My external hard drive is always flashing and will not work.

[Thestickman391]

I have a Toshiba external 1TB hard drive. It shows up as Local Disc in computer but clicking on it make the Windows Explorer box not respond. I have tried uninstalling/updating the the driver in device manager however it just endlessly uninstalling/updates. I have tried using chkdisc in cmd however nothing happens. I have tried unplugging everything except the external drive however this does nothing. I have tried using disc manager however it gets stuck at "Connecting to Virtual Disc Service". I have tried several Partition Recoverytools and all of them do not work. I cannot disable it in Device Manager. Clicking populate on the Volumes tab of the properties causes the properties to not respond.

Please help. I have tried everything that I could find.

Thanks

 

[RolandJS]

"...Connecting to Virtual Disc Service.." I don't understand what a Virtual Disc Service is.
What does this ext HD do in another computer? And, you have already tried Safe Mode on this computer, correct?

 

[Eric3742]

Try to connect the ext HDD to another USB port.

In normal case, USB driver is standard, no need to updates.

 

[Thestickman391]

RolandJS

I have just tested it on another computer. It does not work. Yes I have tried safe mode, same thing.

Eric3742

I have tested it on several different USB ports.

Please help!

 

[HAVOC]

I also ran into an issue where the disk manager would get stuck at "Connecting to Virtual Disc Service".

Run SFC, following this tutorial and try disk manager again.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

 

[Eric3742]

From my experience this Toshiba ext HDD is not from Toshiba itself.

I went to Toshiba Service center as my brother's laptop had hard disk failure.
At the same time, i ask the staff about Toshiba HDD (which i showed them).
The service staff told it is not from them, as Manufacturer &or Distributor.
They did replaced another HDD on the Toshiba laptop, as still in the warranty.
I did had some HDD (internal & external), and some (especially the ext HDD) cannot be detected.
When i attached to the USB port, the issue is the same as yours.

Sadly to say, the ext HDD could have failed.
I do have an external HDD and is no longer work, no matter what i did.
Hence i avoid buying Toshiba HDD, whether internal or external.
The only HDD i accept are mostly; Samsung, WD.

Edit: Not buying from any Retailer.

 

[RolandJS]

Guys, Gals, what is Virtual Disc Service - in this context?

 

[HAVOC]

When you click on disk management.