Seagate USB External Drive Not Recognized By Windows 11

It sounds like you're experiencing a common issue with external drives on Windows 11. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can consider:

1. Check Device Manager: Open Device Manager and look for any devices with an exclamation mark. If you find your Seagate drive there, right-click it and select Uninstall device, then choose Action > Scan for hardware changes to reinstall the driver.
2. Try Different USB Ports: Sometimes, the issue can be related to the specific USB port. Try connecting the drive to different USB ports on your laptop.
3. Test on Another PC: Since you mentioned it works on other Windows 11 laptops temporarily, try connecting it to a different PC again to see if the issue persists.
4. Check for Windows Updates: Ensure that your Windows 11 is up to date, as updates can resolve compatibility issues with external devices.
5. Backup Important Files: If you can access the drive on a Linux distro, it's a good idea to back up your important files while you troubleshoot the issue on Windows.
6. Consider Disk Health: If the drive is frequently not recognized, it may be worth checking its health using tools like CrystalDiskInfo or similar software to see if there are any underlying hardware issues.

If the problem continues, it may be beneficial to reach out to Seagate support or consult the Microsoft community for further assistance.

References:

• Troubleshoot Disk Management

None of the above work. Just download Seagate SeaTools; you'll see your 8 TB Seagate in perfect health.

You'll probably see a 20 year old Microsoft driver on Windows 11 25H2. The most important thing is (a) none of the usual suggestions on multiple forums work, but try them before coming to Microsoft forums, the chances are you'll actually start believing your 8 TB drive is gone, which obviously isn't the case, (b) if you can't get it to work on Windows 11, try linux, and get your files secured.

I hope this helps.

Thanks.