Trouble using Seagate GoFlex Home external network storage

Hi Mac Forums folks,

I'm looking for any advice or suggestions to resolve an issue I am having with file transfer using a newly purchased 1TB Seagate GoFlex Home network storage solution. I currently have a networked LaCie ethernet disk mini home edition, which works fine except the AC power brick has a tendency to fail and is expensive to replace, hence the switch.

The main issue is that the GoFlex drive will not allow dragging and dropping files to it from Finder. I just get an error message saying I do not have the right privileges to perform the action. I don't have this problem with the LaCie, but they both run Hipserv administration software. I have approx 300GB of media files on the LaCie to transfer, so using the GoFlex internet upload utility is out of the question - unless I want to lose my sanity .

I successfully FTP-ed the files across, however this is a short-term fix and other problems occur when using iTunes and Time Machine to back up. This privileges issue seems to be the root cause.

The GoFlex and the LaCie ED mini are connected to my home network via ethernet cable to my ISP's standard issue router - Netgear DG934G. I have separate static IP addresses set up for both the GoFlex and the LaCie ED mini. My MBP is wirelessly connected to my home network, although as part of Seagate's Tech Support troubleshooting I have also tried direct ethernet connection.

Seagate have tried a lot of different things to troubleshoot without result. I'm still waiting for them to get back to me since we've exhausted all the standard solutions. It could be a Seagate thing, but I wanted to see if anyone on the Forums had experienced a similar problem with any networked storage.

At this rate I'm going to take the GoFlex back and try WD, but fear this may be an ongoing problem. Help Please!!

I'm wondering if it is formatted to NTFS.

I would go to disk utility, erase it and format it to Mac OS Extended (journaled), or Fat32 (MS-DOS) if you need to share the drive between windows and OS X.
Keep in mind, if you use FAT32 you have a 4GB limit on moving files.

Interesting - not something Seagate suggested and would have thought that was the first thing to check. Seagate promote GoFlex as being PC and Mac supported (and Time Machine compliant, unusually).

Will check and let you know - thanks!

Just a thought, as when I got my WD external HD, even though it said that it was formatted for Mac, it was actually in NTFS.

OK, so neither LaCie or Seagate volumes are appearing in Disk Utility - am I doing something wrong?!

Checked both using 'Get Info' and both are formatted as "SMB (Other)". Am not going to mess with the LaCie as it works fine and do NOT want to tempt fate

Is your WD networked?

No, which just made me realise that the network drive won't show up in disk utility.
Being a network drive that is supposed to be cross compatible, I'd hazard a guess that it would already be formatted to FAT32 and you should be having no problems in that case, but I can't be sure of that.
If it is FAT32, I can't see a solution that would work with Time Machine either.

When you go to get info, and permissions, does it say that you have read/write access?

This thread may shed some light (or not).
Apple - Support - Discussions - Be back soon

That's what I thought too.

yes I have Read/Write permissions - that one was covered off by the Seagate Tech Support team. I'm stumped!!

Me personally, since I don't know enough about networking, I would be taking the time capsule route, even though it's a pricey option, I know it's fuss free, and does everything you want it to.
Time Capsule - 1 TB - Apple Store (U.S.)

OK, so now I'm a bit confused. According to the thread on the Apple Support Discussion forum, the message I'm getting is that no third party NAS will work with Time Machine - which is completely contradictory to Seagate's product description which claims specifically it is Time Machine compatible. From Seagate's own support forum there are clearly people who have successfully used their products with TM.

The reason why I've not gone down the Time Capsule route is that I've read that you can't use Time Capsule as NAS - it is just a backup drive. For the price, I would expect to be able to use it for both.

I am having an identical problem. Mac Pro with 10.5.8 and GoFlex Home. No permissions. Can't copy anything across in the Finder. I have to use the web based transfer method.

Any further ideas anyone?

I have a DLink DNS-323 (I think that is the model number) NAS and it seems to work pretty well. I have no issues with drag and drop in Finder.
My only problem has been that I have to do a cold reboot on the NAS about every week or so or it becomes invisible to Finder.

Hi Razormac

I have to do a cold reboot on the LaCie every now and then too if I'm not accessing the data on it regularly. I'd keep the LaCie if the power supply was more reliable.

Do you use Time Machine with the DLink?

Seagate got in touch last week to say that the problem I was experiencing would be solved by updating the hardware to the latest version - which I had already done. So still no progress on a solution.

Am considering upgrading my MacBook Pro to the newest model - who knows, that might sort the problem out, but its a VERY expensive solution!!!

gincobbett said:

Hi Razormac

I have to do a cold reboot on the LaCie every now and then too if I'm not accessing the data on it regularly. I'd keep the LaCie if the power supply was more reliable.

Do you use Time Machine with the DLink?

Seagate got in touch last week to say that the problem I was experiencing would be solved by updating the hardware to the latest version - which I had already done. So still no progress on a solution.

Am considering upgrading my MacBook Pro to the newest model - who knows, that might sort the problem out, but its a VERY expensive solution!!!

Click to expand...

I use a Seagate Go FireWire External HD w/Time Machine for backup. Haven't tried using Time Machine with the DLink.

So, I thought I'd update you all with what's happened:

Seagate have failed to identify what the cause of the problem is and therefore haven't solved it. I suspect that it is to do with the format of the drive - when accessing the web interface it doesn't display what format the drive is, but gives you the option of reformatting in either NTFS or FAT32. I tried both - just got an error message.

So I took the Seagate back to the shop and bought an Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive and it works beautifully! no problem with Time Machine, no problem with transferring files via Finder and no file size transfer limit.

Its ironic that Seagate profess to be the Mac drive experts...

The only problem I have now is getting my PS3 to read the DRM-protected movie files that are stored on my new media server!

so i bought this new sea gate Go flex..

my 1st time to use 1tb seagate go flex on my macbook i transfered my files from laptop to seagate.. then i ejected it properly the next day i plugged my HDD the light is responding but the icon of my HDD is not appearing in any window.. i checked in disk utility and there it was the utility detected my HDD but its not appearing in my desktop nor in any windows.. so i cant access my files.. even the seagate diagnostics cant detect my drive.. help.. i tried erasing in disk utility but the system wont let me..

Setting for Seagate web webapp will solve this

I also have the same problm when trying to make TM backups. What you have to do is log into the website with your username and password (Website address is your ip address of the drive) Go to Preferences and towards the bottom of the page is a tab for 'Computers backup' open that and enable (check mark) that feature and type in a password for TM machine backups. THis is the username and password you will have to put in when select the drive from Time Machine preferences. Click Submit below it and you should be good to go!!! Double check your drive is showing in the tab 'storage devices' in the websites pref. but don't have to change anything with that.
Remount the drive in finder and then go to time machine and type in the username password just created for backups.

There ya go!

I have the Goflex home and have some of the same issues. I can drag and drop files to and from the NAS but I get errors when trying to use it as a Time Machine backup drive. It worked fine for the first few days on my MBA but then I got "can not mount drive" and "sparcebundle error 45" errors. Now it won't work as a time machine backup drive on my MBA or MBP. I installed all the seagate time machine software and still can't get it to work.