Lack of Seagate support for Linux

[tom.williams]

Below is an email from Seagate alerting me that they DO NOT provide support for any user running Linux. Due tot his, I will no longer be purchasing from them, and hope some of you will follow.

Thanks for contacting Seagate Customer Support. Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response. If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it within the next 20 days. Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you. You may also update this question by replying to this message. Because your reply will be automatically processed, you MUST enter your reply in the space below. Text entered into any other part of this message will be discarded. If your issue remains unresolved, please update this question here. Subject Seagate FreeAgent 250GB Ubuntu Linux problem Discussion Thread Response (Vijayakumar TS203) 11/08/2007 15:31 Dear xxxx, Thank you for your E-mail inquiry. With regards to your query, I am sorry inform you Seagate does not provide support for Personal/External Storage products (and/or accessories) used in a Linux environment. Please click on the link given below for more information, Answer Title: Will External Storage Products/Accessories work with the Linux Operating System? Answer Link: http://seagate.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...ted=1034378089 If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us or email us and we would be glad to assist you further. Thank you, Victor Seagate Technical Support 1-800-SEAGATE (1-800-732-4283) Seagate Warranty Support (1-800-468-3472) Seagate Data Recovery Support (1-800-475-0143) http://www.seagate.com Web Support : http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/sup...nowledge_base/ Customer (Tom xxxx) 11/08/2007 14:22 My Seagate FreeAgent 250GB external drive is being seen my Ubuntu Linux, but the drive will not mount. Attached is a screenshot of the error message. Auto-Response 11/08/2007 14:22 Title: Partition Magic 8.0 cannot create a FAT32 partition greater than 160GB from Windows Vista/XP/2000 Link: http://seagate.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...ted=1061864493 Title: Using Fdisk to reformat an External Drive from NTFS to FAT32. Link: http://seagate.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...ted=1101321248 Title: Seagate FreeAgent Go - NTFS Permission must be set for "Everyone" User Access Link: http://seagate.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...ted=1176403450 Title: How to use the Disk Error Checking feature found in Windows 2000, XP, and Vista on an external drive. Link: http://seagate.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...ted=1049585139 Title: Common Microsoft Windows XP Stop Messages Related to Disks and File Systems Link: http://seagate.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...ted=1102363877 Question Reference #071108-000578 Product Level 1: Seagate Product Level 2: FreeAgent Series Product Level 3: FreeAgent Desktop Category Level 1: Compatibility Date Created: 11/08/2007 14:22 Last Updated: 11/08/2007 15:31 Status: Solved Request Type: Technical Issue Order / RMA #: Operating System: Linux * Serial Number: 6QE12NRT Drive Model: System Make: Compaq System Model: SR1720NX

[Octagonal]

uh... Just curious what your problem is as I just purchased a 500GB external Seagate "Free Agent" drive today and am using it w/ ubuntu now. :/
Should I run to the store to return it?

[xyphur]

...all they mean is that they don't officially support Linux as an operating environment. No drivers, no "auto-backup" software, etc.

I assure you, the drive itself is no different from a any other manufacturer's product. I personally use a 160GB Seagate Baracuda as my desktop's drive under 7.10 (as well as 5.10, 6.06.1, and 7.04 before that). I have had zero issues, which is no surprise. It's just a hard drive after all - to Linux, as with any other OS, it's just another storage device - brand and/or model make no difference.

[alex_mayorga]

Originally Posted by Octagonal uh... Just curious what your problem is as I just purchased a 500GB external Seagate "Free Agent" drive today and am using it w/ ubuntu now. :/ Should I run to the store to return it?

There are reports of the so called "Free Agents" acting funny when plugged to a Linux system http://alienghic.livejournal.com/382903.html

Bad news given that I bought one of these for my mom in-law

If this turns out to be true, as it seems. I won't be putting money on Seagate's hardware in the future.

[KCPokes]

Funny thing is, regarding this, that a lot of server drives are manufactured by Seagate. People can make the choice to boycott them, but as was stated above they are specifically talking about the lack of support in regards to backup software and the like.

Personally I will not buy any drives NOT manufactured by Seagate. I've been building machines for the past 15 years and have not had a single Seagate drive fail on me. The same cant be said, for me, of Maxtor or Western Digital. Of course, your mileage may vary; it is just a personal choice for me.

[Temüjin]

Like I would buy their Hot'n'Noisy stuff anyway...

[Whiffle]

I think this is the wrong attitude to have. I don't think boycotting them is going to bring them any closer to linux. However, if you continue to use them and let them know that you're using linux and would like some support, they may change. Maybe.

Speaking of drives... I have a 160GB maxtor (4 years old), 80 GB maxtor (5 years old), a 20 GB maxtor (8 years old), a 120 GB seagate (2 years old, maybe, came with the laptop), and a couple other odds and ends around., They all work fine.... fancy that. So does the 11 year old, 2.5 GB western digital I pulled out of our dell (was in use up until last fall, now its just obsolete).

[autocrosser]

I have added a post in the Cafe....I have also sent a polite mail to the PreSales Dept for Seagate (the link is in my post)---I would suggest EVERYONE to do the same.

We need to counter the stupid-wrong-thinking that this shows.

[Leo the Lion]

I have a 250GB external Seagate HD that is not seen by Ubuntu. Any ideas?

[CREEPING DEATH]

Wasn't Seagate the one that was discovered to be sending drives out of Red China pre-infected with viruses?

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