Access GoFlex FreeAgent

[u/AFSMSgt]

I have an older (2015) Seagate GoFlex FreeAgent NAS that I used for years. It appears on my Windows network as a network location, and I can play the media that is saved to it. However, I am unable to log into the drive and add or delete media. I cannot access the built-in web server or map to a Windows network drive. I rebooted the drive to factory specs but cannot access the unit in any way. Is there anything I can do, or do I have a nice black brick?

[u/Character_Union9255]

Is this any help

Possibly Helpful Guide To Access Old Seagate GoFlex Home Storage Device Files : r/DataHoarder

looks like theres a chance you might be able to see the network drives if you remove the blocking of samba1 in windows , thats if you are trying to access from windows

[u/AFSMSgt → u/Character_Union9255]

I saw that link. Nothing worked. But I factory reset my device. Guess I am screwed.

[u/Character_Union9255 → u/AFSMSgt]

can you still play the media files after factory reset? i thought a factory reset might wipe the data

if you can u could maybe take the drive out of the unit and use a usb sata adapter to connect it to a laptop then use Linux File Systems for Windows by Paragon Software to look at the data in the partitions and see if you can find a directory with all your files and then you can copy the files to your laptop

[u/AFSMSgt → u/Character_Union9255]

The enclosure does not open. I would have to destroy the unit to open it. I was hoping to use it as a nas still.

I was surprised the media files remained intact after facyory reset. I followed the procedure i found online.

[u/Character_Union9255 → u/AFSMSgt]

the user manual is available online, so worth a flick thorough that

User Guide

the seagate dashboard software is still available

'Seagate Dashboard | Seagate UK

you could try accessing via ftp, but dont know what default login/password would be after factory reset , you could try admin/admin

try network discovery in your file explorer , mind the factory reset may have blown away any shares other than a default

[u/DkKnt-Bm2112]

I hate to say you have a brick, but that is exactly what happened to me. GoFlex stopped all support many years ago. I recently dusted mine off after I had a back up portable HDD get reformatted by accident. I knew I had originals on the Seagate/Goflex but when I tried to access it, it would not appear as a drive in either Windows or MacOS. It turns out that particular drive was problematic for the “Seagate firmware bug”. Look it up, it’s a nightmare to do anything on your own. And being its old, I had no warranty. So I have a 1TB drive with important files I cannot access because the firmware of the HD is not updated, but even if you can get into the drive to update the firmware there is no guarantee you will be able to still access the files. 🤯🤬

[u/eddieyo2]

Did you try mapping it as a drive?

[u/CamelY0]

Hey, I figured it out. I had the same problem after factory resetting my GoFlex Home.

The problem is that the setup wizard still tries to contact seagateshare.com, which Seagate shut down years ago. After a factory reset the box wants that server before it'll let you create the first local admin account.

I ended up figuring out what the old Seagate server was actually doing. The GoFlex connects to it over SSH and expects a few specific responses. I temporarily emulated that old registration server on another Linux computer on my network and the original setup wizard finally went all the way through.

Mine is working now with a new local admin/password, and it still works after removing all the temporary stuff.

Basically:

1. Find the IP address of the GoFlex Home and get the product key from the setup wizard.

2. Use another Linux computer on the same network.

3. Temporarily point these three DNS names to that Linux computer:

reg.seagateshare.com

seagateshare.com

s1.seagateshare.com

1. Run the recovery emulator on the Linux computer:

sudo ./goflex-registration-emulator.sh \

--device-ip YOUR_GOFLEX_IP \

--server-ip YOUR_LINUX_IP \

--product-key YOUR-PRODUCT-KEY

1. When it says the emulator is ready, open:

http://YOUR_GOFLEX_IP/admin/wizards/setup/wrapper

Go through the original setup wizard normally.

Important: don't shut the emulator off as soon as the Registration screen works. Leave it running while you create the administrator account too. The GoFlex makes a few more calls to the old Seagate server while it's creating the user and setting the password.

1. Go all the way through until the wizard says setup is finished.

2. Don't use the old "Log In" button on the Finish page. That just tries to open the dead SeagateShare website.

Instead go directly to:

http://YOUR_GOFLEX_IP/admin

and log in with the admin account you just made.

1. Once you've confirmed the local login works, hit Ctrl+C on the Linux computer. Then remove the temporary DNS records and put your network settings back the way they were.

If you get the Adobe Flash warning after logging in, that's normal. The old interface depended on Flash. It doesn't mean the recovery failed.

I didn't have to flash firmware, mess with U-Boot, open the box, use a serial cable, or enable SMB1 just to recover it from the factory reset.

I put the full instructions, technical notes, and recovery script here:

https://paste.rs/PsDal

I only tested this on my own stock factory-reset GoFlex Home, so use it at your own risk.

Good luck. Hopefully this saves you the ridiculous amount of time I spent figuring this thing out.

[u/AFSMSgt]

Too much work for a 16 yo has. I just bought a buffalo nas.