Other External products

[AlanM]

Hi all,

I just heard that a possible solution might be related to the interference of other device cables with the USB cable of the Expansion drive.  Apparently some or even many of the clicking issues that some people who have contacted Support have reported, can be mitigated if one moves the USB cable away from any other cable.  Does that make sense? 

I know it may not be the most convenient approach, given that alot of people have numerous peripherals, but give it a try - see if the Expansion drive still clicks the same when its USB cable is well away from any other peripheral cable or the PC box.  

[p a t r i c k]

To me this is at last an admission that there is an inherent fault with these drives.

I think that what is required is for Seagate to fix the fault and then offer all owners of the drives a replacement.

My own experience of the drives is that the  clicking is intermittent. You never know if it is cured or not because it can go away for a few weeks only to return. So, you could move the drives around to get them far away from other cables and your computer, they could apparent behave better, but in a few weeks the clicking might be back as before. You can't be certain.

In my experience after having tried to sort out problems with the drives the best thing to do is to take them back to the retailer and get a refund. Do not get them replaced my Seagate because in my experience the replacements will be just as bad. 

[AlanM]

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p a t r i c k wrote:

To me this is at last an admission that there is an inherent fault with these drives.

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I disagree - it is a possibly-useful troubleshooting step, and deals with the bus, not the drive itself. 

[p a t r i c k]

It is absolutely obvious that my use of the term "drive" to refer to the whole unit as sold by Seagate as the Expansion External Hard Drive.

These drives have wasted a great deal of time for very many people.

I believe there is an inherent fault with the drives and AlanM clearly knows this is the case.

Seagate must now set out to fix the fault with the drives and offer this replacement to all owners.

In the meantime my suggestion to owners of the drives with the clicking sound is to take them back to the retailer and get a refund.

Do not try to get them replaced by Seagate because in my experience the replacement will have the same fault. 

[gooner265]

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p a t r i c k wrote:

Hi gooner265

Over the years I've had good experiences with external hard drives. I use a lot as I do video editing.

The only external hard drives that have given me trouble are:

Seagate Expansions - which have been the worst by far

LaCie d2 Quadra Version 1 - which suffered from a power supply which dies after about a year of use.

The LaCie d2 Quadra Version 2, currently on sale, has solved the power supply problem and I have four of these and they are giving very good service. However I doubt you need what they have in terms of connectivity.

I use USB drives as back ups for my line of LaCies.

I have two Western Digital MyBooks, but these were made before they revised that model and put some built in and unremovable backup software on them so while I like the ones I have which don't have that I would not buy any new ones of those myself.

I have in the last few weeks bought two Western Digital Elements 1.5 TB drives and these seem to be working well so far. These are a similar price to the Seagate Expansions. Maybe you might like to try them.

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Thanks Patrick

I have exchanged it for a WD My Book Elite and will give that a try

[Tamadite]

In my opinion, by stating <<can be mitigated if one moves the USB cable away from any other cable>> the moderator AlanM already admits the enclosed USB cable does not comply with electromagnetic shield characteristics necessaries for the well functioning of this device. I am looking forward for a Seagate announcement for replacement, if not of the whole device, at least of the USB cable.

Message Edited by Tamadite on 01-15-2010 11:51 AM

[bjornb]

My problem started while not using the included USB-cable, but with a high quality Lexar USB cable (came with Lexar Professional UDMA CF SD reader). Changing to the included USB-cable from Seagate did not change anything. So at least for me the cable was not the issue. I returned my drive once, got a new one, same error, then convinced my store to get a refund, and now I'm happy with a WD-drive instead. Never again will I buy a Seagate.

/Björn

[p a t r i c k]

Hi bjornb

Your experience was similar to mine.

I tried a good quality Belkin cable with mine and it did not cure the problem.

When I got one of mine replaced the replacement had the same problem.

So I sent both of my external hard drives back to the retailer and got a refund.

That cured the problem. 

[driveperson]

 I tried several different cables and placed my Expansion drive as far away from everything else on my desk as possible and yet the clicking and failures to read persisted.  The best way to solve the problem in my opinion was to get rid of my Expansion drive if you have one.   I bought my Seagate Expansion drive because of the great sucess I had with Seagate portables, but I am now back to WD Elements because of my current perception of a lack of reliability with the Seagate Expansion drive.  The longer  heads are kept buried in the sand about this problem the more damage that is done to Seagate's reputation and future customer base.   Do you really get that AlanM?

[kuken3]

oh my gosh. I'm sitting here with my THIRD expansiondrive, clicking like the two prevoius ones I made the mistake to throw away the packaging and couldn't get a refund at start. But now, after endless hours of copyong and waiting at my reseller I can by support of the law finally leave Seagate behind me forever. I'll get my money back and buy something that works. Just wanted to add this note to spare some other poor customer the trouble of replacing the clicker with new trash; like many others have said here before: get a refund direct and stay clear from Seagate stuff in the future!