New
#11
That should absolve your Buffalo :) of any foul play and we now have to turn our attention onto your Toshiba Laptop.
It could be, to my little knowledge, a defective controller chip on the motherboard or a driver problem.
1.What exactly was the problem with the laptop that prompted you to backup and do a factory restore?
2.What happens when you plug in another External HDD? Are you able to read and write to it? You have to do it and let us know. If need be take it to the same computer shop and ask them to do it.
I would also suggest that you look for the latest chipset drivers for your Toshiba laptop and install it. Check whether it resolves your problem. ( Infact download all latest drivers for your laptop from Toshiba website and keep those ready, wipe your laptop HDD clean, reinstall with the recovery disks with the Internet disconnected ( to prevent Windows from installing any drivers), install the website drivers then connect to the internet and update Windows completely.After that connect your Buffalo and check. Whatever you do if "Safely Remove" Icon appears in the tray, always use it to remove the external drive.)