XP Can't See My Firewire Drive - Help!

[Beast3000]

Hi, just wondered if anyone could help with a rather annoying problem I'm having.

I recently upgraded my ailing PC, (running Windows 98SE), to a glorious new Dell with XP Home. But when I tried to transfer and install my old external firewire harddrive, XP can't see it properly. The Device Manager says that it's there and working fine, but the drive does not appear in Windows Explorer. Very annoying as there's loads of stuff on the external drive that I need to transfer onto the new computer.

Anybody got any ideas how to get it working?

Cheers.

 

[CITech]

Have you tried connecting to it via a command prompt?

 

[Beast3000]

Thanks for replying.

I haven't tried that, because I have no idea how to do it. I'm fairly computer savvy, but my knowledge is limited when it comes to DOS.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[CITech]

Thanks for replying.

I haven't tried that, because I have no idea how to do it. I'm fairly computer savvy, but my knowledge is limited when it comes to DOS.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

No worries Mate,

Go to your START button, select RUN. Type CMD and return, and that will put you into the command prompt. Type the letter of the drive you want to access followed by a colon ( : ), then return.

That will at least show whether you can access the Firewire drive.

To get out of the command prompt, type EXIT.

 

[Beast3000]

It seems I can't access the firedire drive. Did as you suggested, but was met with the message THE SYSTEM CANNOT FIND THE DRIVE SPECIFIED.

Bummer.

Any further thoughts?

Cheers.

 

[Ian]

Were they any drivers that came with the unit? I would have thought XP should just be able to access it without any drivers, but you never know.

What does device manager call the unit?

 

[Beast3000]

Nope, no drivers came with it. Like you, the manual says that Windows will recognise it and install the appropriate drivers automatically. And the Lacie website doesn't have any drivers either.

Device Manager lists it as a SBP2 Compliant IEEE 1394 device, (and rightly identifies it as
1394\LACIE_GROUP_SA__&LACIE_1394_DISK_DRIVE_LUN_0_\43EB0415224BD000 in the details tab).

I just don't get it...

 

[CITech]

Alternative 2!

OK, not sure if this will work but lets give it a whirl and see. At this stage it won't do any damage, I just need some more information.

Go START > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management and once the console opens, select STORAGE > Disk Management. If it's not under Control Panel you may need to go START > All Programs > Administrative Tools etc.

This should pull up a display on the RHS of the screen, giving numerical statistics for the various drives at the top, and a graphical display of the various connected dics below, including all CD / DVD drives.

If you can get this far, can you see the LaCie drive specified on there. At this stage it may not be accessible, but I just need to know you can get that far.

Let me know how you get on.

 

[Beast3000]

Right, I got to where you said, but there's no sign of the Firewire drive. Only the main c: (or Disk 0 as it's referred to in the bottom part of the screen)

Where to from here, chief?

 

[TECHGUNS]

Firewire needs drivers.

Ya will see it in device manager but it dosent work.

Ya might see what type of chip manufacure in Device Manager.

Google for the manufacure and look for support.

If ya have a Dell, Gateway, ect you might find upgrade drivers at thier support sites.

If the firewire is on a card google for the card manufacure and ya might need the card part number.

What a pain if the PC came with a disk without upgrade drivers.