Why does Windows 7 find it troublesome accessing an External HD?

[dothackjhe]

I just had this PC replaced its serial ata cable due to the problems it had caused. Now that everything is working fine again, I still can't access my External HD. The PC does recognize it when I insert it, but it can't be accessed at the 'My Computer' screen -- no drive letter for it, no drive icon. Does reformatting the PC again will fix this problem? :huh:

 

[zigzag3143]

I just had this PC replaced its serial ata cable due to the problems it had caused. Now that everything is working fine again, I still can't access my External HD. The PC does recognize it when I insert it, but it can't be accessed at the 'My Computer' screen -- no drive letter for it, no drive icon. Does reformatting the PC again will fix this problem? :huh:

No it means that you need to assign a drive letter. Easy way is to use Paragon disk suite. Its trial is free


Ken J

 

[Mark Phelps]

If you want to try in using just Win7, open Disk Management, scroll down through the list of "drives". If you see the drive listed, you might also see it as Offline. Right-click and select Online. If that works, Win7 will assign the drive a letter and you'll be good to go.

 

[fseal]

If you want to try in using just Win7, open Disk Management, scroll down through the list of "drives". If you see the drive listed, you might also see it as Offline. Right-click and select Online. If that works, Win7 will assign the drive a letter and you'll be good to go.

Along with that you may have to "Import foreign drive" from the same location by right clicking on the drive listed with no drive letter, (depending on how where it was used in the past... )

 

[dothackjhe]

I did try assigning a drive letter to the drive only to receive an error stating that the disk management console view is not up-to-date etc etc. Has anyone experienced this?

 

[dothackjhe]

If you want to try in using just Win7, open Disk Management, scroll down through the list of "drives". If you see the drive listed, you might also see it as Offline. Right-click and select Online. If that works, Win7 will assign the drive a letter and you'll be good to go.

It is online whenever I plug it. But, assigning a drive letter to it tells me an error regarding the disk management console view not being up-to-date. How do I fix this?

 

[dothackjhe]

This is the error that appears whenever I try to assign a drive letter to the external HD:
Capture.png picture by dothackjhe - Photobucket

Refreshing, rescanning and the likes didn't fixed it. .

 

[bobkn]

I just had this PC replaced its serial ata cable due to the problems it had caused. Now that everything is working fine again, I still can't access my External HD. The PC does recognize it when I insert it, but it can't be accessed at the 'My Computer' screen -- no drive letter for it, no drive icon. Does reformatting the PC again will fix this problem? :huh:

If I may be permitted a stupid question:

What's the interface to your external drive? USB, Firewire, eSATA? eSATA may require additional drivers to be installed.

 

[dothackjhe]

I just had this PC replaced its serial ata cable due to the problems it had caused. Now that everything is working fine again, I still can't access my External HD. The PC does recognize it when I insert it, but it can't be accessed at the 'My Computer' screen -- no drive letter for it, no drive icon. Does reformatting the PC again will fix this problem? :huh:

If I may be permitted a stupid question:

What's the interface to your external drive? USB, Firewire, eSATA? eSATA may require additional drivers to be installed.

Mine's a USB one, it's good to go once plugged to any PC. The PC will automatically recognize it and install its drivers. I began having troubles with it after the serial ata cable of this PC got messed up and after constant reformat / reinstall of OS due to troubles booting the PC. .

 

[Lomai]

Have you tried swapping the USB cable for the external drive with another?

 

[dothackjhe]

Have you tried swapping the USB cable for the external drive with another?

I did. The same problem still occured. .

 

[SledgeDG]

Did you try a different usb port?

 

[dothackjhe]

Did you try a different usb port?

Yup, I did. Still the same. .