USB Hard Drive Not Showing Up

[Peggy A]

I am trying to get data off an old laptop hard drive, so I put it into a USB
external enclosure. When I connect it to my XP PC, it says it is installing
it successfully, it shows up as a Generic Void Disk USB Device in the drives
section of DeviceManager but does not show up in Explorer or in Computer
Management in the list of disk drives. I've tried starting in Safe mode to
see if it might show up that way, but that doesn't work either.

Any thoughts? I'd like to get the data off this old drive if possible.

Thanks.

 

[Malke]

I am trying to get data off an old laptop hard drive, so I put it into a
USB external enclosure. When I connect it to my XP PC, it says it is
installing it successfully, it shows up as a Generic Void Disk USB Device
in the drives section of DeviceManager but does not show up in Explorer or
in Computer Management in the list of disk drives. I've tried starting in
Safe mode to see if it might show up that way, but that doesn't work
either.

Any thoughts? I'd like to get the data off this old drive if possible.

Two possible paths:

1. Try connecting the drive directly to the host computer as a slave. You
will need a laptop-to-IDE adapter.

2. Try a different USB enclosure.

Malke

 

[Paul]

Two possible paths:

1. Try connecting the drive directly to the host computer as a slave. You
will need a laptop-to-IDE adapter.

2. Try a different USB enclosure.

Malke

This is an example of a 2.5" to regular ribbon cable adapter.

This is the side that connects to the regular ribbon cable.
Connect the drive to the ribbon cable end connector, by itself, on the assumption
the drive is master. The power connector provides +5V for the 2.5" drive.

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/12-203-012-03.jpg

This side is the part that plugs into the 2.5" drive. It has 44 pins,
40 for data and 4 on the end for power.

http://c1.neweggimages.com/NeweggImage/productimage/12-203-012-02.jpg

Some complaints, though, about it being flimsy. It is also possible
to put the power cable on backwards.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16812203012

This one has a keyed power connector, so less chance of screwing up,
compared to the previous style.

http://www.startech.com/item/IDE4044-25-to-35-IDE-Hard-Drive-Cable-Adapter.aspx

Single page user manual.

http://www.startech.com/Data/ProductManuals/IDE4044.pdf

The reason connecting directly to a ribbon cable is an advantage,
is you can check in the BIOS to see if the ID string is visible
for the drive or not. If the drive refuses to ID itself (assuming
the master/slave jumpering isn't the problem), then you'd guess the
drive controller is not able to complete initialization. Drives
need to read some data from "sector -1", before they can offer
service to the user.

*******

With regard to your USB enclosure, you might also want to check
the master/slave options. If you need help with the drive,
please post the exact brand and part number on the drive label.
(To make it easy to look up jumper settings and specs etc.)
The USB enclosure I have in front of me here, has "master" written
in black letters on the cabling, leaving no doubt as to what
the enclosure wants to see for operating modes.

Paul

 

[Peggy A]

Thanks for the additional information. I am using a KingWin enclosure, model
KH-200U-BK. I'm not the most experienced at dealing with hardware problems,
so the more detail you can provide the better, especially on changing jumpers.

I'll look into connecting it directly, as well. I'm just afraid the HD isn't
functional in the first place since it was getting errors when the laptop was
trying to boot from it. I'd hoped we could get the data off of it by putting
it into an external enclosure to access it once the computer was booted.

Thanks.

 

[Paul]

Thanks for the additional information. I am using a KingWin enclosure, model
KH-200U-BK. I'm not the most experienced at dealing with hardware problems,
so the more detail you can provide the better, especially on changing jumpers.

I'll look into connecting it directly, as well. I'm just afraid the HD isn't
functional in the first place since it was getting errors when the laptop was
trying to boot from it. I'd hoped we could get the data off of it by putting
it into an external enclosure to access it once the computer was booted.

Thanks.

I was asking about the brand of drive.

To give an example, this is an installation guide for a Seagate
Momentus 5400.3 drive.

http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/iguides/ata/100398877a.pdf

The back of that drive is in two sections. A 2x2 pin block for jumpers.
A 2x22 section for the 2.0mm center to center IDE 44 pin connection.

With no jumpers installed on the 2x2, the drive is master. One jumper
position sets the drive to slave. And a third position, sets Cable Select.
So with no jumpers in that section, chances are the drive is
master, and it should have worked with your enclosure.

The two USB connectors on this cable, are to try to ensure you have
enough +5V current to run the drive. One USB connector is just for
power, the second is a regular power + data connector. Each USB port
is rated for 500mA, so the idea is, by using two connectors, they can
draw 1 amp total current. Which should be enough to spin up most
2.5" drives. Try plugging in both connectors, just in case.

http://www.kingwin.com/products/cat...h_series/kh_200u_bk/swap/KH_200U_BK_swap7.jpg

Paul

 

[Peggy A]

Duh! Of course you meant the hard drive! It is an IBM Travelstar, model
IC25N010ATDA04-0, 10.05GB ATA/IDE drive. There are no jumpers installed on it
at all at this time. When I was testing it using the enclosure, I did plug in
both USB cables to provide enough power. I could hear it spin up, but it was
making a noise that almost sound like something is loose in the HD. When you
take the hard drive out and tip it, you can hear a slight rattle like
something is moving. So, I am not certain that it is actually functional.
When it was in the laptop and I tried to boot it I would get an error that
said "PXE-E61 Media Tet Failure". Unfortunately, the person who owns the
laptop lost the power cable, so I couldn't do the BIOS Hard Drive test which
is usually prescribed for this sort of problem. That's when I decided to pull
it out and try to see if I could get to the data via an external enclosure
hook up.

Given all this, do you think it's worth trying the direct hook up instead of
using the USB enclosure?

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Paul]

Duh! Of course you meant the hard drive! It is an IBM Travelstar, model
IC25N010ATDA04-0, 10.05GB ATA/IDE drive. There are no jumpers installed on it
at all at this time. When I was testing it using the enclosure, I did plug in
both USB cables to provide enough power. I could hear it spin up, but it was
making a noise that almost sound like something is loose in the HD. When you
take the hard drive out and tip it, you can hear a slight rattle like
something is moving. So, I am not certain that it is actually functional.
When it was in the laptop and I tried to boot it I would get an error that
said "PXE-E61 Media Tet Failure". Unfortunately, the person who owns the
laptop lost the power cable, so I couldn't do the BIOS Hard Drive test which
is usually prescribed for this sort of problem. That's when I decided to pull
it out and try to see if I could get to the data via an external enclosure
hook up.

Given all this, do you think it's worth trying the direct hook up instead of
using the USB enclosure?

Thanks again for all your help!

In terms of the noise, recent seagate drives make a slight
click when one of their drives is inverted. There really
shouldn't be a lot of play in any stuff inside (it is all
supposed to be precision mechanical parts). But if something
is loose inside the drive, and you can hear it flopping around
inside the HDA, then chances are the head assembly is broken.

The jumper table is here, and no jumpers = Master.

http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/tda/tdajum.htm

As for getting an adapter, I believe an investment in tools
has lasting value. Even if you cannot make any progress
on your current project, that adapter may come in handy
some day for some other project. Now that IDE is on
the way out, finding those 2.5" to 3.5" adapters will become more
and more difficult with time.

Paul