Can't access external hard disk

[rsegoly]

hi
I had external HD connected USB to XP machine
While copying files it lost connection
Now when I connect to any computer, not only that one, I see the
device added on device manager as USB mass storage
I see it is added to the list of devices I can safely remove, but it
say location 0 and no letter is assigned to it
On the manage section of my omputer I do not see the device
As I said same behaviour on several computers so the issue is the HD
Any clue someone?
Cheers
Roni

 

[Mistoffolees]

hi
I had external HD connected USB to XP machine
While copying files it lost connection
Now when I connect to any computer, not only that one, I see the
device added on device manager as USB mass storage
I see it is added to the list of devices I can safely remove, but it
say location 0 and no letter is assigned to it
On the manage section of my omputer I do not see the device
As I said same behaviour on several computers so the issue is the HD
Any clue someone?
Cheers
Roni

If the external hard drive is seen in Disk Management but does not
have a drive letter, what happens when one tries to assign a drive
letter? If successful, then all is OK. But this will probably not
happen. The loss of connection may be sufficient to damage the boot
sector, or Track 0, of the external hard drive. This is the reason
for the same behavior in other computers. Re-format the drive.

 

[rsegoly]

how can I assign a letter if I do not see it in the disk management
section of my computer. Also in such case how to format?

 

[Mistoffolees]

how can I assign a letter if I do not see it in the disk management
section of my computer. Also in such case how to format?

With a clearer picture of what is happening, can it be confirmed that
the USB external HD enclosure is at least getting power? If yes, then
is the hard drive spinning? If HD not spinning, then substitute the USB
enclosure with a known working one. Does the HD start up in the new one?
If no, then HD has a problem. If yes, discard the original enclosure
and use the new one. If the HD starts, then the computer should assign
it a drive letter. Suspicion is on the HD drive itself or the 5V power
supply to the HD.

 

[rsegoly]

Trying to answer the questions

1. I put the USB cable into PC, Led is on I can hear HD spins
2. I see USB mass storage appear in safely remove HW list, and
disappear when disconnect
3. If I go to computer management/disk management I see only my main
HD and my other external disk
4. Same behavior on any machine

If its boot sector, any way of accessing it? Fixing it? Restoring data
(I can lose the data but prefer rescuing)

Ron i

 

[Anna]

Ron i

With a clearer picture of what is happening, can it be confirmed that
the USB external HD enclosure is at least getting power? If yes, then
is the hard drive spinning? If HD not spinning, then substitute the USB
enclosure with a known working one. Does the HD start up in the new one?
If no, then HD has a problem. If yes, discard the original enclosure
and use the new one. If the HD starts, then the computer should assign
it a drive letter. Suspicion is on the HD drive itself or the 5V power
supply to the HD.

Trying to answer the questions

1. I put the USB cable into PC, Led is on I can hear HD spins
2. I see USB mass storage appear in safely remove HW list, and
disappear when disconnect
3. If I go to computer management/disk management I see only my main
HD and my other external disk
4. Same behavior on any machine

If its boot sector, any way of accessing it? Fixing it? Restoring data
(I can lose the data but prefer rescuing)


Ron:
It could be simply a defective external enclosure. (I assume you've tried
another USB cable but with the same results).

Is there any possibility of removing the HDD from its enclosure and
installing it as a secondary internal HDD in your system and see if you can
access its contents that way? Also, while it is installed as an internal HDD
you could check the disk out with the HDD diagnostic utility which is
usually freely available from the disk's manufacturer.
Anna

 

[rsegoly]

Ron i



Trying to answer the questions

1. I put the USB cable into PC, Led is on I can hear HD spins
2. I see USB mass storage appear in safely remove HW list, and
disappear when disconnect
3. If I go to computer management/disk management I see only my main
HD and my other external disk
4. Same behavior on any machine

Managed

It was the enclosure

Cheers

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I had external HD connected USB to XP machine
While copying files it lost connection
Now when I connect to any computer, not only that one, I see the
device added on device manager as USB mass storage
I see it is added to the list of devices I can safely remove, but it
say location 0 and no letter is assigned to it
On the manage section of my omputer I do not see the device
As I said same behaviour on several computers so the issue is the HD
Any clue someone?

Dead External Drive/External controller.