Problem with Generic Storage Volume

funkedUP · 06-13-2005, 05:08 AM

Hi,

I'm using a LaCie Porsche 160gig External Harddrive with USB2, which has been working perfectly over these past few months.

However, it has now stopped working all together, and I haven't got a clue why. The problem, is that everytime I plug in the hd and start it up, the computer recognises that a device has been started (in the taskbar menu - the 'external hardware' icon pops up), but the autoplay no longer works and no drive is regonised on My Computer, so I can't actually access the hd!

When I go to 'remove external hardware safely', I have noticed when I looked at the device components, that the 'Generic Volume' is missing. Usually under the device components, there is the Maxtor component (which is still there), and the Generic storage volume component, which is now missing.

I have tried everything bar uninstalling all devices under USB Controllers and Storage Volume in Device Manager. It's most probably a problem under the generic storage volume, but I don't know how to fix it. Can you please help!

Many thanks, and fingers crossed,

System Info:

Windows XP, 1.4Ghz, 224ram

External Harddrive Info:

LaCie Porsche 160gig, Maxtor 6Y160P0 USB Device

crazijoe · 06-13-2005, 05:32 AM

Check in Disk Management and make sure that the drive is not assigned the same drive letter with an existing drive.

funkedUP · 06-13-2005, 06:31 AM

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if I've done it correctly though - I couldn't find 'disk manager', but I went to device manager and saw that under 'disk drives', the maxtor usb device is there as well as the internal harddrive - would this be the assignment of same letters you were talking about? If it is, what do I do next? How do I reasign letters?

Thank you for your help

crazijoe · 06-13-2005, 06:41 AM

Right click My Computer > click Manage > click Disk Management >
All avalible drives will be listed on the right.

funkedUP · 06-13-2005, 07:01 AM

I've attatched a screen cap of the disk management. It says that the external harddrive is online, but that it is unallocated (I don't know whether this is normal or not?). Btw - This is the same problem for both my laptop and my desktop!

crazijoe · 06-13-2005, 07:07 AM

Did you have any data on the drive? It shows as a clean drive that needs to be partitioned and formated.

funkedUP · 06-13-2005, 07:13 AM

yeah, I had 90gigs of data on it. Thing is, even if the data did wipe out, I can't access the empty drive in the first place. Although, I see what you're saying now - it does look empty

~~whodat~~ · 06-13-2005, 07:36 AM

hello
why dont you try and move some data / files on it and see how it reacts?
chow

crazijoe · 06-13-2005, 07:39 AM

It almost sounds as if your partition table may become corrupt on the drive. The only suggestion I could give on this would be to use a recovery software to retrive your data.

funkedUP · 06-13-2005, 07:43 AM

I can't move files on it, because the hd doesn't show up on my computer!

Can you recommend any retrieval software? Hopefully it would work even with the problem that I'm having!

All the help is very much appreciated

crazijoe · 06-13-2005, 07:45 AM

I use GetDataBack.

http://www.runtime.org/gdb.htm

~~whodat~~ · 06-13-2005, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Although, I see what you're saying now - it does look empty

Quote:

I went to device manager and saw that under 'disk drives', the maxtor usb device is there as well as the internal harddrive

sorry, misunderstood you

**johnwill** · 06-13-2005, 05:13 PM

I've had several successes with PC Inspector in rebuilding trashed partition tables. It's free, so it's worth a shot.

06-13-2005, 05:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
funkedUP Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Problem with Generic Storage Volume Hi, I'm using a LaCie Porsche 160gig External Harddrive with USB2, which has been working perfectly over these past few months. However, it has now stopped working all together, and I haven't got a clue why. The problem, is that everytime I plug in the hd and start it up, the computer recognises that a device has been started (in the taskbar menu - the 'external hardware' icon pops up), but the autoplay no longer works and no drive is regonised on My Computer, so I can't actually access the hd! When I go to 'remove external hardware safely', I have noticed when I looked at the device components, that the 'Generic Volume' is missing. Usually under the device components, there is the Maxtor component (which is still there), and the Generic storage volume component, which is now missing. I have tried everything bar uninstalling all devices under USB Controllers and Storage Volume in Device Manager. It's most probably a problem under the generic storage volume, but I don't know how to fix it. Can you please help! Many thanks, and fingers crossed, System Info: Windows XP, 1.4Ghz, 224ram External Harddrive Info: LaCie Porsche 160gig, Maxtor 6Y160P0 USB Device

06-13-2005, 05:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,630 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	Check in Disk Management and make sure that the drive is not assigned the same drive letter with an existing drive. __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

06-13-2005, 06:41 AM	#4 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,630 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	Right click My Computer > click Manage > click Disk Management > All avalible drives will be listed on the right. __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

06-13-2005, 07:07 AM	#6 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,630 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	Did you have any data on the drive? It shows as a clean drive that needs to be partitioned and formated. __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

06-13-2005, 07:39 AM	#9 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,630 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	It almost sounds as if your partition table may become corrupt on the drive. The only suggestion I could give on this would be to use a recovery software to retrive your data. __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

06-13-2005, 06:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
funkedUP Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if I've done it correctly though - I couldn't find 'disk manager', but I went to device manager and saw that under 'disk drives', the maxtor usb device is there as well as the internal harddrive - would this be the assignment of same letters you were talking about? If it is, what do I do next? How do I reasign letters? Thank you for your help

06-13-2005, 07:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
~~whodat~~ Register user Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,915 OS: XP	hello why dont you try and move some data / files on it and see how it reacts? chow

06-13-2005, 07:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
funkedUP Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 5 OS: XP	I can't move files on it, because the hd doesn't show up on my computer! Can you recommend any retrieval software? Hopefully it would work even with the problem that I'm having! All the help is very much appreciated

06-13-2005, 07:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
crazijoe Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Omaha, The Center of the Universe Posts: 7,630 OS: WinXP, Win2K3 My System	I use GetDataBack. http://www.runtime.org/gdb.htm __________________ Microsoft MCSA + Messaging, MVP, A+, Network+ http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b3...other/Help.jpg Do you want a real Republican? HDD diagnostic tools / HDD data recovery software

06-13-2005, 05:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Microsoft MVP Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 45,536 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux	I've had several successes with PC Inspector in rebuilding trashed partition tables. It's free, so it's worth a shot. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience