External drive not recognized

  • Thread starter Thread starter tony
  • Start date Start date
T

tony

Windows Explorer will not show an external disk drive. Here's how, but
I don't know why.

I installed an external USB 80 gigs Iomega drive. I can see it
described in full glory as Drive G in the Disk Management window of
Computer Management. But...

It does not also automatically show up in Windows Explorer except when
I enter G:\ in the Address bar. Moreover, it disappears again as soon
as I close Explorer and open it again.

Any suggestions as to why this is so, and how I can fix it, would be
appreciated.

T.
========================
Tony Roder, speaking his mind....
 
Is it formatted?

Is it externally powered?
Click to expand...

I have not formatted it, and I don't know if IOmega has done so before
selling it to me. What is the procedure for formatting it?

Yes, it is externally powered. It turns on together with the computer,
but does not turn off when the computer turns off. I have to click it
off with its switch.

T.
========================
Tony Roder, speaking his mind....
 
Click Start>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Disk
Management now click on the drive you wish to format, click the Action Tab
then Tasks then Format. Now choose FAT32 or NTFS. If your drive is a large
drive (greater than 32GB, I think) you will only be able to format it NTFS.

If you intend the use the external drive with other computers that may not
have WINXP installed you should format the drive FAT32. To do this you must
either create partitions less than the 32GB limit or format the drive
outside WINXP by booting the machine with a WIN98SE boot floppy and using
fdisk to format the drive. It is likely you may need some help with this.
 
Click Start>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Disk
Management now click on the drive you wish to format, click the Action Tab
then Tasks then Format. Now choose FAT32 or NTFS. If your drive is a large
drive (greater than 32GB, I think) you will only be able to format it NTFS.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the instructions, Edward. I did the "quick format" (and
yes, NTFS is the only one offered) but Windows Explorer still refuses
to show the drive (80G external Iomega).

A great mystery...

T.
========================
Tony Roder, speaking his mind....
 
Normally Woindows will allocate a drive letter when you format, however go
back to Disk Management and check that a drive letter has been allocated to
the drive. If it hasn't and I suspect that is the case, then you can
allocate a letter designator under the Action-Tasks tab.

Hope this helps.
 
Normally Woindows will allocate a drive letter when you format, however go
back to Disk Management and check that a drive letter has been allocated to
the drive. If it hasn't and I suspect that is the case, then you can
allocate a letter designator under the Action-Tasks tab.
Click to expand...

The drive has been allocated a letter, and Disk Management sees it and
displays it. In fact -- and this is where it gets strange -- so does
Windows Explorer when (and only when) I enter the letter in its
Address bar, but does not remember it after I close it and reopen it.

There must be a reason, there always is a reason... even if it's
making me lose mine...

T.
========================
Tony Roder, speaking his mind....
 
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