Problem with Seagate external hard drive[MOVED FROM WINDOWS]

JezDS · 04-30-2008, 02:27 AM

Hi,

I have encountered a strange problem with my Seagate Free Agent external drive that I hope someone here can help me with.

Everything was fine yesterday. Today when I open the drive via Windows Explorer I appear to be missing 55GBs of files from my back up folder. Yet, if I click on 'Properties' for the drive the capacity via 'My Computer' this still shows these 55GBs, but exploring the drive only shows the remaining 1.5GBs. The drive is in NTFS format.

I am certain that I have not inadvertently deleted any files and I am puzzled that the drive properties still show the missing 55GBs, yet I cannot 'see' where they are.

As you may have gathered, I am not a 'techy', but thought I had a modicum of savvy - obviously I was wrong.

Can anyone offer any guidance please? Many thanks in advance.

**vladimirb** · 04-30-2008, 02:42 AM

Did you perhaps made your folders hidden?
If so, try this:

1. Open Windows Explorer and go to 'Tools' options.
2. Under the tools options go to 'Folder Options'.
3. Go to 'View' tab and scroll down until you see 'Hidden files and folders'.
Check 'Show hidden files and folders' and press 'Apply' button.

With this correction, you will be able to see hidden files and folders.

JezDS · 04-30-2008, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vladimirb

Did you perhaps made your folders hidden?
If so, try this:

1. Open Windows Explorer and go to 'Tools' options.
2. Under the tools options go to 'Folder Options'.
3. Go to 'View' tab and scroll down until you see 'Hidden files and folders'.
Check 'Show hidden files and folders' and press 'Apply' button.

With this correction, you will be able to see hidden files and folders.

Hi VladimirB and thanks for the response.

I've checked Folder Options previously and confirm that 'Show hidden files and folders' is selected already. That was my first thought also, but no luck.

If you have any further suggestions I'd be very pleased to hear from you .

JezDS · 04-30-2008, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JezDS

Hi VladimirB and thanks for the response.

I've checked Folder Options previously and confirm that 'Show hidden files and folders' is selected already. That was my first thought also, but no luck.

If you have any further suggestions I'd be very pleased to hear from you .

What is also very puzzling is that not all the folders/files have disappeared - I still have the files from A to AL but nothing after that i.e. AM to Z.

**vladimirb** · 04-30-2008, 04:06 AM

How it is formatted your external HDD?
I suggest you to download GetbackData software program and try to get data back from your external HDD.
But first try to test your HDD with some testing tool provided from manufacturer.
Go to Seagate web site and download testing tools.

JezDS · 04-30-2008, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vladimirb

How it is formatted your external HDD?
I suggest you to download GetbackData software program and try to get data back from your external HDD.
But first try to test your HDD with some testing tool provided from manufacturer.
Go to Seagate web site and download testing tools.

Hi VladimirB,

Thanks for all your advice, but I think I have resolved the issue by running 'Tune Up Utilities Disk Doctor' which I already had installed on my PC, but I had forgotten about the 'Disk Doctor' facility as I have never needed it before. The 'help' file said it would check the drive thoroughly and attempt to repair any bad sectors etc. (a little like chkdsk but more sophisticated I suppose).
It took nearly 4 hours to run the program and said it had found no errors, but lo and behold, once it had finished the missing files and folders had all reappeared when I tried accessing again via Windows Explorer.

I think I will now back everything up to DVD data discs as well as to this drive to ensure I still have the data in the event that something similar happens again.

Thanks again for your help.

Best regards.

JezDS

04-30-2008, 02:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
JezDS Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 4 OS: XP Service pack 2	Problem with Seagate external hard drive[MOVED FROM WINDOWS] Hi, I have encountered a strange problem with my Seagate Free Agent external drive that I hope someone here can help me with. Everything was fine yesterday. Today when I open the drive via Windows Explorer I appear to be missing 55GBs of files from my back up folder. Yet, if I click on 'Properties' for the drive the capacity via 'My Computer' this still shows these 55GBs, but exploring the drive only shows the remaining 1.5GBs. The drive is in NTFS format. I am certain that I have not inadvertently deleted any files and I am puzzled that the drive properties still show the missing 55GBs, yet I cannot 'see' where they are. As you may have gathered, I am not a 'techy', but thought I had a modicum of savvy - obviously I was wrong. Can anyone offer any guidance please? Many thanks in advance. Last edited by JezDS; 04-30-2008 at 02:38 AM.

04-30-2008, 02:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
vladimirb Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Banja Luka, Serb Republic Posts: 3,671 OS: xp pro sp3, Server 2003, Windows 7 Professional x64bit My System	Re: Problem with Seagate external hard drive Did you perhaps made your folders hidden? If so, try this: 1. Open Windows Explorer and go to 'Tools' options. 2. Under the tools options go to 'Folder Options'. 3. Go to 'View' tab and scroll down until you see 'Hidden files and folders'. Check 'Show hidden files and folders' and press 'Apply' button. With this correction, you will be able to see hidden files and folders.

04-30-2008, 04:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
vladimirb Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Banja Luka, Serb Republic Posts: 3,671 OS: xp pro sp3, Server 2003, Windows 7 Professional x64bit My System	Re: Problem with Seagate external hard drive How it is formatted your external HDD? I suggest you to download GetbackData software program and try to get data back from your external HDD. But first try to test your HDD with some testing tool provided from manufacturer. Go to Seagate web site and download testing tools.