Seagate Backup Plus local help contact info

Technology and Internet
#1

Not sure if this is the right place for this question about a Seagate Backup Plus, but I can’t get on-line help because the Seagate site doesn’t recognize the serial number. It was bought new at Officeworks in 2013.

From information on-line, at seven years it appears it’s outlived the average life-span, 3-4 years, for a back-up disc. I didn’t know that or I’d have already replaced it. No lights show on it and it’s not recognized by the MacBook Pro. It does vibrate gently so it’s not completely dead.

Anyway, I’d appreciate some advice on a replacement
a. Should I stick with Seagate?
b. The current one is a 2 TB model. The last time it worked it showed 1.65 0f 2 TB available so I think its capacity meets my needs. Comments on capacity, please.
c. I don’t leave it connected all the time, just connect it when I think I should back-up, about once a week unless there are important documents or photos to back up. Then I backup whenever I add important stuff. Is that harder on the backup disc than leaving it to do tiny backups all day every day?
d. Is there anything else I should be considering?
e. Can data be retrieved from this disc if I should need to do so?
f. Would a backup disc with more capacity do a faster initial backup of the whole computer than a 2 TB model, or is that not even related?
I’d sincerely appreciate some guidance, please.

#2

First thing I would try is using a different cable if you have one handy.

#3

a. The general consensus seems to be that all manufacturers put out duds from time to time, but that most modern HDs are reliable most of the time. I just buy what is well priced after checking reviews for the model(s) I’m considering.

b. If 2TB is enough then get another one if they’re still available for good prices. The last lot I bought were 4TB, but you don’t need a larger disk if you are not using the space.

c. Having to remember to connect it is an excellent way to end up with no recent backups. It might be harder on the disk to leave it on - I don’t know for sure - but I don’t think that should factor in to your decision. I would definitely leave it on and just let Time Machine do its stuff. That’s what I do as my first line of backups. I also use Carbon Copy Cloner to do scheduled backups to different disks.

d. Consider developing a strategy that allows you to recover from a house fire or burglary. Off site backups are required if you really need to keep your data no matter what. It’s also good to test your system by trying to restore after a simulated disk failure.

e. It may be possible, but there is no way for anyone to know this without further investigation. It may be possible at a price, but again, no way to know at this point. If it’s a backup disk and you don’t need anything from it right now, I would start backing to the new one and destroy/discard the old one after a month or 3.

f. A larger disk may do a faster backup, but only if it’s a faster disk. It’s not dependent on size.

And definitely try another lead as suggested above. And try the disk on another machine too - one or more ports on your machine may have failed or be unable to supply power. The latter assumes this is a bus powered disk, i.e., one that doesn’t have its own power supply, but try it on another computer anyway if you can.

Also, and apologies if you know this already, make sure you format the new disk before you use it. To do this, plug the disk in and launch Disk Utility (in the Utilities folder) to erase and reformat the disk as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). This means you can use it with Time Machine, but will make it unreadable on Windows unless they have particular software installed. If Windows compatibility is required, format as ExFAT, but this will not allow you to use Time Machine.

#4

Thanks, Dambo. I will test it later using the cable that came with the new Backup disk. I had decided to buy a new unit when I found it was already well past its use-by date.

#5

Thank you for the detailed reply and good advice, soulman.

I rushed out and bought a new backup disc before I read either of the replies as it seems I’d been pushing my luck for some time, not realizing its age made it vulnerable to failure without warning,(or warning that I recognized anyway.)

Consequently I just did the new backup, formatting it for Mac first. If I’d read your reply first I’d have got CCC first and made a bootable backup.

I bought a 4TB Seagate that was still labelled 99.00 after a recent sale had ended and was cheaper than a 2TB.

  1. Can I make a CCC back up on that disk as well as the regular backup I just completed as it appears there’d be plenty of room. After this backup there’s still 3.92 of 4TB available.

  2. Thanks for the CCC suggestion. Reading about CCC it appears that it’s downloaded software that allows one to make a bootable drive on the existing Mac drive OR on an external drive, such as the Seagate. Have I understood that correctly?

  3. If so, it would probably make sense to have the bootable drive separate from the laptop on the external 4TB drive in case the Mac suffers a traumatic event such as you point out. This is Australia.

Perhaps I should buy another drive and keep it in my workshop, separate building from the house, and back up to it once a month or less.

  1. I wouldn’t know how to test my system by trying to restore after a simulated failure. I’d be afraid of overwriting or damaging the data.

  2. Different ports were tested yesterday and today I used one that didn’t recognize the Drive yesterday, without any issues today, so I think the unit simply died.

Thank so much for the useful advice.

#6

I have found Seagate discs to be reliable in my situation. I had a couple of Western Digital My Book drives that failed prematurely.

In your case it may be that the power supply has failed, and if the data is critical it may be accessible by removing the disc at taking it to a recovery place.

#7

Thank you for the reply, Mick. The one that failed is an external drive. It’s replacement is a new external Drive, also Seagate.

The new drive made a complete backup so I won’t be needing the data on the damaged drive. I’ll keep it anyway as well as probably getting a ‘backup’ backup to be extra safe.

#8

I didn’t follow through on the title of this thread and request local contact information for Seagate. If anyone does need it the number I was given is: 1.800.14.7201

email contact is: [email protected]