Copying files to a usb hard drive

I've had good luck with a tool called DriveCleanup from Uwe Sieber. Cleans-up a PC's residue from USB plugs/unplugs/replugs. Look about halfway down this page:

Drive Tools for Windows

First make a System Restore point (the tool deletes abandoned registry keys), the copy the x64 version to your pc e.g. the C:\ root directory, open an elevated command prompt & type:

drivecleanup -t

I like to copy & paste the results to a text file before going-ahead and doing the cleanup (just leave-out the -t), just to see what kind of junk it has found. Then you just type 'drivecleanup' and it does everything.

Maybe not your issue but worth a look perhaps.

Are you trying in only one port or tried other USB 2.0 ports in your system?

Sometimes USB hard drives require special drivers, like Western Digital requires SES driver?

Connect the hard drive to your system, go to device manager and select this external drive and uninstall the drive. Now press the button above to detect new hardware devices.

Is the external hard disk is getting installed automatically or it is asking for a driver?

p5bdkw said:

Are you copying from the USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ports?

Now the computer says I dont have any 2.0 usb ports when that is what i have. Also the usb device is listed in the taskbar icons but is greyed out, so i cant safely remove it.

I have experienced the same problem as you have described, and I am running the same OS...I have considered it more of a nusaince than anything as it goes away after a reboot.... does yours?. can you copy to any usb item such as a thumb drive, memory stick etc?..

dallasjme said:

I try to copy files to a usb harddrive but windows just stays there copying forever. I tried the usb hardrive on another computer and it works fine. I am using Windows 7 ultimate x64.

I found out the usb wireless network adapter was causing the problem.
Thanks