SeaGate FreeAgent MS Series 250GB External Hard Drive Issue

As stated in the thread title, I am having an issue with my SeaGate FreeAgent MS Series 250GB External Hard Drive..

When I plug it into my PC a popup in the task bar says "USB Device not recognised. For more information click here" something like that anyway…

I click the bubble and I am presented with a list of USB devices connected and the Hard Drive appears as "Unknown Device" I suspected that this was a driver issue so I visited the SeaGate website and apparently for this model you cannot download the drivers as they come already on the device..

I have tried the Windows troubleshooting as well but no luck.. So I am stuck between a rock and a hard place here.. I don't know where to go from here, could someone please guide me… It would be very much appreciated

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Has the Seagate FREEAgent previously functioned properly when connected to this machine? Is this the first time you have experienced this problem with the FREEAgent? The answer to this next question may be difficult to recall. If the FREEAgent did previously function properly, was it plugged in at the exact same USB Port where you now have it plugged in? USB ports are notorious for being "under-powered" and different between each of the USB Ports. Sometimes the USB Ports on the back of the machine are adequately powered, while those on the front are hardly functional. You make reference to "Windows Trouble-shooting". Is this from Device manager? If not, have you checked your Device Manager for yellow or red warnings? In Device manager - USB Root Hub Properties is the "Device Usage" at the bottom of the panel selected for "Use this device (enable) Do you have a can of compressed air. Use it to blow any dust/debris out of the USB Port and cable plug. Try a different USB Port? Uninstall your USB Controller via Device Manager, then reboot to allow Windows to Find and Install Drivers for Hardware.

Has the Seagate FREEAgent previously functioned properly when connected to this machine?

Yes

Is this the first time you have experienced this problem with the FREEAgent?

Yes

If the FREEAgent did previously function properly, was it plugged in at the exact same USB Port where you now have it plugged in?

Yes it was, and doesn't work in any other USB sockets either..

You make reference to "Windows Trouble-shooting".
Is this from Device manager?
If not, have you checked your Device Manager for yellow or red warnings?

I used trouble shooting and it directed me to device manager… I done everything that it suggested but it said that I should seek help elsewhere…

In Device manager - USB Root Hub Properties is the "Device Usage" at the bottom of the panel selected for "Use this device (enable)

Yes

Do you have a can of compressed air. Use it to blow any dust/debris out of the USB Port and cable plug.

No I have an air compressor but that will do more good than harm, haha
I suppose I could blow in there…

Uninstall your USB Controller via Device Manager, then reboot to allow Windows to Find and Install Drivers for Hardware.

No avail…

Thanks very much for your time Doug I appreciate it

The drive's USB controller has probably failed. Have you plugged this drive into any other computer yet? Until then, there isn't any sense in wasting time troubleshooting your PC.

I have plugged it into another computer but it didn't work… EDIT: 2 other computers

If it fails the same on 3 different computers then the drive has failed, or more likely, the USB controller built into the external drive enclosure has failed as appleoddity stated. I would expect the drive itself is okay. Your best bet would be to pick up another external drive enclosure, one without a hard drive in it, then move the drive from this one to the new one. The likelihood if it working in the new enclosure is very, very good. Another alternative would be to mount the drive from the external enclosure as a slave drive in your desktop (if you have a desktop) computer to verify it is working okay before buying a new external enclosure. Depends on what kind of drive is in the external enclosure and what kind of drives your computer accepts. If the external is SATA and your computer takes IDE/PATA then this won't work.