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[SOLVED] External drive not recognized

2K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  spunk.funk 
#1 ·
I have an external hard drive, an 80GB, 2.5" notebook bare drive that I put into a Nextar 3 hard drive enclosure with a USB connector. I have only used it to store files.

I have two systems, each with a new SSD that I have installed the same Windows 7 and the same AV (multiple license) all afresh on each, they are essentially the same as far as the Windows settings.

The drive works with one, but not the other. I am at a loss to figure out why the one system won't recognize it. On the one that does, it shows me some message about installing drivers and then it shows up as a "USB mass storage device" and it shows on the diskmgmt.msc list. On the one it does not work, it does not show up on the list. I have verified the USB ports work on that machine, and I have tried both the case ports and the MB ports and they work with other devices.

This drive also is recognized and works with my laptop, no problem. But it won't work with my old Gateway, again, the USB ports are good. And because the drive works with some computers, the drive itself is good.

Is there some easy Windows setting I'm missing here? If not I'll give you all the specs if needed.
 
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#2 ·
Re: External drive not recognized

Be sure to plug the drive into the Back USB port of the computer (desktop) and not the front as the front is weaker.
With the drive attached, go to Start/Search and type devmgmt.msc, Right click the devmgmt results and Run As Administrator. In the Elevated Device Manager are there any devices with yellow flags? Or under Universal Serial Bus controllers is there an Unknown Device? If so, right click it and Uninstall it. Then remove the USB cable from the computer end and resart the computer. When the computer comes back up plug it into the Back USB port and you should get new Hardware Found.
 
#3 ·
Re: External drive not recognized

Hi Rushie,


Spunk gave you some really good advice, do try that. What I wanted to ask id can you feel the drive spinning up when it is connected to the PC? Depending on how many devices you have and PSU it may actually lack the power to spin up, as unlikely as it sounds. Check up on the mentioned ideas and report back ;)


Hope it helps,
Frost_WD
 
#4 ·
Re: External drive not recognized

Frost, I don't think it's a PSU issue because the system on which it does not work is a 610W good PSU and on the system it does work is a crappy 300W PSU that I'm about to change out today.

Spunk, in devmgmt there are no yellow flags and here is what is listed under Universal Serial Bus controllers:

Generic USB hub
Generic USB hub
Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller
Intel(R) USB 3.0 Root Hub
Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller
Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller
USB Composite Device
USB Printing Support
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub

There is no unknown device to uninstall, but I don't know what the composite device is, do you think that's the drive and should I try uninstalling that?
 
#6 ·
Re: External drive not recognized

USB Composite device is USB Mouse and Keyboard. If you have USB 2.0 ports (non Blue) try plugging the drive into that.
I tried the ones on the front of the case and they don't work. (But they do work for printer and other things.) The ones on the back (MB) I had only been trying the 3.0, so I took your advice and plugged it into the one that said USB DAC which I had no idea what that was but the MB manual says supports 2.0 and 1.1 and IT WORKS!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!
 
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