External HDD won't show up in Disk Management or Explorer

[leeroy1978]

My WD Passport 320gb external drive is not recognised. When I plug it in the light comes on and i can hear the disk fine as normal. But it won't show up in either My Computer or Disk Management.

I've tried Re-Scanning is Disk Management, as well as every single USB port on my Toshiba Equiuim L40 laptop.

I can't assign it a drive letter because literally nothing shows up.

I was hoping to format this hard drive to FAT32 so I can backup my PS3 data before I upgrade it's hard drive. Any help much appreciated, and just to make it clear there is absolutely nothing on the drive I want to keep so it doesn't matter what is lost from it!

Many thanks to anyone who can help!!!!!!

)

(By the way this is my first time ever posting in a forum so bear with me please!)

 

[brianzion]

hi there fellow uk man try this microsoft fix it from there site
Hardware devices are not working or are not detected in Windows go to link :ar: Hardware devices are not working or are not detected in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/fixit/

What it fixes...

When you install a hardware device, it is not detected
Determine if your audio device is plugged in
Driver updates aren't automatically installed by Windows Update
You receive one of the following errors:
Your <Device Name> is currently disabled or turned off in Windows
Your <Device Name> has a driver problem and needs to be reinstalled
Windows has detected a problem with your <Device Name>, it is not working properly
There is no driver installed for your <Device Name>

 

[theog]

Have tred pluging in to a mates PC?

 

[leeroy1978]

I have tried the microsoft fixit that doesn't detect it, and i have also tried 3 other computers they don't show it either. The drive definately hasn't been dropped and the lead works... AGGGGHGHHHHHHHH!!!!

Thanks for trying to help though guys... much appreciated

 

[brianzion]

i can understand your frustration i have had the same problem but with my main tower machine in the end i unplugged the motherboard connectors to the usb leads to the ports and that solved it windows booted and reinstalled all the usb drivers, guess that's a little of the rails for a lappy?

 

[brianzion]

from op and just to make it clear there is absolutely nothing on the drive I want to keep so it doesn't matter what is lost from it!

has the drive not been for-mated with anything? no file system on it? im sure that is why windows will not see it if so. in disk management is there no sign of a drive not assigned with a drive letter etc?

at the bottom of the drive list in disc management they show up there.

"USB Device not recognized: One of the devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and windows does not recognize it." do you get this in a pop up?

 

[DocBrown]

Welcome leeroy1978

Is this a new WD external HD, or have you used it in the past? If used what was on it previously? & what file system was used?