Korean Job Discussion Forums

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

Right now, my computer is humming swimmingly. All problem solved saved the last one.
My external hard drive.

I THINK this is a driver problems so I need help from the pros here.

So, my drive is plugged in and turned on.

1) When I go to the device manager it says that it is plugged in. I want to format it. So I go to...
2) When I go to the Administrative tools - Disk Manager, soes I can format it, it doesn't show up!

3) I go BACK to the device manager and I notice that there are TWO icons for my drive. ONE is functioning fine. ONE has the yellow triangle with the exclamation point. I go there. It says there is a problem. Nothing seems to fix it. I erase it off the devide manager. Nothing happens.

I have tried the three driver options but none of them work. I think I'd have to download it from a page but dang it, I'm not convinced that's going to be able to happen very easily (will I have to crack open this bad boy to read the name on the HD itself?

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

HDDs don't require "drivers" as such. Could be a USB driver issue....do you have any other USB devices to test the port? Does it work with other devices?

Does the HDD show up in "My Computer"? Right click on it and select "Format" if it's there.

This is the same drive that was giving you problems a while back, yes? Why didn't you answer my PM to take me up on the software I offered to send you? Seems like you have a dying drive on your hands. Anyways, that offer still stands if you feel like doing something about the problem.

And you need not break open the laptop...you do have one friend with a desktop computer, yes? Ask if you can use it for a while to at least let Spinrite perform an analysis and check the result. Worst case situation is you need to make use of your friends system overnight to let the program run it's course.

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

StAxX SOuL · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: London

Is it a new drive? Was it working previously?

External HDs can suffer from a host of problems, they can even be dependant on whether you're running them on a desktop PC or a laptop...

HDDs don't need drivers, nor formatting with Windows XP... its only with Macs that they require something more than a plug-n-play setup... if it is a driver issue, it most likely lies with your USB ports... I'm automatically assuming your USB ports support USB2 here

If you're running the most common cause with a laptop is that the USB ports are underpowered so you buy one of those USB Hubs to rectify the problem... but its a external drive... all external drives are, are IDE or SATA drives rigged up to a system that lets them be powered by an external power source as opposed to the typical installing them in a bay and powering them from you PCs PSU... you've got a bunch of issues which can happen, where the drives are perfectly fine but as an issue has arisen with a internal connection or something with the casing...

I could most likely diagnose the issue you have but I need many more specific details than what you posted in the OP down to the branding... age... previous use... your OS and system spec... laptop / desktop etc etc...

Bottom line is that External HDs are tempramental... don't be so quick to send it back, or sacrifice all the data on it for the sake of a return because that's what you'd be doing...