USB EXTERAL HARD DRIVE !!!

[Pqtrick]

Help anyone?

I have a external hard drive with all my files on, including two almost finished, current video projects. It is a Dane-Electric 'So Ready' 500 gig. It is probably a couple of years old. Having swapped it between computers to access files, it will now not read the drive.

The case history is that I used it with my computer with XP without a problem. I bought a new computer with Windows 7 and connected it but it did not work initially. The 'plug and play' feature did not work. I checked everything in the control panel, updated the driver and it is assigned in the UBS devices as 'mass storage device'.

It did not work initially on Windows 7, for several days and then suddenly it burst into life and assigned a drive letter and it was OK.

Now the same thing has happened again. I connected it to the computer with XP and it worked for one day, the next day it would not read the drive. Now it will not work with either computer. It starts up, spins, but that is all.

I have looked at the web site and there is no real help other than saying it is 'plug and play'. I have sent an email to the UK support desk well over a week ago, but there has not been a response.

Does anyone know a way of kick starting it, or getting access to the files or has it given up the ghost? which means I am in BIG trouble!

[col lamb]

1 If the PC sees the drive in Device Manager then you can try uninstalling the drivers and install the original ones that came with the drive or download new ones and point windows in their location when they are being requested by windows.

2 Try it on someone elses' PC.

3 Remove the drive from the unit and connect it directly into the PC's motherboard

There is a moral or two here, always create a restore point and backup your PC before pluging anything into it for the first time.

Never, ever rely on one data drive, always have at least two and better still three. But then you do need to regularly backup your data and i do not mean every now and then, it should be daily or after a significant amount of data is added.

To give an example my 1Tb RAID array is backed up onto one 1Tb portable drive and one 1Tb store drive in a removable caddy

[Dave Watterson]

Col suggests the best approach ... but one quickie would be to try plugging in to one of the USB ports at the back of your machine. The ones at the front often run through an internal hub whereas the ones at the back are more likely to go straight to the relevant board in the machine.
- Dave

[Brian Saberton]

I've just had a situation where my computer would no longer recognise the existence of my external hard drive. By a process of elimination the problem turned out to be the USB cable even though it had been transmitting data to and fro for a couple of years. Anyhow, a new cable solved the problem. Don't you just love computers and their little quirks and foibles!

[Pqtrick]

Thanks folks!
I have tried almost all of these solutions but to no avail! I do not have the know how, how to connect it direct to the motherboard? (If I could, it would have to be my old computer – and I don't know anything of the benefit of this).

Currently, I have tried to connect it again to my old computer, where it was, when it stopped working. It must be 'reading' it, as occasionally, I do get 'new device available', but there is no drive letter assigned to it. I do get Brian's point about the cables, I will try to borrow one, as they must be universal.

I get the point about backing up, most things are, but not the two current videos, as I was in the throws of switching files between computers. 3 backup drives? Well yes perhaps, but I thought life was supposed to be fun now.

Does anyone know how to grow potatoes? As it must be more pleasure, but then, there is the weather......

[Pqtrick]

It looks as if Brian Saberton's comment was right on the nail!
I tested my external drive at my club last night with another cable it worked OK.
I now have a replacement USB cable and it now functions so far OK.
Thanks

[billyfromConsett]

I would copy your data from it onto something else and error check the drive. I suspected the partition infomation, which can get corrupt, causing the drive to be permanently unreadable.

You do know never to unplug it whilst in windows explorer, so its data isn't being read when the connection is interrupted.

I just don't trust external USB drives from having fragile partition tables. They've got form in my experience.

[Stephen]

Just catching up with the threads on here!

Here's my 2p's worth

As Billy states I wouldn't rely on USB Drives for any form of primary data storage. I have a couple of USB drives but only use them for :

1. To store backed up files
2. Store my music files, support files etc

But both drives are backed up again. For the last 15 years or so - I have used the caddy system... ie a removable device in the front CD drive bays. Never let me down.

Deliberately crashed the machine (DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR DATA) but try turning off your PC when its booting up!!!! It will 99% of the time frag your OS!!!!!

Having a backup HDD in another caddy The PC is back up running in minutes,

Drives are mechanical devices and will let you down Eventually.... Easy sorted though.....
Cycle your drives every 3 years or so. When you buy a new drive make that your primary
Relegate your former primary into a caddy or external USB case.