Question External FreeAgent denies access to my folders

[JulFen]

My external SeaGate FreeAgent worked fine on the Windows 7 desktop, but it crashed. I plugged it into my Windows 10 and I can see the folders, but when I click to open any of them it says I don't have access. Any idea how to fix this? I have important docs and photos of family who have now passed away and want to access them.
Thanks in advance for any help given!

 

[DSzymborski]

What exactly did the "crash" consist of? That's an extremely broad description of behavior.

From your posts, can I assume these files aren't properly backed up? That's troubling, and from the limited information, this very old drive -- SeaGate hasn't used this branding in more than a decade -- may simply be failing. If you can't get the drive to work on any PC and you can't access files with something like DMDE or Recuva, then your options quickly become limited basically to sending the drive to a recovery lab, which can be as expensive as a new gaming PC, or simply not have the files any more.

 

[JulFen]

What exactly did the "crash" consist of? That's an extremely broad description of behavior.

From your posts, can I assume these files aren't properly backed up? That's troubling, and from the limited information, this very old drive -- SeaGate hasn't used this branding in more than a decade -- may simply be failing. If you can't get the drive to work on any PC and you can't access files with something like DMDE or Recuva, then your options quickly become limited basically to sending the drive to a recovery lab, which can be as expensive as a new gaming PC, or simply not have the files any more.

My Windows 7 desktop computer would turn on, make a noise, but couldn't see anything. I was able to get some things off it at least. When the computer would turn on though, it wouldn't kick on my external drive as it always did. So now I'm on a Windows 10 laptop and plugged in the external. I can see all the folders and I can get into some of the folders, such as downloads, some documents etc. The My Pictures folder I can see all what's listed in it, but when I click on a folder within that folder it says I don't have access. I'm assuming because I'm on my Windows 10 laptop.
I have gone through all what it says to click on to get access, but still can't view what's in the My Pictures folder.

 

[dwd999]

My Windows 7 desktop computer would turn on, make a noise, but couldn't see anything. I was able to get some things off it at least. When the computer would turn on though, it wouldn't kick on my external drive as it always did. So now I'm on a Windows 10 laptop and plugged in the external. I can see all the folders and I can get into some of the folders, such as downloads, some documents etc. The My Pictures folder I can see all what's listed in it, but when I click on a folder within that folder it says I don't have access. I'm assuming because I'm on my Windows 10 laptop.
I have gone through all what it says to click on to get access, but still can't view what's in the My Pictures folder.

Usually the first step in computer diagnostics is to determine whether its a hardware problem or a Windows software problem. In such cases I always boot my computer using a usb with a linux distro to determine if the hardware is accessible that way.

 

[dingo07]

What if you boot into Safe Mode with Network? Can you access the folders then?

 

[JulFen]

What if you boot into Safe Mode with Network? Can you access the folders then?

I tried that, but it didn't help. Still couldn't access the MyPictures folder on my external drive. I can see the folders and can access some, but some folders won't give me access on my external. Not sure why I can get into some and not all, such as I can access the Downloads folder and others. Plus I can see what's in the MyPictures folder, but if I click on a photo that's when it says I don't have permission/access.

 

[JulFen]

Usually the first step in computer diagnostics is to determine whether its a hardware problem or a Windows software problem. In such cases I always boot my computer using a usb with a linux distro to determine if the hardware is accessible that way.

Thanks for the info. So far it's hard to tell if it's Windows 10 that's the problem or the external hard drive which that's where the folder is I can't access. The external worked fine on Windows 7. I can see the MyPictures folder on the external and see the photos but if I click on them so I can save on the Windows 10 laptop or transfer, that's when the external tells me I don't have permission/access to the folder. I can access some folders such as the Downloads folder so it's just odd I can't get into all of the folders.