iqy_1

Hi everybody!

I am having serious problems with this newly purchased Maxtor Onetouch II 300Gb hard drive (USB2/FW).

After unpacking it - installed it on my laptop (using firewire port) which is using Windows XP - fine, works well - I see it in "My Computer" as Local Drive E:

I also formatted it on the same laptop before starting to use it. Transferred some data onto it.

THE PROBLEM STARTS HERE:

I now switched my desktop on (which is using Windows ME) - and I have recently just fitted a Lacie USB 2.0 PCI card into a spare slot which shows up in device manager (so I'm assuming it has installed?).

Now when I tried to plug this drive into the USB 2.0 port of my PC and installed all the software (just like I did with the laptop) - it does not show up in "My Computer" as a separate drive (as it did on the laptop) - I don't understand why it's not recognising it.

But when I switch the hard drive on and off - the PC does notice that a storage device has been switched on/off - but for some reason I can't access its content through "My Computer".

When I go to Device Manager - and click on the + sign next to the USB 2.0 card - I see "Maxtor Onetouch 2" listed under this USB listing??

So the PC knows its connected but I just can't transfer or access any data using it.

PLEASE SOMEBODY, ANYBODY HELP ME OUT HERE.

Thanks in advance

Iqy

whodat

greetings
what file system is on your laptop ? and you have fat32 on your other?

iqy_1

First of all - Thanks for your immediate response.

umm, I'm assuming they are both the same (laptop & desktop).

I didn't format the external hard drive under FAT32 - I did it under the other standard (I think its called NTSF or something along those lines?).

The laptop is using Windows XP, and the desktop is using Windows ME.

Thanks again

Iqy

iqy_1

sorry - also, how would I find out what type the desktop was?

Thanks

Iqy

linderman

It sounds like the laptop formatted the drive using NTFS and I bet your desktop is Fat32 you can go into start/accessories/system tools/system information and find your hard drives in their / when you select info about them it should tell you what file ssytem they were formatted with / I can not swear that their is a compatability issue their between the two files systems but I thinkkkkkk so?

Also you could be a USB driver issue on the part of your ME desktop / do you have the 2.0 driver upgrade installed on your ME destop to accomodate the USB controller???? you should be able to get that from your MOBO manufactuers website Dont forget win ME was released before USB 2.0 was in wide use / so I bet thats your prob / you can check this theory by right clicking on my computer / select hardware manager / go down to USB host controller / right click on properties / it should say the version you are running 1.1 or 2.0 also check the same on the hub?????

there should be some info in the new USB drive documents concerning this issue that may help. Generally they will tell you which website to go to get updates for USB controllers.

let us know how your progress


regards


joe

linderman

yep jim hit the mark on this one (whodatknocking)

NTFS is definitly better than the FAT32 format, faster speed, more stable, if your operating system is over Windows2000 then run NTFS. Although Windows 98 an ME cannot read NTFS, so your forced to run FAT32.

you can however if you want to run your set-up / convert your USB drive to fat32 easy / your laptop will be able to use the FAT32


regards:



joe

whodat

yes, i believe your me system is fat 32 for which the problem lies.
now the question is how to rectify it
. lets let another tech jump in.
good luck

whodat

sorry linds, i am a very slow hunt and peck typer.....

linderman

You can convert a drive from Fat 16 to 32 easy with a file converter found within windows / however no such tools for changing file system from NTFS to Fat 32 / see windows likes to keep pushing grrrrr / us forward NTFS is there newer love / FAT 32 is their abandoned love therefore a backwards conversion aint so easy


I suggest you copy any files on the new USB drive to your laptop drive / then use ME bootdisk to run FDISK & DELETE all drives and partitions on your USB drive / then use the ME boot disk & FDisk utility to reformat using Fat32 / then set up partitions and logical drives d,e,f,g,h etc that poo-poo


there is a thread in this hard drive forum which I posted if you dont know how to use Fdisk / its not that hard to use / depends how bad you want to cross swap with the ME desktop machine -personally I would suggest you jump in

git-er-done


regards

joe

linderman

LOL big jim


there might be a driver update for that !

iqy_1

WOW - thanks guys - I am truly humbled by all of your help.

Thank you so much.

Okay - now, if I understand this correctly, I have made the mistake of formatting the drive under NTFS, and it won't work with any other system.

The only way out then is to re-format this drive again (deleting everything on it) on the desktop under FAT 32.

Then this drive should then work on the laptop and desktop.

Correct?

Its a shame that I spent all that time yesterday transferring all those files off the laptop (gonna have to delete em all now - damn!)

Will the drive still operate okay, or similiarly once formatted under FAT 32?

Thanks again my friends

Iqy

Terrister

There are programs that let you use ntfs on 9x and me. Some only let you read ntfs. Others give you read/write access . Take a look at some of these sites. http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...D:en&q=me+ntfs

linderman

Yes / should you make the decision to reformat your drive and use FAT 32 you will see no difference when you use the laptop with the Win xp OS or Win 2K which ever. Sorry to rain on your parade.

You may get lucky and have one the progs that Terrister mentioned suit your needs ?????????

regards;


joe

iqy_1

Thanks for that NTFS Reader.

I installed it onto the desktop - but when I had installed it - it opened up fine, but as soon as I double clicked on the NTFS_Partition_1 icon (which would have opened the contents of the drive) - the program just froze - and I had to press Cntrl + Alt + Delete - and end task.

I had to do this many times - just would not open the drive.

I think I'm nearly there as at least the program recognised that the drive was attached etc......

That else do I have to do.......could the problem lie perhaps with the newly installed USB 2.0 PCI card? Or is it simply a minor software tweek that is needed.

Thanks again guys

Iqy

linderman

Its a software tweak thats needed. But I wouldnt consider that one a Minor tweak ! Its not your usb adapter card


My first rule of computers is "the easiest way sucks in the end"




regards


joe

iqy_1

hahahahhaha

yep, thats a good rule.

Damnit..........I gotta figure this out - there must be a way for this to work.

Is there perhaps another program that does the same sort of thing? Could give that a try I guess - this one just freezes.

Thanks guys

Iqy

Terrister

Try another one. I have not used any of these.

Another option is upgrade the ME machine to XP. Me was not a very good version of Windows.

linderman

Damn Terrister ! how in the hell did I miss that one. not enough coffee


Upgrading to Win XP makes perfect sense / especially given that Win ME was sure as hell one ugly mail order bride !!!!!!

iqy_1

That is excellent advice!

I probably will upgrade to XP as I generally find that ME crashes alot and is incredibly unstable.

However, would the convert function not work? Could I not just convert from NTFS to FAT 32 in DOS using the Convert command line?

Also, can I use my laptop's XP CD on my desktop - or will I have to get a brand new upgrade copy of XP?

Thanks alot guys - appreciate all of your help - Ur all amazing people!

Iqy

linderman

IQY

I dont believe the converter software utility will convert an NTFS file system to Fat32 because that would be backward technology / microsoft makes things go foward / the converter I was tinking of converts fat 16 files (thats real old win 95 stuff) to fat 32 (thats win 98 stuff) see the forward thingy

You have two options

A) back-up the data off the new drive / fdisk the drive deleting all drives and partitions / then fdisk utility and repartition and reconfig (remake) logical drives / all in the fat32 mode

B) Get a RETAIL version of Win XP Pro off ebay (those are much easier to get the authorization keys for )and install it over you win mE / the good thing here is you wont lose any data on the me machine or programs / it will modify and keep the existing windows registry going

But remember my quote " The easy way in the end usually sucks"
A "clean install" always better and faster than an "upgrade" install


hmmmm too many decisions huh

regards

joe