Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB Not Recognized

[Joytwo]

I'm planning to reformat my PC from 32 to 64 bit Windows. I'm using the Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB (Mac/Windows) to save all of my files beforehand. After running through the basic Seagate installation, I notice that the drive is recognized and working but it isn't considered a harddisk available for backup.

My question is: Do I need to partition this before I use it to backup my info? If so, how much partition space am I supposed to allocate to it?

It's my first time with this kind of thing, hope I can find some answers.

 

[ronintexas]

What are you using to backup the drive? To save some time, you really only need to backup the USERS folder - specifically the documents, music, videos and pictures folders (saved games if you saved games there) and your email program's data file. The Windows folder and the program files folder won't do you any good to backup....Some programs will have settings you can backup - you will need to check with each program to see what can be backed up.

If you backup the entire drive, then try a restore, you would have tragic results....especially since you are going from 32-bit to 64-bit....

As to the format of the drive - does Windows recognize it as a 1TB drive?

 

[Joytwo]

What are you using to backup the drive? To save some time, you really only need to backup the USERS folder - specifically the documents, music, videos and pictures folders (saved games if you saved games there) and your email program's data file. The Windows folder and the program files folder won't do you any good to backup....Some programs will have settings you can backup - you will need to check with each program to see what can be backed up.

If you backup the entire drive, then try a restore, you would have tragic results....especially since you are going from 32-bit to 64-bit....

As to the format of the drive - does Windows recognize it as a 1TB drive?

I planned to use Windows Backup and Restore to create a backup, however, when I choose 'Set up backup' there is no destination to save the backup to. My external drive doesn't appear under My Computer's Hard Disk Drives, but it does show up under Devices and Printers.

 

[ronintexas]

Syncback Free works a bit better - faster and more configurable: http://www.2brightsparks.com/download-syncbackfree.html

You will need to use the Seagate Dashboard to do the backup unless you repartition the drive....if it wasn't included with the drive - here is the download link: http://www.seagate.com/services-software/apps/seagate-dashboard-software/