windows XP Professional and back up my current internal hard drive with CDs. What a headache.
Or I might prefer to just go out and buy a new computer. But then how do I get my files transferred from my current computer to my new computer unless I burn a heck of alot of CDs. Well, at least I have not lost data yet.

 

[dglienna]

If they both have a network card, you could either buy a cheap hub, or invest in a crossover cable. Either option will let you create a connection between the old and new computer, and you will be able to send the files that you want to save over to the new computer.

-David
2006 Microsoft Valued Professional (MVP)

 

[rvnguy]

I uninstalled all of the USB devices and rebooted and the computer crashed.

Do you mean that the PC crashed when you tried to attach the USB drive? or on booting? I was suggesting that you uninstall all the USB devices/drivers and reboot without the USB drive attached. Your post did not lead one to believe that you were having boot problems for your normal system. Only when you tried to use the USB drive. If that is not the case, please advise.

Did you have the USB drive attached when you tried rebooting?

Do not use a repair or in-place upgrade if you suspect disk problems.

From your post you are not having problems with your boot disk. You are having problems with trying to access a USB drive. Or in other words using your USB ports.

I do have Windows XP Home Edition

Did you try a second installation with this 'home edition'??

As in:

How to create a multiple-boot system in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306559/EN-US/

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[PlatinumAce]

I do not remember if I had the external Seagate hard drive or USB hub and devices attached when I rebooted after removing the USB drivers in Device Manager. So I have just removed the drivers again and rebooted without the hard drive or USB hub and devices connected to the computer. I checked the Device Manager and it restored the exact same USB listings in the USB Controller section of Device Manager as before. What should I do now?

Last night, when I disconnected the USB cable from the back of my computer, my computer then immediately crashed. Just a few moments ago, when I uninstalled the USB hub driver on the bottom of the list in Device Manager, my computer immediately crashed. Does this provide any clues as to what is going on?

Okay, I have rebooted after removing all USB devices and drivers in Device Manager. No USB hub or devices were connected to the computer when I rebooted. My computer did not crash. What should I do now?

I have not tried to install Windows XP Home Edition as a dual boot OS. I doubt that I have room on my internal hard drive to do that. Also, that procedure scares me a little bit.

 

[rvnguy]

Okay, I have rebooted after removing all USB devices and drivers in Device Manager

Did XP find new hardware and reinstall the USB support??

We seem to be bouncing all over the place. i.e. I did this & it crashed....can't recall what was attached....then I did that & it was ok....but what things were installed or attached?????

I realize that there is a real lag in responses. I only suggest that you adopt a rigrous step by step procedure.

The most expedient might be to install this HD in another PC so that you can save your important files. Then move the drive back to this PC & start fresh with a valid install of XP, as this is a point you have mentioned several times. You know that this drive is functional on another PC so starting fresh might be your best bet.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[lee020]

Hi,

I had a similar problem with a lacie USB hard drive, my computer refuses to boot with it connected. Is there anyway around this?

 

[PlatinumAce]

I will try your suggestions for which I am grateful. It may take me some time before I can implement them. I wonder if I install my computer's internal hard drive into another computer, could I clone the operating system of the other computer onto the hard drive and then put it back into my computer? I suppose to do this would be violating the licensing restrictions of Microsoft. However, it is an interesting thought. Once the hard drive is put back in my computer after the other computer's operating system is cloned on it, I guess the new operating system would be confused by a change in the motherboard and maybe the different CPU serial number. Well, anyway it was a thought. Thanks again for the information.

 

[johnbullas]

Restore the settings on the XP machine via system restore to BEFORE you started trying to get the USB external drive working....

This will get you back to a good starting point

Ensure you have installed any drivers the device needs (regardless of whether it is supposed to be plug and play with XP)

DON'T resort to trying to "add/remove something" on the PC on the off chance you will get the drive to work, unless you know what you are doing you might stop another function you try to run later ....

Does the PC work fine with any other external USB Hard Disk drives? if not it is an issue not unique to the Seagate

Anyone else you know got a similaar Seagate product? does that work with your PC?

It is far btter to try to solve the problem by deduction than to automatically assume the problem is solvable by modifying the control panel or other settings as these may be optimised for other devices

Any issues between your USB drive and your PC that are documented on the manufacturers website?

Please report back.. I speak from experience here both from PCs and automotive troubleshooting

 

[olybound]

I just purchased a used seagate external hardrive 160gb. After I plugged it in, my computer performance slowed down tremendously.

When I tried to access the hard drive, I got this message

"E:\is not accessible"
"corrupted and unreadable"

Did I buy a piece of junk, or is there something that my computer is missing?