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Seagate Dashboard Software

johnexpgn

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Posted June 1, 2012 at 11:49AM

I have a Seagate Goflex Desk external hard drive with usb3 adaptor. The drive comes with some BU software called Dashboard.

I recently had problems with my PC taking a long long time (up to 15mins) to boot up(windows XP). I found that the external drive and its software was the cause of the problem. The drive was buzzing with activity during the boot up period and causing the delay. I disconnected the Seagate drive and the problem disappeared. I later reconnected the drive when the computer was off and the boot up period was relatively normal (say 40secs to the user login page).

As this problem just appeared out of the blue after months of normal operation, I wondered why it suddenly appeared?

It appears that the drive seems to be active at times when it should be inactive and I would really like to get rid of the dashboard software as I do not conciously use it anyway.

Would it be ok to uninstall this software? I assume that the the pc will still recognise the drive and I could use my other back up software as normal.

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northumbria61

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Posted June 1, 2012 at 12:40PM

Instructions here enter link description here

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johnexpgn

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Posted June 1, 2012 at 6:22PM

Thanks northumbria61

I will follow the instructions tomorrow.

Johnexpgn

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johnexpgn

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Posted June 21, 2012 at 5:24PM

Further to this problem. I deinstalled the Dashboard software and the computer operated normally for several weeks. Now it has started the same problem again. When I disconnect the externalHD winows starts to boot up normally and I get the messages:

"Windows was unable to save all the data for the file\Device\HarddiskVolume5" "Windows was unable to save all the data for the file\Device\HarddiskVolume5\$Mft."

Anyone any idea what is going on?

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lotvic

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Posted June 21, 2012 at 6:21PM

Sounds as if you are booting up the pc with the external HDD switched on and then you are disconnecting ext HDD without using the 'Safely Remove Hardware'.

Depending on situation, Windows will be indexing it on start up and maybe writing to it when you disconnect it. Not Good for the ext HDD.

Regarding 'situation' it depends on how you set up Seagate Dashboard re activity of ext HDD. see this YouTube vid guide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvX6W6CbPnQ

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robinofloxley

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Posted June 21, 2012 at 6:58PM

Don't know if related, but the Sleep Timer on Seagate drives can play up.

Download Seagate Manager and it is in Settings/Adjust Power Settings.

Set to Never and see if that helps.

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johnexpgn

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Posted July 2, 2012 at 6:52PM

In the end I got a computer servicing chap to have a look at this problem. He found a 'windows XP page file' problem. Apparently there were 'page files' on all three hard drives (two internal & one external). On deleting all but the c drive page files, normal service was resumed. We could not work out how they got there! I certainly didn't put them there!

Any way problem solved.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

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woodchip

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Posted July 2, 2012 at 7:45PM

I think you will find the Problem is with Windows Restore, not Dashboard software. Go to Restore and Disable restore for this drive. As its slowed Startup I think it will also have slowed your shutdown

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