

These drives are named and linked here, with a picture of their cables. They usually draw enough power from one USB connection, though sometimes plugging both of the cables in will be necessary, or plugging the one cable into a powered USB hub. Most USB cables that come with Seagate and Maxtor-brand drives look like this. Note that the connection size for the connector on the drive is smaller than, for example, a USB port on a printer, but many digital cameras use the same size connection.Ĭertain Seagate and Maxtor-brand drives are powered only by USB, so they do not have a separate power cord. The USB symbol is usually found near the ports on the computer. Usually it is OK to connect the drive either to the front or to the rear, though if trouble occurs, it is best to connect it to the port on the rear. Sometimes these ports are found both on the front and the rear of your computer. See in this image the 'A' connector, which will fit into a corresponding rectangular port on your computer. The USB cable has two ends - one to connect into the drive, and one to connect into the computer. It is extremely easy to use. Whether the computer is powered on or powered off, simply connect the cable to your device and it should be ready to be used less than 30 seconds later (depending on your computer's speed). USB is the most common connection type for external devices, whether external hard drive, thumb drives, flash drives, printers, cameras, all kinds of other devices.

See Document ID: 214431 for cabling information about FreeAgent GoFlex drives. This article discusses the cable interfaces available on every kind of Seagate and Maxtor-brand external hard drive, the environment in which it is best to use each, and instructions for each connection.Ĭlick on a category below to be taken to the relevant section and illustrative graphics.
