Does not recognize MyBook-Essential Edition usb

[pswin]

I just purchased an external hard drive My Book-Essential Edition (usb 2.0)
and my computer does not recognize it. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[smlunatick]

I just purchased an external hard drive My Book-Essential Edition (usb 2.0)
and my computer does not recognize it. Anyone have any suggestions?

Are any other flash drives recognized in your system?

Which USB ports (front / back?)

Did you also use the power adapter that should have been delivered
with your drive?

 

[Claymore]

I just purchased an external hard drive My Book-Essential Edition (usb 2.0)
and my computer does not recognize it. Anyone have any suggestions?

Has the drive been formatted?
Does it show in Device Manager, either/both as a USB device or under
Disk Drives?
Start => Run and type in devmgmt.msc

 

[smlunatick]

Has the drive been formatted?
Does it show in Device Manager, either/both as a USB device or under
Disk Drives?
Start => Run and type in devmgmt.msc

Most external drives come formatted as FAT32 (unfortunately.)

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Most external drives come formatted as FAT32 (unfortunately.)

I don't think it's unfortunate at all. FAT32 is a common denominator
that can be by almost everyone. NTFS can not, and that's why it makes
sense for the manufacturer to make it FAT32.

If someone buys an external drive that's formatted as FAT32, and he
wants it be NTFS, it's very easy to reformat it.

And most important, Windows XP can use any and all combinations of
NTFS, FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32, regardless of which file system it
itself is installed on. Pswin's problem with the drive not being
recognized has nothing to do with its being FAT32.