Cannot access new Seagate external HD

I already have a couple of external HDs on this XP Pro PC: a WD 1 TB
and a WD 2 TB. I've just added another, a Seagate 'Expansion' 2 TB
3.5" desktop HD (£60). It arrived impressively fast from Amazon. But I
reckon it's going to have to go back just as quickly, because it
doesn't work ;-(

As you see, I cannot access the drive. It's shown in Device Manager
and Disk Management - but as you see it has no letter, nor can I do
anything about it. A 'GPT Protective Partition' has been set up,
whatever that is, and I cannot remove it.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...NoAccess-1.jpg

Research found suggestions to change the partition to 'MBR' - but the
first step was to right click and choose... blah blah. Or
alternatively to use a command prompt tool called DISKPART - but that
failed to even achieve the first step of listing my disks, constantly
offering me only a list of commands - none of which was LIST.

And anyway, I later found that MBR can 'only support drives under 2
TB'.

Another suggestion was to delete the partition - but the same Catch 22
obviously rules that out.

Saw nothing about this on the Amazon product page ;-(

Any observations/suggestions before I start re-packing it please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Chronos wrote:

On Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:20:30 +0100
Terry Pinnell wrote:

As you see, I cannot access the drive. It's shown in Device Manager
and Disk Management - but as you see it has no letter, nor can I do
anything about it. A 'GPT Protective Partition' has been set up,
whatever that is, and I cannot remove it.

GPT is the new partitioning scheme for disks. Windows 7 understands it
for non-system disks and Windows 8 can use it to boot. Windows XP,
sadly, doesn't understand it at all.

And anyway, I later found that MBR can 'only support drives under 2
TB'.

This is correct. What you really need to do is clean that disk right
off. It should create a MBR for a 2TB disk since 2 marketing terabytes
is less than 2 real binary terabytes. I'd suggest wiping it with
something that can write to the raw disk. Without wanting to sound like
a scratched record, I'm not sure how to do this without *mix. Perhaps
this: http://eraser.heidi.ie/ on its "first and last 16kiB" setting
will remove the pMBR (protective master boot record, what Windows
iscalling the protective partition) and GPT entries, allowing you to set
up with plain old MBR. There's also Seagate's own Discwizard:
http://www.seagate.com/gb/en/support...ard-master-dl/

Many thanks for the fast reply. But I'm not technically confident
enough to attempt using those tools. I expected plug 'n play! Spent a
couple of hours on it so far, but reckon I'll parcel it up ;-(

Excuse the switch of topic, but I'd appreciate any recommendations for
a 2 (or 3) TB desktop HD that IS a no-brainer installation on an XP
Pro PC please. And ideally one that doesn't spin down, as that's been
causing problems with my 2 TB WD.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

On Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:20:30 +0100, Terry Pinnell
wrote:

I already have a couple of external HDs on this XP Pro PC: a WD 1 TB
and a WD 2 TB. I've just added another, a Seagate 'Expansion' 2 TB
3.5" desktop HD (£60). It arrived impressively fast from Amazon. But I
reckon it's going to have to go back just as quickly, because it
doesn't work ;-(

As you see, I cannot access the drive. It's shown in Device Manager
and Disk Management - but as you see it has no letter, nor can I do
anything about it. A 'GPT Protective Partition' has been set up,
whatever that is, and I cannot remove it.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...NoAccess-1.jpg

Research found suggestions to change the partition to 'MBR' - but the
first step was to right click and choose... blah blah. Or
alternatively to use a command prompt tool called DISKPART - but that
failed to even achieve the first step of listing my disks, constantly
offering me only a list of commands - none of which was LIST.

And anyway, I later found that MBR can 'only support drives under 2
TB'.

Another suggestion was to delete the partition - but the same Catch 22
obviously rules that out.

Saw nothing about this on the Amazon product page ;-(

Any observations/suggestions before I start re-packing it please?

http://www.disk-partition.com/featur...t-mbr-gpt.html

It's a suggestion ... I've had good results with this
software, but only on USB drives. Never tried the conversion. It's
free, give it a try.
[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012

Terry Pinnell wrote:

Chronos wrote:

On Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:20:30 +0100
Terry Pinnell wrote:

As you see, I cannot access the drive. It's shown in Device Manager
and Disk Management - but as you see it has no letter, nor can I do
anything about it. A 'GPT Protective Partition' has been set up,
whatever that is, and I cannot remove it.

GPT is the new partitioning scheme for disks. Windows 7 understands it
for non-system disks and Windows 8 can use it to boot. Windows XP,
sadly, doesn't understand it at all.

And anyway, I later found that MBR can 'only support drives under 2
TB'.

This is correct. What you really need to do is clean that disk right
off. It should create a MBR for a 2TB disk since 2 marketing terabytes
is less than 2 real binary terabytes. I'd suggest wiping it with
something that can write to the raw disk. Without wanting to sound like
a scratched record, I'm not sure how to do this without *mix. Perhaps
this: http://eraser.heidi.ie/ on its "first and last 16kiB" setting
will remove the pMBR (protective master boot record, what Windows
iscalling the protective partition) and GPT entries, allowing you to set
up with plain old MBR. There's also Seagate's own Discwizard:
http://www.seagate.com/gb/en/support...ard-master-dl/

Many thanks for the fast reply. But I'm not technically confident
enough to attempt using those tools. I expected plug 'n play! Spent a
couple of hours on it so far, but reckon I'll parcel it up ;-(

Excuse the switch of topic, but I'd appreciate any recommendations for
a 2 (or 3) TB desktop HD that IS a no-brainer installation on an XP
Pro PC please. And ideally one that doesn't spin down, as that's been
causing problems with my 2 TB WD.

After re-packing, curiosity compelled me to continue researching the
issue. I found this:

http://knowledge.seagate.com/article...language=en_US

Those instructions on the use of DISKPART were significantly different
to those I had unsuccessfully tried earlier.

So I unpacked and re-installed and using DISKPART encouragingly got
the drive recognised and a drive letter assigned.

HOWEVER, on trying to format (or Quick Format) I'm getting this:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...NoAccess-2.jpg

I'll post this and then try re-booting, but would appreciate any other
suggestions please.


--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Terry Pinnell wrote:

Terry Pinnell wrote:

Chronos wrote:

On Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:20:30 +0100
Terry Pinnell wrote:

As you see, I cannot access the drive. It's shown in Device Manager
and Disk Management - but as you see it has no letter, nor can I do
anything about it. A 'GPT Protective Partition' has been set up,
whatever that is, and I cannot remove it.

GPT is the new partitioning scheme for disks. Windows 7 understands it
for non-system disks and Windows 8 can use it to boot. Windows XP,
sadly, doesn't understand it at all.

And anyway, I later found that MBR can 'only support drives under 2
TB'.

This is correct. What you really need to do is clean that disk right
off. It should create a MBR for a 2TB disk since 2 marketing terabytes
is less than 2 real binary terabytes. I'd suggest wiping it with
something that can write to the raw disk. Without wanting to sound like
a scratched record, I'm not sure how to do this without *mix. Perhaps
this: http://eraser.heidi.ie/ on its "first and last 16kiB" setting
will remove the pMBR (protective master boot record, what Windows
iscalling the protective partition) and GPT entries, allowing you to set
up with plain old MBR. There's also Seagate's own Discwizard:
http://www.seagate.com/gb/en/support...ard-master-dl/

Many thanks for the fast reply. But I'm not technically confident
enough to attempt using those tools. I expected plug 'n play! Spent a
couple of hours on it so far, but reckon I'll parcel it up ;-(

Excuse the switch of topic, but I'd appreciate any recommendations for
a 2 (or 3) TB desktop HD that IS a no-brainer installation on an XP
Pro PC please. And ideally one that doesn't spin down, as that's been
causing problems with my 2 TB WD.

After re-packing, curiosity compelled me to continue researching the
issue. I found this:

http://knowledge.seagate.com/article...language=en_US

Those instructions on the use of DISKPART were significantly different
to those I had unsuccessfully tried earlier.

So I unpacked and re-installed and using DISKPART encouragingly got
the drive recognised and a drive letter assigned.

HOWEVER, on trying to format (or Quick Format) I'm getting this:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...NoAccess-2.jpg

I'll post this and then try re-booting, but would appreciate any other
suggestions please.

SUCCESS! Happy to report that after a reboot I was able to format and
am now successfully using the new drive.

Shadow wrote:

On Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:20:30 +0100, Terry Pinnell
wrote:

I already have a couple of external HDs on this XP Pro PC: a WD 1 TB
and a WD 2 TB. I've just added another, a Seagate 'Expansion' 2 TB
3.5" desktop HD (£60). It arrived impressively fast from Amazon. But I
reckon it's going to have to go back just as quickly, because it
doesn't work ;-(

As you see, I cannot access the drive. It's shown in Device Manager
and Disk Management - but as you see it has no letter, nor can I do
anything about it. A 'GPT Protective Partition' has been set up,
whatever that is, and I cannot remove it.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...NoAccess-1.jpg

Research found suggestions to change the partition to 'MBR' - but the
first step was to right click and choose... blah blah. Or
alternatively to use a command prompt tool called DISKPART - but that
failed to even achieve the first step of listing my disks, constantly
offering me only a list of commands - none of which was LIST.

And anyway, I later found that MBR can 'only support drives under 2
TB'.

Another suggestion was to delete the partition - but the same Catch 22
obviously rules that out.

Saw nothing about this on the Amazon product page ;-(

Any observations/suggestions before I start re-packing it please?

http://www.disk-partition.com/featur...t-mbr-gpt.html

It's a suggestion ... I've had good results with this
software, but only on USB drives. Never tried the conversion. It's
free, give it a try.
[]'s

Thanks, but see my latest post reporting success ;-)

You could use the trial version of Boot It Bare Metal. You make a CD or
thumb drive, boot to it, skip installation and go to the tools,
partition management, and make it an NTFS partition.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/dow...bare-metal.htm

--
Ed Light

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Thanks, robots.

En el artículo , Terry
Pinnell escribió:

Spent a
couple of hours on it so far, but reckon I'll parcel it up ;-(

Don't do that Terry. You'll have to pay to send it back. Maybe someone
from here could do it via remote desktop while you watch (and learn),

The DISKPART command you need is 'list disk'.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\mikediskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7601
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: XXXXXX

DISKPART list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 238 GB 0 B
Disk 1 Online 238 GB 0 B
Disk 2 Online 1863 GB 1024 KB

Excuse the switch of topic, but I'd appreciate any recommendations for
a 2 (or 3) TB desktop HD that IS a no-brainer installation on an XP
Pro PC please. And ideally one that doesn't spin down, as that's been
causing problems with my 2 TB WD.

The one you have is almost certainly fine. To wipe the odd GPT
partition(s), you can use CLEAN in DiskPart. Type HELP CLEAN for the
syntax. Once you have done this you should be able to create a standard
MBR partition table, then create a partition and format it.

--
(\_/)
(='.'=) Bunny says: Windows 10? Nein danke!
(")_(")

En el artículo , Terry
Pinnell escribió:

SUCCESS! Happy to report that after a reboot I was able to format and
am now successfully using the new drive.

Nice one Terry. Glad you got there without having to return it
unnecessarily.

--
(\_/)
(='.'=) Bunny says: Windows 10? Nein danke!
(")_(")

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage, on Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:20:30 +0100,
Terry Pinnell wrote:


As you see, I cannot access the drive. It's shown in Device Manager
and Disk Management - but as you see it has no letter, nor can I do
anything about it. A 'GPT Protective Partition' has been set up,
whatever that is,

That's a Grinstead Protective Treament. It's meant to protect the
drive until you use it. It's somethin glike the clear vinyl sheet on
camera and cellphone screens when you buy a new one.

and I cannot remove it.