External HD detected but can't be accessed

[dothackjhe]

After some troubles with the boot of this PC, now I'm faced with another challenge --- I can't access the external hard disk that is usually plugged in this PC. Everything else in this PC works fine before it started not booting. After several attempts on fixing the computer's boot, it came to a point where the PC can detect the external HD but I can't gain access to it. I have a Western Digital external HD and I'm using Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit as OS. Whenever I plug the External HD, the option to unplug it at the bottom-right of the screen appears (which meant the PC recognized it) and it appears at the disk management as 'Disk 1' while Disk 0 is for the main HD. But the volume for Disk 1 doesn't show. I only see C: on the disk management screen.

 

[brianzion]

hi and welcome

go to device manager and find the drive in the tree go to properties and go to drivers now uninstall the driver unplug the usb connection and reboot. When you have the desktop open re-plug the usb in, windows should install the driver back again (make sure you are connected to the internet in-case windows need to access it

 

[brianzion]

Microsoft Fix it Center Online

go to this Microsoft site(Microsoft fix it) its very usefull for common problems with windows

 

[whs]

Is that a brand new disk that was never initialized? Does it have a drive letter?

 

[mjf]

It should be a plug and play device not requiring any initializing etc. - have you done anything to the disk?
I think the USB icon recognizes a USB "device" has been connected to a USB port. When you click on the icon at the bottom does it say something like external HDD.

Go to Disk Management. Does the drive appear and is it online. (A screen shot would help).

 

[dothackjhe]

Is that a brand new disk that was never initialized? Does it have a drive letter?

It's working just fine with this PC before. Even when I was still using this PC under Windows XP, the external HD works just fine. After my last successful reformat / reinstall of OS that this issue occurred. When I insert the usb of the external HD the PC does recognize it, but it just won't let me access it -- no drive icon, no drive letter.

 

[dothackjhe]

It should be a plug and play device not requiring any initializing etc. - have you done anything to the disk?
I think the USB icon recognizes a USB "device" has been connected to a USB port. When you click on the icon at the bottom does it say something like external HDD.

Go to Disk Management. Does the drive appear and is it online. (A screen shot would help).

How do you do screenshots of the screen? Is it Shift + Prt Scr key? Where does the screenshot goes?

 

[brianzion]

there is a tool in windows 7 called snipping tool go to these links it will help you use it

Windows 7 Features: Snipping Tool

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Use-Snipping-Tool-to-capture-screen-shots

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=b3c68ec2-e726-4830-ac89-31c71d6be5f3

 

[madtownidiot]

Assign a drive letter to the external in disk management. That will allow you to see it in explorer. You may also have to take ownership of the some of the folders as well.

 

[dothackjhe]

Sorry it took me a while to get back on this forum. We had an internet problem due to the typhoon that just got in the country. Here's the link for the screenshot of the error that appears whenever I try to assign a drive letter on the external HD:
ExternalHDError.png picture by dothackjhe - Photobucket

 

[mjf]

Sorry it took me a while to get back on this forum. We had an internet problem due to the typhoon that just got in the country. Here's the link for the screenshot of the error that appears whenever I try to assign a drive letter on the external HD:
ExternalHDError.png picture by dothackjhe - Photobucket

Your disk hasn't got a drive letter so like the last post try assigning it a letter.
Go to disk management where you got the image. Select the drive, right click and then choose to assign a letter. I suggest you pick one of the higher alphabet letters eg. P.
But really Windows should assign a temporary letter when you plug the drive in so report back how you go.

Also to post a screen shot it is easier to:
- select manage attachments below where you type your message
- select Browse to select a jpg (made from the snipping tool) from your computer
- select upload

 

[dothackjhe]

Sorry it took me a while to get back on this forum. We had an internet problem due to the typhoon that just got in the country. Here's the link for the screenshot of the error that appears whenever I try to assign a drive letter on the external HD:
ExternalHDError.png picture by dothackjhe - Photobucket

Your disk hasn't got a drive letter so like the last post try assigning it a letter.
Go to disk management where you got the image. Select the drive, right click and then choose to assign a letter. I suggest you pick one of the higher alphabet letters eg. P.
But really Windows should assign a temporary letter when you plug the drive in so report back how you go.

Also to post a screen shot it is easier to:
- select manage attachments below where you type your message
- select Browse to select a jpg (made from the snipping tool) from your computer
- select upload

Dude, the screenshot that I posted is the error that occurs whenever I try to assign a drive letter to the external HD. Also, my internal HD is already failing --- that might be relevant to the problem.

 

[dothackjhe]

Update:

My HDD is not failing. After replacing the serial ata cable in my PC, I'm no longer experiencing freezes in this PC which is an accompanied problem with external HD not being recognized by the PC. .