[5 Fixes] Fix Seagate One Touch SSD Not Showing Up on My Computer

PAGE CONTENT:

The Seagate One Touch SSD is a popular external storage device known for its speed, portability, and reliability. However, like any external SSD, it may sometimes fail to show up when connected to your computer. This can be daunting, especially if you have important data stored on it.

There are several reasons why your Seagate One Touch SSD might not be detected. It could be due to a simple connection issue, an outdated driver, an uninitialized disk, or even a file system problem. Fortunately, this issue is usually fixable with the right troubleshooting steps.

In this article, we'll go through possible reasons why your Seagate One Touch SSD is not showing up and provide step-by-step solutions to fix it.

Recover Lost/Inaccessible Files from An Unrecognized/Formatted Seagate One Touch SSD

Before fixing Seagate One Touch SSD not showing up issue, you can use data recovery program - such as Donemax Data Recovery to recover deleted/formatted/inaccessible files from the SSD.

Step 1. Download and install Donemax Data Recovery on your computer.

Step 2. Open Donemax Data Recovery, then select the Seagate One Touch SSD to start data recovery.

Step 3. Click on Scan button to deeply scan the Seagate One Touch SSD and find all recoverable files.

Step 4. After scan, you can preview all recoverable files. Then select the wanted files, click on Recover button to save them.

Why Is My Seagate One Touch SSD Not Showing Up?

Before jumping into solutions, it's important to understand the possible causes of the issue. Here are some common reasons why your SSD might not be detected by your computer:

1. Loose or Faulty Connection

• The USB cable or port may be defective, preventing a stable connection.
• The SSD might not be properly plugged into the port.

2. Outdated or Missing Drivers

• If the necessary drivers are outdated or missing, the system might not recognize the SSD.

3. Incorrect File System Format

• If the drive is formatted with an unsupported file system, it may not appear in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).

4. Drive Not Initialized

• If the SSD is new or has been formatted incorrectly, it may need to be initialized before it appears in the system.

5. Hardware or SSD Failure

• A failing SSD or a damaged USB port on your computer could prevent detection.

Now that we understand the causes, let's go through the step-by-step solutions to resolve this issue.

Basic Troubleshooting Steps

Before making major changes to your SSD or computer, try these basic troubleshooting steps:

1. Check the Physical Connections

• Make sure the USB cable is firmly attached to the computer and the SSD. To rule out a bad connection, try using an alternative USB cable or port.
• If you're using a USB hub, connect the SSD directly to your computer instead.

2. Restart Your Computer

• A simple restart can refresh system settings and detect the SSD.

3. Test on Another Computer

• Connect the SSD to a different computer to see if it is detected. If it works, the issue might be with your original computer.

If the SSD is still not showing up, proceed with the following fixes.

👍5 Fixes for Seagate One Touch SSD Not Showing Up on Computer

Fix 1: Initialize the Seagate One Touch SSD (Windows & Mac)

If the SSD is new or uninitialized, it won't appear in File Explorer or Finder. You need to initialize it first.

On Windows:

• Press Win + X and select Disk Management.
• Look for a disk labeled Unallocated or Not Initialized.
• Right-click the disk and select Initialize Disk.

• Choose GPT (GUID Partition Table) if prompted.
• Click OK and create a new volume by right-clicking the unallocated space and selecting New Simple Volume.

On Mac:

• Open Disk Utility (Search for it in Spotlight with Command + Space).

• Locate your SSD in the left panel.
• Click Erase, select APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled), and format the drive.

• Click Done and check if it now appears in Finder.

Fix 2: Assign or Change Drive Letter (Windows)

If the Seagate One Touch SSD doesn't have a drive letter, it won't appear in File Explorer.

Steps to Assign a Drive Letter:

• Open Disk Management by pressing Win + X and selecting Disk Management.
• Locate your Seagate One Touch SSD.
• Right-click and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.

• Click Add, select a letter (e.g., E: or F:), and click OK.

• Check if the Seagate One Touch SSD appears in File Explorer.

Fix 3: Update Seagate One Touch SSD Drivers (Windows & Mac)

If your Seagate One Touch SSD is not showing up, outdated or missing drivers could be the culprit. Drivers act as a bridge between your operating system and hardware, and when they are not up to date, your SSD might not function correctly.

Why Updating Drivers is Important?

• Ensures compatibility with your operating system (especially after system updates).
• Fixes bugs and errors that might prevent detection.
• Improves SSD performance and stability.

Let's go through the steps to update drivers on both Windows and Mac.

Updating SSD Drivers on Windows:

Method 1: Update Drivers Using Device Manager

1. Open Device Manager
   • You can search for "Device Manager" in the Windows Start menu
   • You can press Win + X and choose Device Manager from the menu.
2. Locate Your Seagate SSD
   • Expand the Disk Drives section.
   • Look for an entry labeled Seagate One Touch SSD or something similar.
3. Update the Driver
   • Windows will look for the most recent driver and install it if it is available.
   • Right-click on the Seagate SSD and choose Update driver.

   • Select Search automatically for drivers.

4. Restart Your Computer
   • After updating the driver, restart your computer and check if the SSD is now detected.

Method 2: Manually Download and Install Drivers

If Windows cannot find a driver update automatically, you may need to download it from Seagate's official website.

1. Visit Seagate's Support Page
   • Go to Seagate's official website.
   • Navigate to the Support section and search for your SSD model.
2. Download the Latest Driver
   • If a driver update is available, download it to your computer.
3. Install the Driver
   • Double-click the downloaded file and follow the installation instructions.
4. Restart Your Computer
   • A reboot ensures that the changes take effect.

Method 3: Reinstall the Device Driver

If the driver is corrupted, reinstalling it might help.

• Launch Device Manager by pressing Win + X.
• Enlarge the section on disk drives
• To uninstall the Seagate One Touch SSD, right-click on it, choose Uninstall device.

• Start your computer
• Windows will reinstall the default driver automatically

Check if your SSD is now detected.

Updating SSD Drivers on Mac:

Unlike Windows, macOS handles most driver updates automatically. However, if your Seagate SSD is not recognized, follow these steps:

Method 1: Check for macOS Updates

• In the upper-left corner, click the Apple logo.
• On previous macOS versions, choose System Preferences or System Settings.
• Select General > Update Software.
• Click Update Now to install any available updates.

• Restart your Mac and check if the SSD is detected.

Method 2: Reset the NVRAM and SMC

If a macOS update doesn't fix the issue, resetting the NVRAM and SMC may help.

How to Reset NVRAM:

1. Turn Off your Mac completely.
2. Switch it back on and hit the Option + Command + P + R buttons right away.
3. Hold these keys for about 20 seconds, then release.
4. Your Mac will restart, and settings related to external drives will reset.

How to Reset SMC (for Intel Macs):

1. Turn Off your Mac.
2. For ten seconds, hold down the Shift + Control + Option + Power buttons.
3. Turn on your Mac after releasing all the keys.
4. Verify that the SSD is now identified.

(Note: M-chip Macs do not have a separate SMC reset function, as it happens automatically when you restart.)

Keeping your SSD drivers updated is crucial for smooth operation. If your Seagate One Touch SSD is still not recognized after updating the drivers, try other troubleshooting steps, such as checking disk management or formatting the drive.

Fix 4: Format the Seagate One Touch SSD (If Not Recognized)

If the SSD appears in Disk Management (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac) but isn't accessible, it may need formatting. Note: Formatting erases all data.

On Windows:

• Open Disk Management.
• Locate the SSD, right-click, and select Format.

• Choose NTFS or exFAT (for compatibility with both Windows and Mac).
• Click OK and wait for the process to complete.

On Mac:

• Open Disk Utility.
• Select your SSD and click Erase.
• Choose APFS (for macOS-only use) or ExFAT (for both macOS and Windows).
• Click Erase and wait for the process to finish.

Fix 5: Check for Hardware Issues

If the SSD is still not working:

• Try a different USB cable and port.
• Connect the SSD to another computer.
• Check if the SSD shows signs of failure (e.g., clicking noises, overheating).
• If the drive is defective, contact Seagate Support for a warranty replacement.

Advanced Solutions (Optional)

If the SSD is still not showing up, try these advanced troubleshooting methods:

1. Use Seagate Tools Software

Seagate provides a SeaTools utility to diagnose SSD health.

• Download SeaTools for Windows/Mac from the Seagate website.
• Run a diagnostic test on your SSD.
• If errors are detected, follow the recommended fixes.

2. Use Third-Party Disk Management Software

Programs like Donemax Data Recovery, MiniTool Partition Wizard or EaseUS Partition Master can help detect and repair disk issues.

Conclusion

A Seagate One Touch SSD not showing up can be due to several reasons, from simple connection issues to driver problems or even hardware failure. By complying the troubleshooting steps described in this article, you should be able to resolve the issue and get your SSD working again.

Key Takeaways:

• Check connections and try a different port or cable.
• Initialize the SSD if it's new or unrecognized.
• Assign a drive letter if it's missing.
• Update drivers for proper detection.
• Format the drive if necessary.
• Use diagnostic tools for advanced troubleshooting.

If none of these solutions work, it might be time to contact Seagate Support for further assistance or consider replacing the drive.