Missing external drive

[timO']

Frequently when I start my Window XP pro; I will not see my external H
drive listed in My Computer.
It is a USB 250G drive.
However, I can save to it, and open files from it if I'm using an
application like Word or Adobe Reader.
Also I keep my mail folder on it, and I can use that without fail.

I always start the drive after Windows has started and settled down.
I always turn off the drive after Windows has shut down and I've
powered off the PC.
This is because often, if I use the icon in the task manager which
allows safe removal of a USB device, I'll try many many times, and it
will never say it's OK.
I've tried it with all applications shut down or some running, it
doesn't matter.
I'd just like to see the H; in my computer so I can use Wex to look
through the drives contents.
thanks

 

[Poprivet]

Frequently when I start my Window XP pro; I will not see my external H
drive listed in My Computer.
It is a USB 250G drive.
However, I can save to it, and open files from it if I'm using an
application like Word or Adobe Reader.
Also I keep my mail folder on it, and I can use that without fail.

I always start the drive after Windows has started and settled down.
I always turn off the drive after Windows has shut down and I've
powered off the PC.

That is why it's not showing. You have to have it ON first, in order for
the OS to know it's there and to present it properly.

This is because often, if I use the icon in the task manager which
allows safe removal of a USB device, I'll try many many times, and it
will never say it's OK.

You do not need to do that if all you're doing is shutting down windows.
Simply Shut Down; Windows will properly disconnect the external drive for
you. Then if you want to turn the drive off, do it AFTER windows has shut
down.

That icon is only to remove the USB drive while windows is running, and
you do not want to close windows; something that should seldom be necessary
to do.

I've tried it with all applications shut down or some running, it
doesn't matter.
I'd just like to see the H; in my computer so I can use Wex to look
through the drives contents.
thanks

Unless I've misunderstood you, that should take care of it. Have the drive
connected and powered up before you start windows and leave it powered up
until after you close windows. That's general procedure for all
peripherals.

HTH
Pop`

 

[timO']

That is why it's not showing. You have to have it ON first, in order for
the OS to know it's there and to present it properly.


You do not need to do that if all you're doing is shutting down windows.
Simply Shut Down; Windows will properly disconnect the external drive for
you. Then if you want to turn the drive off, do it AFTER windows has shut
down.

That icon is only to remove the USB drive while windows is running, and
you do not want to close windows; something that should seldom be necessary
to do.


Unless I've misunderstood you, that should take care of it. Have the drive
connected and powered up before you start windows and leave it powered up
until after you close windows. That's general procedure for all
peripherals.

HTH
Pop`

Hi thanks for the feedback.
The reason I got into that habit of turning on the drive after the
system was already running was that when I would do it the way you say
to, occassionally I would turn on the drive, then the PC, and I'd get
blue screen and if I was not there to click it off, XP would perform
some weird reformat for which I've never found a reference to.
Besides taking a long time, I am always deathly afraid of loosing the
data.
The HDD in question used to live in a WD enclosure and it's name used
to be media center. The usb interface apparently died (or the on/off
switch broke) and for a while I thought it was game over. Once I
realized I had nothing to loose since WD is an ass; I surgically
removed the hdd from the case and reinstalled it in an enclosure I got
at Best Buy and it worked ever since.

On other XP pro machines I use the drive with, they see the drive even
if I turn it on after the PC is running, but this machine has been
clobbered and the system needs to be reinstalled or the PC repaired/
replaced. That's on the wish list.
I now better understand the function of that task bar icon: abruptly
disconnecting it while the drive is reading or writing could easily
cause a big problem, whereeas doing so while the PC is off eliminates
that possibility.
I seem to remember the manual for the media center said to turn it on
after it was running, but I'm not sure any more, and will try it the
way you said.
Thanks again