External Hard Drive not recognized on any computer

[soccknrls]

Ok so i have read tons of threads on this subject but nothing seems to be working. I have an WD 1TB external hard drive that has been working fine for some time now, but once i turned my computer on this morning i tried to open a file it says the files corrupted. So i try unplugging it from my laptop (running vista) and plugging it back it again and it wont recognize it as a storage device in my disk management. It reads it as a hard drive under my device manager but not a storage device. When i access the properties from my device manager i populated the volume, and it says there is not storage and that it is offline. I tried on another computer to see if that was the problem, but say results. Can anyone steer me in the right direction on what to do or try next? Thanks

[Sheru]

I've seen external hard drives fail to be recognized by USB, and it was a USB problem. The most straight forward, and often the only way, to correct is to go into Device Manager and delete ALL USB ports, then reboot and allow them to be rediscovered.

[khabi]

Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. Then select Storage Disk Management. The drive should be listed in the physical pane at the bottom if it is connected as a mass storage device. It is possible that the file systems on the drive have become corrupted, in which case it would show up in this pane, but not in the upper pane with logical volumes.

If it shows up here, you can right click on the empty space to take an appropriate action. Keep in mind you will lose any data that was on it if you format it. You can also add a drive letter, if, for some reason, one is absent.

If it does not show up here, then the drive is not physically connected to the machine as storage device. On Windows XP and above, a usb device should show up automatically with no extra drivers. I believe a firewire drive will as well, it definitely does in Vista. It may require SP2.

[soccknrls]

Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. Then select Storage Disk Management. The drive should be listed in the physical pane at the bottom if it is connected as a mass storage device. It is possible that the file systems on the drive have become corrupted, in which case it would show up in this pane, but not in the upper pane with logical volumes.

If it shows up here, you can right click on the empty space to take an appropriate action. Keep in mind you will lose any data that was on it if you format it. You can also add a drive letter, if, for some reason, one is absent.

If it does not show up here, then the drive is not physically connected to the machine as storage device. On Windows XP and above, a usb device should show up automatically with no extra drivers. I believe a firewire drive will as well, it definitely does in Vista. It may require SP2.

thank you for you advice! unfortunately it did not show up no where in my disk manager. but on the other hand i went to me device manager to see if it was even recognizing the device and it showed up under my disc drives but when i enter the properties for it and populate the volume it comes up with it being off line and having no space what so ever...

[soccknrls]

it is also showing up under my universal serial bus controllers as a USB mass storage device

[Macarenas]

Check out this link hope it works for you


External hard drive not recognized by Windows Vista
External Hard Drive not recognized on any computer
External Hard Drive didn't recognized
External Hard Drive Help SQP
USB External Hard Drive Not Detected

[soccknrls]

Check out this link hope it works for you


External hard drive not recognized by Windows Vista
External Hard Drive not recognized on any computer
External Hard Drive didn't recognized
External Hard Drive Help SQP
USB External Hard Drive Not Detected

hey thanks for the links! i have read a few before and finished looking over all of them. None of them seem to be helping the problem though!

[crazzy_b2b]

hello,
i have an external hard drive SQP eXpressStar Mobile 2.5",and i've lost the CD with the software installation,and i was wandering if someone can help me with an advice of how to make this work on the pc (i have windows xp sp3)...or if by coincidence someone has the software.....pls upload it to any site(and send me a message with the link)...i've search this software everywhere but with no luck....
thx so much for your time and for your help !!!