please help! removable hard drive.

shibbert11 · 02-11-2009, 09:44 AM

I bought "WD my passport" external harddrive, and it works fine on my laptop but when I go to plug it in to my pc, it only gets detected for a few seconds and then isn't there when I go to click on it.

It continues to be detected, then dissapear for as long as it is plugged into the computer. It isnt a faulty USB port because I have tried using many different ones and it isnt the harddrive or the cord since it works on my other computer.

Any help would be much much much appreciated.

**tecknomage** · 02-11-2009, 02:37 PM

Are you sure it is NOT your system's USB?

Note that drives (hard or CD-ROM) require USB2.

Go into your BIOS Setup and ensure your motherboard has USB2 support AND it is enabled
At the desktop
- Open Device Manager
- In the right pane, expand [+]Universal Serial Bus controllers, and see if a UBB2 driver is listed

The last one, USB2 drivers, was a problem with 2 Dell desktops at work. The motherboard did support USB2 but Dell forgot to install the USB2 drivers (part of the Chipset Drivers).

shibbert11 · 02-11-2009, 05:20 PM

Thanks!
One problem though, I am not computer literate at all. What is the difference between a normal usb and usb 2? And how do you go to BIOS?
Thanks for your patience.
Sarah.

shibbert11 · 02-11-2009, 05:25 PM

Also, If there is not a UBB2 driver, does that mean it won't work at all with my computer or is there a way to download such a driver?

**raptor_pa** · 02-11-2009, 06:56 PM

Most drives will run in either USB 1 or USB2, a USB 1 port will get an error and run slower. No need for drivers if you are running XP or higher. The # designator is just the next generation of USB, no difference in the ports.. 2.0 is faster, and 2.0 devices will drop down in speed.

02-11-2009, 09:44 AM	#1 (permalink)
shibbert11 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3 OS: windows xp	please help! removable hard drive. I bought "WD my passport" external harddrive, and it works fine on my laptop but when I go to plug it in to my pc, it only gets detected for a few seconds and then isn't there when I go to click on it. It continues to be detected, then dissapear for as long as it is plugged into the computer. It isnt a faulty USB port because I have tried using many different ones and it isnt the harddrive or the cord since it works on my other computer. Any help would be much much much appreciated.

02-11-2009, 02:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
tecknomage TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 928 OS: WinXP Pro SP3	Re: please help! removable hard drive. Are you sure it is NOT your system's USB? Note that drives (hard or CD-ROM) require USB2. Go into your BIOS Setup and ensure your motherboard has USB2 support AND it is enabled At the desktop Open Device Manager In the right pane, expand [+]Universal Serial Bus controllers, and see if a UBB2 driver is listed The last one, USB2 drivers, was a problem with 2 Dell desktops at work. The motherboard did support USB2 but Dell forgot to install the USB2 drivers (part of the Chipset Drivers). __________________ Tecknomage Computer System Specialist IT Technician

02-11-2009, 05:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
shibbert11 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3 OS: windows xp	Re: please help! removable hard drive. Thanks! One problem though, I am not computer literate at all. What is the difference between a normal usb and usb 2? And how do you go to BIOS? Thanks for your patience. Sarah.

02-11-2009, 05:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
shibbert11 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 3 OS: windows xp	Re: please help! removable hard drive. Also, If there is not a UBB2 driver, does that mean it won't work at all with my computer or is there a way to download such a driver?

02-11-2009, 06:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,768 OS: XP	Re: please help! removable hard drive. Most drives will run in either USB 1 or USB2, a USB 1 port will get an error and run slower. No need for drivers if you are running XP or higher. The # designator is just the next generation of USB, no difference in the ports.. 2.0 is faster, and 2.0 devices will drop down in speed. __________________