I bought a Western Digital external hard drive. I set it up and used it.
Now my computer won't find it. In Device Manager, my computer shows an
"Unknown USB Device." Perhpas that's it?

USB ports are all working properly. The External |HD powers up. But I
can't find it!

Any help will be appreciated ...

Did you try looking in Storage Manager?

*\(\(\( wrote:

> I bought a Western Digital external hard drive. I set it up and used it.
> Now my computer won't find it. In Device Manager, my computer shows an
> "Unknown USB Device." Perhpas that's it?
>
> USB ports are all working properly. The External |HD powers up. But I
> can't find it!
>
> Any help will be appreciated ...

--
Brett I. Holcomb
(E-Mail Removed)
Remove R777 to email

Brett's got the right idea. It's actually called Disk Management.
Right-click My Computer, select Manage. Disk Management is under the
"Storage" container.

Brett I. Holcomb wrote:
> Did you try looking in Storage Manager?
>
> *\(\(\( wrote:
>
> > I bought a Western Digital external hard drive. I set it up and used it.
> > Now my computer won't find it. In Device Manager, my computer shows an
> > "Unknown USB Device." Perhpas that's it?
> >
> > USB ports are all working properly. The External |HD powers up. But I
> > can't find it!
> >
> > Any help will be appreciated ...
>
> --
> Brett I. Holcomb
> (E-Mail Removed)
> Remove R777 to email

Arrghh - Disk Management is right. Too many systems to keep track of! <G>.

Justin Brown - SYNACS wrote:

> Brett's got the right idea. It's actually called Disk Management.
> Right-click My Computer, select Manage. Disk Management is under the
> "Storage" container.
>
> Brett I. Holcomb wrote:
>> Did you try looking in Storage Manager?
>>
>> *\(\(\( wrote:
>>
>> > I bought a Western Digital external hard drive. I set it up and used
>> > it.
>> > Now my computer won't find it. In Device Manager, my computer shows an
>> > "Unknown USB Device." Perhpas that's it?
>> >
>> > USB ports are all working properly. The External |HD powers up. But I
>> > can't find it!
>> >
>> > Any help will be appreciated ...
>>
>> --
>> Brett I. Holcomb
>> (E-Mail Removed)
>> Remove R777 to email

--
Brett I. Holcomb
(E-Mail Removed)
Remove R777 to email

Thanks guys. I sure hope you stay with me till this gets fixed.

I went to Disk Management. I see my computer's internal hard drive at 0.
It's got two partitions -- one is unnamed and apparently unaccessible. It's
about 9 MG. I believe it is the Toshiba software restore partition. The
other partition is my main C:/ drive.

There is a CD-ROM also at 0. Must be some kind of a virtual drive?

There's another CD-ROM at 1. I think that's the physical CD/DVD internal.

Nothing else.

NO EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE ANYWHERE!



--
<*(((><
"<*(((><" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ONAB8%(E-Mail Removed)...
>I bought a Western Digital external hard drive. I set it up and used it.
>Now my computer won't find it. In Device Manager, my computer shows an
>"Unknown USB Device." Perhpas that's it?
>
> USB ports are all working properly. The External |HD powers up. But I
> can't find it!
>
> Any help will be appreciated ...
>
>
>

"<*(((><" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e5Gf$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks guys. I sure hope you stay with me till this gets fixed.
>
> I went to Disk Management. I see my computer's internal hard drive at 0.
> It's got two partitions -- one is unnamed and apparently unaccessible.
> It's about 9 MG. I believe it is the Toshiba software restore partition.
> The other partition is my main C:/ drive.
>
> There is a CD-ROM also at 0. Must be some kind of a virtual drive?
>
> There's another CD-ROM at 1. I think that's the physical CD/DVD internal.
>
> Nothing else.
>
> NO EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE ANYWHERE!

Please try physically disconnecting the drive from USB & ensurung its
power is off; restarting your system; turning off system; attaching the hd
via USB; restarting system & letting it detect AND install the hd? One
other idea: try installing it via USB, of course, to another computer & see
if that comp. sees it. HTH, s

> "<*(((><" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:ONAB8%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I bought a Western Digital external hard drive. I set it up and used it.
>>Now my computer won't find it. In Device Manager, my computer shows an
>>"Unknown USB Device." Perhpas that's it?
>>
>> USB ports are all working properly. The External |HD powers up. But I
>> can't find it!
>>
>> Any help will be appreciated ...


"<*(((><" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e5Gf$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks guys. I sure hope you stay with me till this gets fixed.
>
> I went to Disk Management. I see my computer's internal hard drive at 0.
> It's got two partitions -- one is unnamed and apparently unaccessible.
> It's about 9 MG. I believe it is the Toshiba software restore partition.
> The other partition is my main C:/ drive.
>
> There is a CD-ROM also at 0. Must be some kind of a virtual drive?
>
> There's another CD-ROM at 1. I think that's the physical CD/DVD internal.
>
> Nothing else.
>
> NO EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE ANYWHERE!
> --
> <*(((><


fishy:
The USB non-recognition problems have been frustrating for all of us. Here
are some troublehooting tips you may want to try...

1. Access Disk Management and see if the USB device is listed. If so, and
there's no drive letter assigned, see if you can assign a drive letter to
the device.
2. If the USB device is listed in Disk Management with an assigned drive
letter, right-click on its listing and select Explore from the submenu.
Hopefully, Windows Explorer will open and the device will be listed.
3. Connect the USB device *directly* to a USB port on the computer, not via
a USB hub. Try different USB ports should your computer have multiple ports.
4. Avoid using a USB extension cable.
5. Try connecting a USB device (that does not contain an auxiliary power
supply) to a USB port both before and after the boot operation.
6. Where a USB (or Firewire) external HDD is involved, access Device
Manager, highlight the Disk drives listing and click on the Action menu item
and then the "Scan for hardware changes" sub-menu item. Do the same in Disk
Management > Action > Rescan disks.
7. Try alternate powering on/off methods. If the USB device contains its own
power supply, try booting up with its power on, then try powering on only
*after* the system has booted to a Desktop.
8. Try a different USB cable.
9. In the USB controllers section of Device Manager, uninstall all the USB
controllers listed and reboot.
10. If the device in question is not a commercial USB external HDD but
rather one in which you installed a HDD in a USB enclosure, jumper the HDD
as Master (or Single if the HDD is a Western Digital disk). A number of
users have reported that jumper configuration corrected their
non-recognition problem. In my own experience it didn't seem to matter how a
USB external HDD was jumpered. But it may be worth a try.
11. If the device in question is a USB external HDD, first check out the HDD
with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility. If it checks out OK,
and you can remove the HDD from its enclosure (without voiding any
applicable warranty), do so and install the HDD as an internal HDD to
determine if there are problems with the drive.
12. If the USB device is connected to a USB 2.0 PCI card, try changing the
PCI slot to which it's currently connected to another one.
13. Access the website of the manufacturer of the USB device to determine if
there's any firmware update or info re the problem you're experiencing or
there's any possibility that the USB enclosure itself might be defective.
14. Determine from the manufacturer of your motherboard whether there's a
BIOS upgrade affecting USB device recognition.

Also, take a look at this site for some troubleshooting tips re USB
devices...
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html

There's always the possibility that your USBEHD is defective. If you still
have return privileges from the vendor perhaps it would be wise to simply
return it for exchange with a similar WD unit.
Anna

I've already tried all that -- no joy.

--
<*(((><
"sdlomi2" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:CFLph.390$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "<*(((><" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:e5Gf$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Thanks guys. I sure hope you stay with me till this gets fixed.
>>
>> I went to Disk Management. I see my computer's internal hard drive at 0.
>> It's got two partitions -- one is unnamed and apparently unaccessible.
>> It's about 9 MG. I believe it is the Toshiba software restore partition.
>> The other partition is my main C:/ drive.
>>
>> There is a CD-ROM also at 0. Must be some kind of a virtual drive?
>>
>> There's another CD-ROM at 1. I think that's the physical CD/DVD
>> internal.
>>
>> Nothing else.
>>
>> NO EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE ANYWHERE!
>
> Please try physically disconnecting the drive from USB & ensurung its
> power is off; restarting your system; turning off system; attaching the
> hd via USB; restarting system & letting it detect AND install the hd? One
> other idea: try installing it via USB, of course, to another computer &
> see if that comp. sees it. HTH, s
>

Thanks for the suggestions -- my responses are inline:

> fishy:
> The USB non-recognition problems have been frustrating for all of us. Here
> are some troublehooting tips you may want to try...
>
> 1. Access Disk Management and see if the USB device is listed. If so, and
> there's no drive letter assigned, see if you can assign a drive letter to
> the device.

RESPONSE: Not listed. No drive letter. (There is an "Unknown USB
Device" -- no drive letter)

> 2. If the USB device is listed in Disk Management with an assigned drive
> letter, right-click on its listing and select Explore from the submenu.
> Hopefully, Windows Explorer will open and the device will be listed.

RESPONSE: No device listed.

> 3. Connect the USB device *directly* to a USB port on the computer, not
> via a USB hub. Try different USB ports should your computer have multiple
> ports.

RESPONSE: Tried that; all USB ports work fine with other hardware.
External HD will not work on any USB port.

> 4. Avoid using a USB extension cable.

RESPONSE: It's directly connected to the computer -- no hubs or extension
cables.

> 5. Try connecting a USB device (that does not contain an auxiliary power
> supply) to a USB port both before and after the boot operation.

RESPONSE: Tried that; no difference.

> 6. Where a USB (or Firewire) external HDD is involved, access Device
> Manager, highlight the Disk drives listing and click on the Action menu
> item and then the "Scan for hardware changes" sub-menu item. Do the same
> in Disk Management > Action > Rescan disks.

> 7. Try alternate powering on/off methods. If the USB device contains its
> own power supply, try booting up with its power on, then try powering on
> only *after* the system has booted to a Desktop.

RESPONSE: Tried that.

> 8. Try a different USB cable.


> 9. In the USB controllers section of Device Manager, uninstall all the USB
> controllers listed and reboot.

RESPONSE: Tried that.

> 10. If the device in question is not a commercial USB external HDD but
> rather one in which you installed a HDD in a USB enclosure, jumper the HDD
> as Master (or Single if the HDD is a Western Digital disk). A number of
> users have reported that jumper configuration corrected their
> non-recognition problem. In my own experience it didn't seem to matter how
> a USB external HDD was jumpered. But it may be worth a try.

RESPONSE: Device and cables came from Western Digital -- new out of the
box. No customizations involved.

> 11. If the device in question is a USB external HDD, first check out the
> HDD with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility. If it checks
> out OK, and you can remove the HDD from its enclosure (without voiding
> any applicable warranty), do so and install the HDD as an internal HDD to
> determine if there are problems with the drive.

RESPONSE: Diagnostic Utility runs, closes, no difference.

> 12. If the USB device is connected to a USB 2.0 PCI card, try changing the
> PCI slot to which it's currently connected to another one.

RESPONSE: On a laptop?

> 13. Access the website of the manufacturer of the USB device to determine
> if there's any firmware update or info re the problem you're experiencing
> or there's any possibility that the USB enclosure itself might be
> defective.

RESPONSE: Been there. Done that.

> 14. Determine from the manufacturer of your motherboard whether there's a
> BIOS upgrade affecting USB device recognition.
>
> Also, take a look at this site for some troubleshooting tips re USB
> devices...
> http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html
>
> There's always the possibility that your USBEHD is defective. If you still
> have return privileges from the vendor perhaps it would be wise to simply
> return it for exchange with a similar WD unit.

RESPONSE: I moved 13 GIG of data to the external HD. I need to access the
data.


> Anna
>

"<*(((><" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks for the suggestions -- my responses are inline:
>
>> fishy:
>> The USB non-recognition problems have been frustrating for all of us.
>> Here are some troublehooting tips you may want to try...
>>
>> 1. Access Disk Management and see if the USB device is listed. If so, and
>> there's no drive letter assigned, see if you can assign a drive letter to
>> the device.
>
> RESPONSE: Not listed. No drive letter. (There is an "Unknown USB
> Device" -- no drive letter)
>
>> 2. If the USB device is listed in Disk Management with an assigned drive
>> letter, right-click on its listing and select Explore from the submenu.
>> Hopefully, Windows Explorer will open and the device will be listed.
>
> RESPONSE: No device listed.
>
>> 3. Connect the USB device *directly* to a USB port on the computer, not
>> via a USB hub. Try different USB ports should your computer have multiple
>> ports.
>
> RESPONSE: Tried that; all USB ports work fine with other hardware.
> External HD will not work on any USB port.
>
>> 4. Avoid using a USB extension cable.
>
> RESPONSE: It's directly connected to the computer -- no hubs or extension
> cables.
>
>> 5. Try connecting a USB device (that does not contain an auxiliary power
>> supply) to a USB port both before and after the boot operation.
>
> RESPONSE: Tried that; no difference.
>
>> 6. Where a USB (or Firewire) external HDD is involved, access Device
>> Manager, highlight the Disk drives listing and click on the Action menu
>> item and then the "Scan for hardware changes" sub-menu item. Do the same
>> in Disk Management > Action > Rescan disks.
>
>> 7. Try alternate powering on/off methods. If the USB device contains its
>> own power supply, try booting up with its power on, then try powering on
>> only *after* the system has booted to a Desktop.
>
> RESPONSE: Tried that.
>
>> 8. Try a different USB cable.
>
>
>> 9. In the USB controllers section of Device Manager, uninstall all the
>> USB controllers listed and reboot.
>
> RESPONSE: Tried that.
>
>> 10. If the device in question is not a commercial USB external HDD but
>> rather one in which you installed a HDD in a USB enclosure, jumper the
>> HDD as Master (or Single if the HDD is a Western Digital disk). A number
>> of users have reported that jumper configuration corrected their
>> non-recognition problem. In my own experience it didn't seem to matter
>> how a USB external HDD was jumpered. But it may be worth a try.
>
> RESPONSE: Device and cables came from Western Digital -- new out of the
> box. No customizations involved.
>
>> 11. If the device in question is a USB external HDD, first check out the
>> HDD with the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility. If it checks
>> out OK, and you can remove the HDD from its enclosure (without voiding
>> any applicable warranty), do so and install the HDD as an internal HDD to
>> determine if there are problems with the drive.
>
> RESPONSE: Diagnostic Utility runs, closes, no difference.

Yep, the WD windows version utility can checkout external WD drives.
Question is, how did it access the drive when XP could not?
The utility can't fix anything if that's what you're inferring.

>
>> 12. If the USB device is connected to a USB 2.0 PCI card, try changing
>> the PCI slot to which it's currently connected to another one.
>
> RESPONSE: On a laptop?
>
>> 13. Access the website of the manufacturer of the USB device to determine
>> if there's any firmware update or info re the problem you're experiencing
>> or there's any possibility that the USB enclosure itself might be
>> defective.
>
> RESPONSE: Been there. Done that.
>
>> 14. Determine from the manufacturer of your motherboard whether there's a
>> BIOS upgrade affecting USB device recognition.
>>
>> Also, take a look at this site for some troubleshooting tips re USB
>> devices...
>> http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html
>>
>> There's always the possibility that your USBEHD is defective. If you
>> still have return privileges from the vendor perhaps it would be wise to
>> simply return it for exchange with a similar WD unit.
>
> RESPONSE: I moved 13 GIG of data to the external HD. I need to access
> the data.
>
>
>> Anna
>>
>
>