Seagate Expansion 2TB

The Expansion 2 TB is an external desktop hard drive manufactured by the Seagate Corporation.

The European model number is STBV2000200, whilst in America it is STBV2000100. This is an external data storage device, which connects to a desktop PC through a USB connection.

USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 Compatibility

This drive is compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 specifications. The supplied cable will provide ultra fast USB 3.0 data transfer rates.

Compatibility with Windows 7 and Windows 8

Specifically designed for the laptop and desktop PC, it is compatible with the following operating systems: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista, and Windows XP SP3 (32-bit and 64-bit).

Here is the back view showing the sockets.

This is the USB 3.0 socket, and the power socket.

The notch (key) faces up in the USB 3.0 socket.

Drive Not Detected

If you are finding that your drive is not detected or recognised then you need to troubleshoot whether the problem is with the computer or the drive.

One of the most common problems with computers is corrupted USB drivers. Over the years, people plug devices in and out, and eventually it will stop detecting anything. The second most common problem is a faulty USB port; people often attach too many devices to one port and overload it, thereby permanently damaging it. The simplest way to determine if the drive is working is to try it on another PC known to be working. If the drive operates fine on another PC, then you know that your PC may have corrupted USB drivers.

How to Use

Seagate is a top class company that thinks of everything. This drive comes preformatted for the desktop or laptop PC operating system. All you need to do is to connect the adapter and the USB cable and you are ready to use the drive. The first thing most people notice is that there is no installation CD. This is because the software is stored within the drive and there is no need to install or setup any USB drivers.

The drive should work with the standard drivers already in your desktop operating system. As soon as you install the USB cable, -- providing the connected adapter supplies power -- the computer should automatically detect the drive and install the necessary drivers.

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Input: 100 V to 240 V AC, 50 Hz to 60 Hz

Shenzhen Honor Electronics Corporation manufactures the adapter.

Output: 12 V DC, 1.5 A

No Blue Light

If you do not see a blue light, then chances are that there is no power entering the drive. You need to determine if the socket has become loose, or perhaps the adapter wire may be faulty or broken. You need to get a qualified engineer to make sure that the correct voltage -- which should be 12 V DC -- is coming out of the barrel plug.

Here is the back label.

Price

The price can vary quite a lot for this product. With hard drives and data storage, it is always better to buy brand new.

I bought mine brand new on eBay from a well-known retailer, and cost around £64.00 including postage. Buying on eBay was a good choice because they provide great protection. In addition, this product comes with the manufacturer's 2-year limited warranty.

Compatibility with Mac

Although designed specifically for desktop PCs, many people have reported using it with Mac operating systems such as Mac OSX. This will involve re-formatting the drive to the Mac file system, however, there is no support provided for this.

If you are looking for a drive compatible with the Mac operating system then you need to buy the Backup plus Desktop, model STCA2000200. This is a 2 TB drive with a USB 3.0 connection, and specifically designed to work with Mac operating systems.

There is also the Backup plus for Mac, model number STBW1000900, which is a 1 TB drive that connects through a USB 3.0 connection.

Seagate also have a storage solution called Thunderbolt Backup Plus for Mac Desktop, which is a 3 TB drive that uses the Thunderbolt connection.

Slim for Mac, model STCF500400, is another 500 GB storage solution, which connects through a USB 3.0 connection.

Compatibility with Raspberry Pi

Although this drive is specifically for the desktop PC, many people have been able to use it with the Raspberry Pi, and the Linux operating system. There is no official support for this though.

How to open back cover

With hard drives, there are no user serviceable parts inside, and the outside case has no screws. A faulty or broken drive sent to the manufacturer, may enable them to recover the data. If your drive is still within the 2-year warranty, then opening the outer case will invalidate your protection.

As usual, Seagate always make some of the best hard drives for the computing market. Many of their drives perform reliably for high-end mission critical applications.