Windows 7: External HD not initialized, need data from it

I have an external hard drive from home (160 GB iOmega) formatted in I believe FAT32 with all my data on it from my iMac. I'm trying to connect it to my new ThinkPad to get my data. It doesn't show up in My Computer, but in Disk Management there is a Disk 1 that has a black bar at top instead of blue, says not initialized on the side, and says unallocated under the bar. Also, when I open Disk Management it offers to initialize my disk, but I fear that would erase my data.

How would I get my computer to read the disk but not erase my data?

Welcome to Seven Forums.
Here is a pretty good trouble shooting guide Troubleshoot: Windows won't recognize USB hard drive / fix unassigned drive letter - TechSpot OpenBoards You might want to try some of the suggestions posted.
Fabe

Hmmm.... seems to be a single partition, so according to that FAQ it's corrupted. Perhaps the airport X-ray. It said to use file recovery, so i got PC Inspector/Recovery. It can't find any logical drives, any help?

Can you view the files if you plug it into the iMac?

Regards,
GEWB

Back before I traveled across country with this drive, yes.

That was then, this is now. Can you see the files today using the iMac?

Regards,
GEWB

Well the point is now I'm across the country from that iMac.

Umm, a REALLY long USB cable? <j/k>

Just an idea - if you boot to a live Linux disk, can you mount the external drive and see the files?

Regards,
GEWB

I went to my school's computer help place and they also said try it from Linux. Worked like a charm, copied over my files, reformatted my drive to GUID partition table (instead of Apple, which was probably the problem) and NTFS, put the files back, booted up in Windows, files were there. Happy days!

Glad to see your school validated my Linux suggestion, even happier that it worked for you!

Regards,
GEWB