A: Seagate Seven is a new ultra-slim hard drive from Seagate that can, thanks to the updated Seagate Dashboard, simplify backup for consumers who want to protect their entire digital life locally, in the cloud or from social networks.
Using the new Seagate Dashboard—pre-loaded on every Seagate Seven drive—users can:
- Use the Protect function to set up a one-click backup plan or customize a scheduled local backup.
- Use the Save feature to back up user-generated content from your favorite social networks automatically.
- Use the Share feature to upload multiple files to social networks from your computer.
- Cross-platform usage between a Mac and a PC without reformatting.
- Fast file transfers thanks to the USB 3.0 interface.
Backup
Q: Once I back up my data, do I need to restore it to access it or can I access the files directly on my Seagate Seven drive?
A: The Seagate Dashboard does not use a proprietary format to back up your data; you are not required to use the Dashboard to access your backed up data. You can browse your backed up data by accessing your Seagate Seven drive in Windows Explorer.
Q: If I switch from continuous backup to a scheduled backup, will my backup data still be available...and vice versa?
A: Yes, the change in the frequency does not affect the file structure.
Q: Does the Dashboard back up open files, whether continuous or scheduled?
A: Yes, the Dashboard attempts to back up files that are open for continuous and scheduled backup plans.
Q: How do I check for updates?
A: You can check for updates at any time by clicking the Settings icon (the gear in the upper right corner) of the Dashboard and then clicking the Updates tab.
Q: Does the Dashboard back up my applications and settings on my computer?
A: No, the Dashboard will not back up applications and settings. It only backs up data files and folders from your PC.
Q: Does the Dashboard keep multiple versions of my files?
A: Yes, each time you make a change to the data targeted in a backup job, the Dashboard creates a new versioned file of those changes.
Cloud
Q: How do I add more storage to my account and how much does it cost?
A: To add more storage to your account, log in with your username and password and click the Upgrade link. You will then be provided with upgrade options.
Once you have made your selection, the amount of storage in your account will immediately be increased to the amount you selected (and not added to the capacity of your account prior to selection).
Q: Who do I call if I have issues with my cloud storage account or questions about billing?
A: To make changes to your cloud storage account such as resetting your password, changing your email account and so on, select the Account option from the home page of your cloud storage account. For other areas of support please contact Seagate Support.
Q: Can I access what is backed up in the cloud on a different computer?
A: Yes, as long you have the proper login information you will be able to access the files from mobile devices as well as other computers from the following URL: https://cloudstorage.seagate.com/
Q: Do I need to install the Dashboard to use cloud backup?
A: Yes, the backup requires the Dashboard to provide a service to back up to the cloud.
Q: Are files uploaded to the cloud encrypted?
A: No, file level encryption is not used, but your files are only available to your account, protected by your password.
Q: What happens to my files in the cloud if I do not extend the free trial period?
A: 30 days before the free trial period expires, you will receive an email notice with options to upgrade to a year's subscription. Once the free trial period expires, the files will be kept in the cloud server for up to 30 days, during which you can contact Seagate Support to retrieve the files. After 30 days, all files and data will be purged.
Q: Are multiple versions of my files kept in the cloud?
A: No, cloud backup does not currently support versioning.
Save
Q: If I check the ‘Auto Save’ feature in the Save feature, how often is my content backed up from my account?
A: Content is saved from your social media account once per hour when the Auto Save feature is enabled.
Q: What resolution of photos and videos get saved from Facebook and Flickr® in the Dashboard?
A: When uploading files to social media sites such as Facebook, the resolution of photos and videos are frequently reduced to optimize the file for use on the web. This means that the files saved by the Dashboard will be in the reduced web resolution supported by the social media site that you are using.
When uploading photos to Facebook, be sure to select the high-resolution option to maximize the quality of your photos.
Q: Can "Save" back up my wall messages and inbox on Facebook?
A: The Dashboard is designed to only save photo and video content from your social media account.
Q: Does the Save feature save the captions I used on my pictures?
A: If your photo included a caption, the Seagate Dashboard will save your photo with your caption as a part of the file name.
Q: Where are my photos and videos saved to when I enable the Save feature? Can I change the default location?
A: Your photos and videos are saved by default to your computer in a folder called My Online Documents. To browse this folder, click on the magnifying glass icon on Save feature tab. A Finder or Windows Explorer window will automatically open, showing you the content that you have saved. Photos and videos will be stored first by the social media site, then be placed in sub-folders that are created based on the albums in your account.
To change the default location, click on the default folder link that is next to the magnifying glass. You will then be asked to select a new destination, or create a new folder.
Share
Q: Can I upload files by selecting an entire folder for sharing, or do I have to select files one by one?
A: Yes, you can select an entire folder to upload to social media sites. However, be aware that some sites have restrictions on uploads, so the upload may not complete if you exceed any size or file number limits imposed by the service that you are using.
Q: Is there a limit in the number of uploads supported by my YouTube account?
A: Currently YouTube restricts users to two video uploads per month. Please be sure to check the YouTube video upload policy for your account as this is subject to change and may vary by account type.
Q: Can I use Seagate Seven without using the Dashboard software?
A: Yes, you can use Seagate Seven without installing the Dashboard software like any other external hard drive, whether it is for capacity expansion or for backup using other software or drag-and-drop.
Q: With what operating systems is Seagate Seven compatible?
A: Windows 8, 7, and Vista, and Mac OS 10.6 and later.
Q: If I already own a GoFlex drive and have installed the included software, should I uninstall it prior to installing the software that came with Seagate Seven?
A: You do not have to uninstall the software that came with your GoFlex drive. Note that if you backed up your content to your GoFlex drive with encryption enabled, accessing your backed up content will require the software that came with your GoFlex drive.
Q: Is USB 3.0 backward compatible to USB 2.0?
A: Yes, USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0. This means that if you plug your Seagate Seven drive into a USB 2.0 port, it will work (at USB 2.0 speeds).
