[SOLVED] MAC won't recognize Seagate Barracuda via SATA/USB after removed from GoFlex Home case

[lauriebgattis]

I purchased a Seagate Goflex home 3TB NAS system in 2012 that I now need to remove files from. I have forgotten the password sadly so after much research decided to remove the drive from the Goflex case to connect to my MacBook Pro via SATA to USB cable or the Insignia dual hard drive docking station. But the Mac won't see the drive on either of these. So, now I have a Seagate Barracuda 3.5" SATA drive that I still can't access because my Mac doesn't see it. I'm at a loss. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[seagate_surfer]

lauriebgattis , the reason the MAC wont see it because it uses HFS+ and the HDD is most likely in NTFS which are not compatible. If you can not remember the password them you are at a roadblock.

 

[misar]

There are ways to read an NTFS drive with a MAC - eg
https://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-manually-enable-ntfs-read-and-write-in-os-x/
You can also download (and buy) commercial programs to read (and write) more easily.

 

[lauriebgattis]

lauriebgattis , the reason the MAC wont see it because it uses HFS+ and the HDD is most likely in NTFS which are not compatible. If you can not remember the password them you are at a roadblock.

I've tried every password I can think of, so we are definitely at a roadblock there. Certainly there are programs out there to help recover data from these protected drives? Especially once removed from their encasing. Can you help with any recommendations?

There are ways to read an NTFS drive with a MAC - eg
https://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-manually-enable-ntfs-read-and-write-in-os-x/
You can also download (and buy) commercial programs to read (and write) more easily.

Thank you for this link. Good article. So, this is what I need to do for the drive to be recognized by my Mac? Then, I should be able to access all of my old files and transfer them to another drive? I don't want to mess anything up in the process.

 

[misar]

Have you read this?
http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-to-reset-the-GoFlex-Home

 

[seagate_surfer]

lauriebgattis , the reason the MAC wont see it because it uses HFS+ and the HDD is most likely in NTFS which are not compatible. If you can not remember the password them you are at a roadblock.

I've tried every password I can think of, so we are definitely at a roadblock there. Certainly there are programs out there to help recover data from these protected drives? Especially once removed from their encasing. Can you help with any recommendations?

There are ways to read an NTFS drive with a MAC - eg
https://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-manually-enable-ntfs-read-and-write-in-os-x/
You can also download (and buy) commercial programs to read (and write) more easily.

Thank you for this link. Good article. So, this is what I need to do for the drive to be recognized by my Mac? Then, I should be able to access all of my old files and transfer them to another drive? I don't want to mess anything up in the process.

What misar said below. Try that first.

 

[lauriebgattis]

Have you read this?
http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-to-reset-the-GoFlex-Home

Yes, we reset the GoFlex prior to taking it apart. I still couldn't access all of my old files.

 

[BadAsAl]

After reset but before removing from the case, you saw some of your data but not all of it?
When out of case, you saw none of it?
Do you have a PC to test on?

 

[misar]

Have you read this?
http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-to-reset-the-GoFlex-Home

Yes, we reset the GoFlex prior to taking it apart. I still couldn't access all of my old files.

If you correctly reset the GoFlex, accessed it across the network and still could not access all your files the issue is not with the drive unless some of the files were also encrypted. Otherwise the missing files are no longer on the drive.

Are you sure that either you reset the password(s) for all user accounts which had been created or that you reset all the user accounts?

Edit: Should have mentioned that if you did the password only reset you then have to correctly enter each of the previously used usernames and individually give that account a new password.

 

[lauriebgattis]

After reset but before removing from the case, you saw some of your data but not all of it?
When out of case, you saw none of it? Do you have a PC to test on?

Historically, I only accessed data through the network, but I haven't been able to see any data since forgetting the password. :-( I gave up on trying to figure it out eventually. There were several similar experiences online recommending removal of the HD from the GoFlex case to connect via USB/SATA to access the data, bypassing the need for the network password. So I thought I had a solution, but my Mac won't recognize the drive at all when I plug it in, although it does start spinning so it's getting power. I do have a PC that I can test the drive on if it won't mess anything up on the machine. Clearly, I don't understand it well enough to know the impact.

 

[lauriebgattis]

Have you read this?
http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-to-reset-the-GoFlex-Home

Yes, we reset the GoFlex prior to taking it apart. I still couldn't access all of my old files.

If you correctly reset the GoFlex, accessed it across the network and still could not access all your files the issue is not with the drive unless some of the files were also encrypted. Otherwise the missing files are no longer on the drive.

Are you sure that either you reset the password(s) for all user accounts which had been created or that you reset all the user accounts?

Edit: Should have mentioned that if you did the password only reset you then have to correctly enter each of the previously used usernames and individually give that account a new password.

I think I understand what you are saying here and I don't think I reset the pw for more than one user account. I'm not sure how to access all of the potential usernames I may have set up originally. ugh. I so wished I had written everything down years ago when I set up the system.
So, are you saying that if I had reset each of the accounts, only then would I be able to access my old files? Now, that I've taken it apart, is there any other way? I hate that we spent so much on this to safely preserve precious memories and now it's doing its job too well. :-(

This is the reset we did: The 10 second option that says all data remains intact (but we can't see it???) http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-to-reset-the-GoFlex-Home

 

[misar]

If you did the 10 second reset, followed the instructions exactly, and still could not see your data then your data are no longer there.

To finish the reset, return to your computer and, in an internet browser, type:
For Windows: http://goflex_home
For Mac: http://goflexhome.local
After a ten-second reset, you will go through the initial setup again, and a new GoFlex Home device name must be chosen. The GoFlex Home device name needs to be unique, and will not take special characters.
While going through the full setup, make sure you click on the Next button only once on each page.

 

[lauriebgattis]

If you did the 10 second reset, followed the instructions exactly, and still could not see your data then your data are no longer there.

To finish the reset, return to your computer and, in an internet browser, type:
For Windows: http://goflex_home
For Mac: http://goflexhome.local
After a ten-second reset, you will go through the initial setup again, and a new GoFlex Home device name must be chosen. The GoFlex Home device name needs to be unique, and will not take special characters.
While going through the full setup, make sure you click on the Next button only once on each page.

Do you have any recommendations for accessing the files through the USB/SATA connector? I think the files are there. I installed Paragon as recommended earlier in this thread to see if the Mac was having trouble reading the disk due to NTFS. It's actually recognizing it now. I just don't know what to do from here...

 

[BadAsAl]

So a Mac can natively read a PC hard drive in NTFS, FAT, etc. format, it just can't write to them. I use a Mac for data recovery on drives from PC's all the time. So if the data is there and the drive is not encrypted the Mac should see it.

Many of these NAS and other external drives use different formats than Mac or PC can read. I suspect this is the case with yours. Here is what I would do. It may take some work but you need to create a Linux Live USB: https://www.howtogeek.com/213396/how-to-boot-a-linux-live-usb-drive-on-your-mac/
Boot your Mac with that USB. You will be running Linux from the USB stick. Then plug in your NAS drive into the Mac and it should show up as a drive that you can access. If you see your data you should be able to copy it onto your Mac hard drive or you can attach another USB drive and copy it to that.

 

[misar]

As the OP said he reset the NAS it would be easier to put the drive back and try the NAS again.
The only problem he had initially was forgetting the NAS password.

 

[BadAsAl]

I thought they had already tried putting it back in.
So yeah they should try that first if they haven't already. Put it all back together, reset, see if data is there over the network.
If not then the Linux method might work, and since they do have a PC, the PC is easier to boot Linux on.