Old IBM HD crashes computer

clowkun · 05-12-2008, 09:23 PM

I am trying to back up my friend's old hard drive to her new external hard drive, so I figure that it would be quite easy. I get my external enclosure and connect it properly to her hard drive. When I plugged it into my computer the first time the computer recognizes it and installs it immediately in about five seconds. Since I have disabled the automatic run on my computer I just go straight to 'My Computer' to check on the contents. My computer completely lags, and Windows Explorer is completely stuck. I am able to check my task manager and the CPU usage is fine and even my LED for my own hard drive is not fully blinking but I still can't use my computer. I cut the power to the external hard drive and then everything returns to normal on my computer like nothing ever happened. The second time my computer doesn't lag but the external hard drive has no contents! Then in the properties window, its format is 'RAW' and doesn't even seem to have been formatted once. This "cursed" hard drive even goes to the extreme to corrupt my USB ports. What should I do? I want to help my friend so maybe the data is there but its just being hidden. Any tips? Thanks guys, I know that I don't post here regularly but I could use all the help you can give.

johnhook · 05-12-2008, 09:40 PM

clowkun,

Are you able to try that external hard drive on a different PC? If so - does it lock things up? Are the files still missing? Was this drive used on a Windows PC prior to this? I ask because other operating systems/hardware use non-Windows filesystems.

How old is that USB drive? Is it USB 1.0 or USB 2.0? What is the make/model of the drive? Now that the drive is disconnected from your PC - are you still having USB problems?

- John

clowkun · 05-12-2008, 11:02 PM

I will make sure and try it on another PC first, I did forget to try that thank you. The hard drive is Windows XP based though and the USB ports are 2.0 and they do work after the drive has been disconnected. Thank you johnhook.

05-12-2008, 09:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
clowkun Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 6 OS: WinXP	Old IBM HD crashes computer I am trying to back up my friend's old hard drive to her new external hard drive, so I figure that it would be quite easy. I get my external enclosure and connect it properly to her hard drive. When I plugged it into my computer the first time the computer recognizes it and installs it immediately in about five seconds. Since I have disabled the automatic run on my computer I just go straight to 'My Computer' to check on the contents. My computer completely lags, and Windows Explorer is completely stuck. I am able to check my task manager and the CPU usage is fine and even my LED for my own hard drive is not fully blinking but I still can't use my computer. I cut the power to the external hard drive and then everything returns to normal on my computer like nothing ever happened. The second time my computer doesn't lag but the external hard drive has no contents! Then in the properties window, its format is 'RAW' and doesn't even seem to have been formatted once. This "cursed" hard drive even goes to the extreme to corrupt my USB ports. What should I do? I want to help my friend so maybe the data is there but its just being hidden. Any tips? Thanks guys, I know that I don't post here regularly but I could use all the help you can give.

05-12-2008, 09:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
johnhook Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 810 OS: MS SBS 2003 SP2	Re: Old IBM HD crashes computer clowkun, Are you able to try that external hard drive on a different PC? If so - does it lock things up? Are the files still missing? Was this drive used on a Windows PC prior to this? I ask because other operating systems/hardware use non-Windows filesystems. How old is that USB drive? Is it USB 1.0 or USB 2.0? What is the make/model of the drive? Now that the drive is disconnected from your PC - are you still having USB problems? - John __________________

05-12-2008, 11:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
clowkun Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 6 OS: WinXP	Re: Old IBM HD crashes computer I will make sure and try it on another PC first, I did forget to try that thank you. The hard drive is Windows XP based though and the USB ports are 2.0 and they do work after the drive has been disconnected. Thank you johnhook.