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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> External Hard Drive Problems
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Showing posts 1 - 9 of 9, (reverse)
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10/04/2008 08:50:28 PM · #1
Hey ive had an external hard for a while now, and all of a sudden today my computer isn't registering that its hooked up. Why is this? What should i do?
10/04/2008 08:54:34 PM · #2
what have you tried? rebooting? updating drivers? seeing if you got an update that it's not liking? What OS you on?
10/04/2008 08:56:53 PM · #3
Try attaching it to another computer -- this may help identify if the issue is the drive vs the computer.
10/04/2008 09:05:40 PM · #4
i unplugged it and replugged it, and rebooted, but nothing. i dont know what OS is...

ill go try it on my laptop real quick
10/04/2008 09:13:11 PM · #5
Try plugging it into a different USB port. The port might be the culprit.

10/04/2008 09:38:45 PM · #6
Originally posted by fldave:

Try plugging it into a different USB port. The port might be the culprit.


ok i did that and it did the little 'new hardware found' thing, but the computer is still now recognizing it
10/04/2008 09:53:53 PM · #7
i unplugged it form the wall and plugged it back in, not sure why that didnt work before. oh well, it works now:)
10/05/2008 01:28:27 AM · #8
Originally posted by JDubsgirl:

i unplugged it form the wall and plugged it back in, not sure why that didnt work before. oh well, it works now:)


Your poor HD probably ran all the time before. A surge or power fluctuation sent the ext HD controller into a fugue state and it couldn't pour data out of a boot with instructions on the heel. :) When you unplugged the power you reset the controller and it became smart again. You might want to power off your ext HD whenever you're not using it. Much harder for lightning or power surges to kill it and your valuable data.
10/05/2008 02:18:35 AM · #9
Originally posted by JDubsgirl:

i dont know what OS is...


that's an abbreviation for Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS 10.whatever, Linux

If you can't get it working again, it's possible the controller on the external drive is damaged, you could get the hard drive removed and either installed internally or put into a new enclosure.

Check and see if other items still work properly on your USB bus. I have an issue with my own USB 2.0 where only mass storage devices won't work. They behave the same way as your does: a USB device is recognized, but not identified. Other items, like my scanner, work just fine on the 2.0 ports. The storage devices work fine on the USB 1.1 ports. I also have a firewire port, and that is what my external drive connects to.

Message edited by author 2008-10-05 02:19:13.
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