Windows 7 - Ext. HDD. can't be detected on PC nor PS3, FAT32, 1.5TB, used < 1 year

Hi,

Hope you have had a good day, I certainly had too - until this BS some hours ago.

Problem: 1.5TB WD ext. HDD (3.5 USB TO SATA HDD external enc.) used for PS3 backups doesn't show up in My Computer/PS3. Even though it is found in DM and the driver gets installed upon connecting to the PC. This was bought for my 9 year old under a year ago, first time we've had an issue).

Can't be initialized.

I am grateful for any solution or useful tips.

Best regards.
Azad

NEW! The ext. HDD does show up in My Computer [E], it loads to 90% then stops. It freezes explorer, and it stays that way until I unplug it.

I've looked around for many days and there is nothing you can do about it. I hope this will save others of many, many hours.

You said the format was Fat 32. Is there a reason it has to be Fat 32? If not reformat and do NTFS.

It is FAT32 so that the PS3 can read it, but it was readable by all of my PCs as well. Problem is that I do not get any option to reformat it either. Thanks for the reply.

The reason I asked is because There is a post like this concerning an external disk formatted fat 32 for an Xbox. The poster did not want to change it. The problem was not resolved. If there is a board (not familiar with PS3) for PS3 I would go there and search thru the threads. You are surely not the only one with the problem. Sounds as if Xbox has a similar problem.

Most PS3 users use the FAT32 formatted external drives to store the less than 4GB video files and play on the PS3 or transfer the videos to the PS3.

Does your PS3 recognise the external drive and play the videos from it? (assuming that you have some videos on it) Can you copy the files to and from the PS3? In other words is it still functional on the PS3?

Have you tried the external drive on some other PC?

What exactly do you mean when you say it loads to 90% then stops?

I would have thought running a check disk repair on the unit was worth doing as it was working fine previously, and especially if it's been unplugged without completing a safe USB eject in recent times.

Open the command prompt. At the C\: prompt type the drive letter of the USB unit.

Let's call it "G" for arguments sake.

That will create a G\: prompt...

You'll need to punch in this:- G:\chkdsk /r

The gap after the k is intentional.

Let chkdsk run and complete, then try the drive afresh.

It doesn't show up on the PC either, that is the problem. Since there isn't any safe ejection method for PS3, I think the constant plugging in and plugging out has caused this trouble.

The PS3 can't recognize it, the external drive has been tested on 5 PCs so far, both laptops and stationary ones.

What I mean with 90% and stopping is that, when I unplug the AC for the drive and plug it in again, while it still being connected to the PC - the USB not going in all the way - THE DRIVE SHOWS UP, but it is loading in "My Computer" to 90% and then freezes. Hope you understand.

I'm going to try this, but without a drive letter it'll be hard even though it shows up with a drive letter before freezing Explorer sometimes.

Thanks for all the replies, I'm grateful.

This time I unplugged the AC again, and was actually able to assign a drive letter to it. Of course it stopped loading after 90% and froze. I unplugged USB, plugged in again and now it took a good while for it to download the driver, but at the end it said "Failed - You should contact the producer" (Norwegian translation)...

Tried the same thing again, but this time I'm unable to assign a drive letter, when the drive shows up 1/10 times...