External hard drive not showing up on computer?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by siren11, Jul 11, 2010.

  1. #1
    i used my old internal hard drive and put it in a rocketfish hard drive enclosure. My computer did recognize this hard drive before, but when I tried a few weeks later, it wouldnt work anymore? at first it said "usb mass storage device failed" now it doesnt show anything at all, i cant find it in my computer neither. :confused::confused:
     
    siren11, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  2. REBOOTTHAT

    REBOOTTHAT Guest

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    #2
    Hi,

    First thing you should do is try plugging it into another computer and see if it works.

    When you plug it in does it sound like it is powering up? If not, it's probably the enclosure that is broke.

    If it displays the drive, but doesn't allow you to browse the files you can try recovery software: http://www.recovermyfiles.com/
     
    REBOOTTHAT, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  3. jjeezy

    jjeezy Peon

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    #3
    Have you tried finding it E: F: T: or whatever, and not just waiting for the computer to ask you to open it?

    Other than that you may need to reformat the whole external hd. o_0
     
    jjeezy, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  4. siren11

    siren11 Peon

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    #4
    @REBOOTTHAT when i plug it in, it does sound like its powering up. i just tried plugging it in on another computer, it showed me the same error "code 10" or something, the same error i had before on my computer. maybe there is something wrong with the enclosure. i'll try putting it in another one. thanks!

    @jjeezy yes i have tried clicking on all of them, didn't work
     
    siren11, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  5. REBOOTTHAT

    REBOOTTHAT Guest

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    #5
    If you have important files on the drive DO NOT FORMAT! Try some recovery software. You can normally recover all the files on the drive.

    Once you have done this, then you can format and normally copy the data back again. Though most of the time the drive will be useless.
     
    REBOOTTHAT, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  6. siren11

    siren11 Peon

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    #6
    how do i reformat the drive? i have nothing important
     
    siren11, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  7. jjeezy

    jjeezy Peon

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    #7
    Right click -> Format.

    I'm using Windows 7 though.
     
    jjeezy, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  8. siren11

    siren11 Peon

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    #8
    i can't right click and format if it doesn't even show up in my computer. oh well, trying to put it in a new enclosure now
     
    siren11, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  9. GnZhost

    GnZhost Peon

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    #9
    you tried to install on another machine you extranal hard driver maybe you computer have problems with you USB port.
     
    GnZhost, Jul 11, 2010 IP
  10. jhonnydepp

    jhonnydepp Peon

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    #10
    you have to format it first then it must be shown..
     
    jhonnydepp, Jul 12, 2010 IP
  11. Questdown!

    Questdown! Peon

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    #11
    May be it might be the Power Problem. Try using the USB Y Cable that might help..
     
    Questdown!, Jul 12, 2010 IP
  12. xax0

    xax0 Peon

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    #12
    First check on another computer. If it even don't detect a USB device - maybe the USB controler have failed. So if you have warranty - return it to the firm. If you don't have warranty open the case and try to put the hard disk on your laptop and see if it is detected by the BIOS
     
    xax0, Jul 20, 2010 IP
  13. edi90

    edi90 Member

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    #13
    edi90, Jul 21, 2010 IP
  14. balivillaholidays

    balivillaholidays Peon

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    #14
    It usually happen when the internal port is broke or the usb connector might be compromised. You should try plugging it to other usb ports.
    If the computer recognized the usb but can't read it properly, then it must be the connection not the hard drive.
     
    balivillaholidays, Jul 21, 2010 IP
  15. Ausdrez

    Ausdrez Well-Known Member

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    #15
    If you don't really need the data and want to proceed with formatting but unable to see your drive in my computer, you can opt for following steps:

    1. Remove the drive from the USB enclosure and attach that directly internally in the computer. As, USB casings are really un-reliable sometimes.

    2. Right click on "My Computer" (or as you said, it's Windows 7 so go to start-->my computer and right click there). Then click on "Manage".

    3. In the new window opened, click on "Disk Management" under "Storage". Then see your desired drive in right side pan. If it shows "unallocoated", probably the partition table has been corrupt. Make your way to creating new partitions and formatting them and you will be able to access your drive normally once again through the usual "My computer" icons.

    Hope that helps..
     
    Ausdrez, Jul 26, 2010 IP
  16. dogmatch

    dogmatch Peon

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    #16
    Ausdrez has some great tips here. Often the drive letter is "taken" when you insert a disk. If you have several disks connected through your USB ports you could also try to eject them and restart the computer and see if it discovers the disk again. If not, try to open it on another PC. If this is not working and giving the stations new letters (f:, G:,H:, etc) the disk may also be broken.
     
    dogmatch, Jul 26, 2010 IP
  17. Farrel Kim

    Farrel Kim Peon

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    #17
    you should check the settings contained in the bios. especially if a new model of your motherboard, because sometimes there are several vendors bios which requires us to do the settings manually to all the peripherals that go.
     
    Farrel Kim, Aug 4, 2010 IP
  18. iEddie_B

    iEddie_B Peon

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    #18
    You may need to wiggle the USB plug a round a little bit. This has happened to me a couple of times as well and this solution has worked from time to time.
     
    iEddie_B, Aug 13, 2010 IP