Check Your Connections
One of the most common reasons a Seagate Backup Plus drive is not being recognized is because of a connection issue. Here are some tips for troubleshooting the connections:
Make sure the USB cable is firmly plugged into the drive and computer. A loose connection can prevent the computer from detecting the drive. Push the plugs all the way in to ensure a tight fit on both ends of the cable.
Try connecting to a different USB port. If you have multiple USB ports, try plugging the drive into another one. Some ports may not recognize external drives.
Confirm the USB cable works by connecting another device. Try using the same cable to connect another external device like a USB flash drive. If that drive is recognized, the cable is likely working fine.
If trying different cables and ports doesn’t work, the drive itself may be having an issue. Continue on to further troubleshooting steps.
Update Your Drivers
One common reason a Seagate Backup Plus drive may not be recognized is outdated drivers. To update your drivers:
First, visit the website for your computer or motherboard manufacturer and download the latest USB and chipset drivers. Install these drivers to ensure your USB ports and controllers have up-to-date software.[1]
Next, make sure you have installed the latest Windows updates, which often include driver updates, by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Install any available updates.[2]
Finally, update your computer’s BIOS firmware to the newest version. Go to your manufacturer’s support site to download the latest BIOS update. Follow their instructions to flash your BIOS, rebooting your computer when done.
Updating all your key drivers ensures maximum compatibility between your Seagate drive, USB ports, and operating system.
Initialize the Drive
Using Disk Management to initialize the drive is one of the most common solutions to fix a Seagate Backup Plus drive that is not being recognized. This process will assign a drive letter and format the drive so Windows can access it properly. Here are the steps:
Type “disk management” into the Windows search bar and open the Disk Management tool. Locate your Seagate Backup Plus drive in the list. If it shows up as unallocated space, right-click on it and select “Initialize Disk”.
You’ll then need to select either MBR or GPT partition. MBR is compatible with both Windows and Mac. GPT works better for drives over 2TB.
After selecting MBR or GPT, right-click on the volume and choose “New Simple Volume”. Go through the wizard to assign a drive letter.
Finally, right-click on the volume again and choose “Format”. Select your desired file system – NTFS is recommended for most Windows users.
After formatting is complete, your Seagate Backup Plus should show up in Windows Explorer with a drive letter assigned. Initialize Disk via Disk Management is crucial first step to getting an external drive recognized.
Format the Drive
One potential solution is to format the Seagate Backup Plus drive using Disk Management in Windows. Disk Management allows you to manage storage drives by creating partitions, formatting, deleting volumes, etc. Follow these steps to format the drive:
- Open Disk Management. You can access this by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Disk Management.
- Locate the Seagate Backup Plus drive. It may show as an Unknown or Unallocated drive.
- Right-click on the drive and select Format.
- Under File System, choose NTFS.
- Click OK.
This will format the Seagate drive with the NTFS file system. NTFS is compatible with all modern versions of Windows.
You also have the choice between a Quick Format and Full format. Quick Format is faster but only deletes the index of previous files on the drive. Full format scans the drive for bad sectors and takes longer.
After formatting, the Seagate Backup Plus should show up as a usable drive in File Explorer. You can try reconnecting it to the LG TV after formatting to see if that resolves the recognition issue.
Run CHKDSK
One reason your Seagate Backup Plus drive may not be recognized is due to errors on the drive. Running the CHKDSK utility can help scan for and repair any errors.
CHKDSK is a built-in Windows utility that scans drives and fixes logical file system errors and bad sectors. To run CHKDSK on your Seagate Backup Plus drive:
- Open File Explorer and right-click on your drive.
- Select Properties > Tools > Click on Check button under Error checking section.
- Check “Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors” and click Start.
- Allow CHKDSK to scan and repair any errors found.
After CHKDSK completes, reboot your computer and check if your Seagate Backup Plus drive is now recognized. Running CHKDSK helps fix drive errors that may be preventing Windows from recognizing the drive properly.
Source: https://www.aidfile.com/seagate-external-hard-drive-not-recognized.htm
Disable USB Selective Suspend
Power settings can suspend USB ports when unused for extended periods of time to conserve power. This is called USB Selective Suspend. It’s possible that this feature is enabled, causing the Seagate drive to be suspended and not detected properly.
To fix this, you need to disable the selective suspend feature for USB ports:
- Open Control Panel and navigate to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
- Click “Change plan settings” for your active power plan.
- Click “Change advanced power settings.”
- Expand the USB settings and disable “USB selective suspend setting.”
Now your USB ports will remain active at all times, which should allow your Seagate drive to be detected properly. Be aware this may reduce battery life if you’re on a laptop.
Update Seagate Software
One reason your Seagate Backup Plus drive may not be recognized is because you need to update the Seagate software. Seagate external drives come with software like the Seagate Dashboard that allows you to configure settings, run diagnostics tests, and manage your drive. Keeping this software up-to-date can help resolve issues with drive recognition.
First, make sure you have the latest version of the Seagate Dashboard. You can download the newest version from the Seagate software page. Install the updated Dashboard and see if it resolves the issue.
If that doesn’t work, try reinstalling the Seagate software completely. Uninstall the current Dashboard, restart your computer, then download and install the Dashboard again. Reinstalling the software can clear out any errors and reset settings to get your Backup Plus drive connecting properly again.
With the latest Seagate software installed, check if your drive is now being detected. Updating and reinstalling the Seagate Dashboard is a quick fix that often gets Seagate drives recognized again.
Test on Another Computer
If your Seagate Backup Plus drive is still not being recognized after trying the other troubleshooting steps, try connecting it to a different computer.
Connect the Backup Plus drive to another computer, either by plugging it into a USB port or using a different USB cable if it’s an external drive. See if the other computer recognizes the drive and can access it. Sometimes drives may have compatibility issues with certain computers that prevent them from being detected properly.
If the Backup Plus drive works fine when connected to another computer, then the issue likely lies with your original computer’s USB ports, drivers, or OS settings. You may need to update your USB drivers or adjust your BIOS settings on that computer. If it still doesn’t work on the second computer, then the drive itself may have a hardware or formatting problem.
Testing the drive on another computer is a simple way to determine if the issue is localized to one computer or exists within the drive itself. This can help narrow down what troubleshooting steps are needed to get your Backup Plus working again.
Contact Seagate Support
If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and your Seagate Backup Plus external hard drive is still not being recognized, it may be time to contact Seagate support. Seagate offers technical support via online chat, email, or phone to help diagnose and resolve issues with external drives.
Before contacting support, make sure you have the serial number of your Backup Plus drive available. This will help Seagate identify the exact model and review any warranty information. Most Seagate external drives come with a 2-year limited warranty that covers defects in materials or workmanship.
When you contact Seagate support, be prepared to describe the issue you’re experiencing in detail. Note any error messages, abnormal behaviors, or changes that occurred before the drive stopped being recognized. The support agent can then walk through basic troubleshooting with you to pinpoint the cause.
If the drive is still under warranty and the issue appears to be a hardware defect, Seagate will first attempt to resolve it through remote troubleshooting. If that is unsuccessful, they may offer to repair or replace the defective Backup Plus drive.[1]
Data Recovery
If you are unable to solve the issue of your Seagate Backup Plus drive not being recognized through software troubleshooting, your best option may be to attempt data recovery. There are two main paths for data recovery:
- Send to a professional data recovery service. Companies like bplandatarecovery.com specialize in recovering data from storage devices like hard drives and SSDs. They have sophisticated equipment and clean room facilities to physically repair drives and extract data. However, their services can be expensive.
- Use DIY data recovery software. Software like Aidfile Recovery can scan your drive and recover deleted files from Seagate Backup Plus drives that are not being detected. This is a more budget-friendly option you can try before sending your drive away.
The most important thing is recovering your valuable photos, documents, and other data from the drive. Data recovery should allow you to get your files back if the drive hardware itself has failed or is unresponsive.