I got mine yesterday. Windows XP has built in driver, so no software is needed. It comes with a Y shaped USB cable - a USB cable that has 2 USB connectors. The green connector says DATA + POWER. The blue connector says POWER ONLY. This can only mean that if you have enough power, you can plug in green connector and that will be enough. But if you don't have enough power, than you will need to plug in both green and blue connectors.
I intend to plug it into my USB hub to use. Figuring that my USB hub is self-powered (has a power adapter plug into receptacle) that is able to support 4 USB ports, so I just plug in the green connector. Then the blue light starts and blinks, and computer has no response. I guess I will need both green and blue connectors to plug in. Surely it does. After I also plug in blue connector, computer has response and has the portable hard drive installed. The blue light became steady and cease to blink. This tells you one thing : even you have a self-powered USB hub, you may still need to plug in both connectors.
This 100GB drive comes already with FAT32 formatted. It could have it NTFS formatted. But my problem is : I also have a Windows 98SE computer. I want my data can be read by both my Windows XP computer and my Windows 98SE computer. Since Windows 98 can not read NTFS format, so I have to keep FAT32 format that can be read by both computers.
Then there come another problem - it is well known that Windows XP can only FAT32-format disk up to 32GB. If one day I have my FAT32 disk half filled (to 50GB, that is), I don't know if Windows XP can `see' (read) all 50GB data. May be it can. I don't know. But can Windows XP `write' up to 50GB data on a FAT32-formatted disk ? I have serious doubt that Windows XP can, given the fact that Windows XP can only format FAT32 up to 32 GB. Formatting is kind of writing. If Windows XP can write beyond 32 GB, certainly it can FAT32-format the disk beyond 32 GB. But we all know that Windows XP can not do that.
The way out of this, and also to be safe, I used Windows XP's administrative tools to partition my 100GB to 20GB/20GB/ 30GB/30GB. That way, I have 4 FAT32 partitions. Each partition is less than 32GB. Out of this 100GB I have created 4 drive letters. Both Windows XP and 98SE can read/write/format any of 4 partitions - no spaces is wasted.
The above is not a Seagate problem. It is a Windows XP problem. Doesn't matter which brand - WD, Maxtor, Seagate, internal driver, external driver, etc. - if you stick with FAT32, you will start to think whether some of the advertised space is going to be wasted.
Of course, if you format all 100GB into NTFS, you don't need to consider space limitations. But then Windows 98 can not read your data.
The only trouble spot for me now is that I can not have it installed on my Windows 98SE computer. I have installed the driver from utility disk and Windows 98SE reports driver install successfully completed. But when I plug cable into 2 USB ports nothing comes up. Blue lights continue to blink. I think I am going to ask Seagate about this. It may not be Seagate's problems, though. Computer problems are sometimes tenacious. But, again, software of the newer hardware cares lesser and lesser about Windows 98 - sometimes I felt that folks produce untested software for that platform.
Anyway, I am quite satisfied with the purchase. The thing weights 10.3 ounce. VERY BRIGHT blue light. Metallic surface. Works as a breeze on Windows XP.
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now
Product information
| Package Dimensions | 7.9 x 5.9 x 4 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 1 pounds |
| ASIN | B0006TIF2K |
| Item model number | ST9100801U2KEY |
| National Stock Number | 7025-01-557-6926 |
| Customer Reviews |
3.3 out of 5 stars |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | November 28, 2004 |
| Manufacturer | SEAGATE |
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