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Have you looked in Disk Management after plugging one in? Right-click Computer, click Manage. If the drive shows there it may need a drive letter assigned [right-click menu] before Windows Explorer [File Explorer on Win8] can see it.
USB devices should not need a drive letter. The drive letters are assigned automatically when the device is attached. Something else is wrong here. Run a sfc /scannow in cmd. Maybe it can fix it.
Hi KrazyCrayon,
Under certain abnormal conditions, the USB Storage devices can show in Windows Disk Management but without a drive letter. Assigning a drive letter will make that drive accessible. ( Just do this for one drive.)
If it is so in your case please do this:
Start > All Programs > Accessories > Right click on Command Prompt and Run as administrator.
Then
diskpart [ENTER]
Against the DISKPART prompt
automount [ENTER]
Does it say "automatic mounting of new volumes disabled" ? Then
automount enable [ENTER]
"automatic mounting of new volumes enabled"
Close Command Window.
Done.
Now connect the other drive. It should automatically get a drive letter.
Hereafter whenever you plug in a new external Storage device it will be automatically assigned a drive letter.
If you do not enable automount, then everytime you connect a new drive (one you had not connected before and manually assigned a drive letter) you have to manually assign a new drive letter.