I have a used 1tb Free Agent Pro (FW/USB).
Then today I was given a new FreeAgent Desk 500 GB (PC version, USB).

I can't get either to work on my Mac - g5, 1.6, 10.4.11

I desperately need to finish something and need more drive space. I need help!

The 1tb drive doesn't show on my desktop. After much fooling around I was finally able to reformat it, but it still doesn't work.

The 500 gb doesn't show on my desk top either. I'm reluctant to reformat it in case I have to return it.

CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP???

This link may or may not be relevant
http://www.ehmac.ca/anything-mac/73133-seagate-barracuda-7200-11-drives-failing.html

Probably the only way to find out if your external drive set-ups actually use one of these drives is to contact Seagate.

I have 2 older Seagate drives in assorted external enclosures both have been rock solid. It is just the 7200.11s that appear to have problems.

Do they show up in Disk Utility?
Can you try them on a different machine?
Have you tried different ports?

I have tried different ports. I've also tried my PC laptop. I think when I tried to reformat the 1TB drive that something went wrong and left it in a state where it's not formatted... and I can't find a way to do the formatting.

I really messed things up. Last night I allowed Software Update to install some updates - my system is now 10.4.11 where it used to be 10.4.10. All of a sudden system profiler doesn't see my built-in cd/dvd burner.

I connected a firewire LaCie burner that I've had for a while and used just a week ago on another computer, and it's not working. The green light comes on for about 10 seconds then goes off.

It's hard to believe that all these devices are bad. I think it has to be something in my computer but I have no idea where to start.

Back to the 1TB drive - most of the time disk utility does not see it. One time it saw it, but all the options were grayed out and i couldn't do anything with it.

I'm just beside myself... help please.

G5 1.6 10.4.11

You have to go to applications/utilities/disk utility and format it from there!

John

When you say you've tried different ports, does that mean you've tried both USB and Firewire? I've got a 500 GB FreeAgent Pro, it doesn't like eSata connection it has, but runs just fine on Firewire. I never use it on USB (all my ports are full). As for software update, have you repaired permissions yet after your update? Try that first, restart your machine, and see if you can't get the 1Tb drive to show up in Disk Utility and reformat.

Matt