XP File Explorer suddenly fails to show external USB hard drive (butdrive exists and other programs

[raylopez99]

XP File Explorer suddenly fails to show external USB hard drive (but
drive exists and other programs show it), after years of no problems.

Any solution? I've tried using another USB hub and another port on my
PC, a Pentium 4 running Windows XP pro--same problem. The Windows
file explorer shows any USB flashRam drive (Kingston) fine, but it
does not show any USB external drive, yet Device Manager shows these
drives (2 of them) and another program, Acronis DiscDirector, also
shows them (and even allows me to copy files from these 'hidden'
drives to my C: drive).

Any ideas? I'm checking for virsuses as I type this, but I use
antivirus programs and I doubt that's the problem.

Also, perhaps related, I cannot open (it times out) the "Removeable
Storage" icon of the Computer Management icon under Administrator
Tools (logged on as Administrator).

I also tried using "Directory Opus 9", an alternative to Windows File
Explorer, and it shows the same problem (for the non-flash memory
external storage devices, such as a Sony Giga Vault external USB hard
drive).

 

[R. McCarty]

Likely a Drive letter collision. Best to use DiskMgmt.Msc to assign the
external drives a mid-alphabet driver letter. Windows tries to be neat
and orderly by assigning drives the Next ( available ) letter. This causes
the collision where an existing drive can't get/use it's normally assigned
driver letter.

 

[gmanjoe]

Is this machine on a network?

 

[raylopez99]

You're awesome R. McCarty--it worked. For the record below is more on
DiskMgmt.Msc I got off the web. I assigned two mid-alphabet letters
using DiskMgmt.Msc, and immeadiately, without rebooting, File Explorer
showed the drives.

Thanks,

RL

*
Don't know how many have you used this but try out the Diskmgmt.msc
control utility.
Goto Start > Run and type diskmgmt.msc and press Run.

You will see a correctly populated virtual representation of our hard
disk partitions. Now the best part is what is considered a head ache
otherwise is solved just by right clicking and selecting. Its more
efficient that most tools available in Linux.

One important thing that will be seen is we can create multiple
primary partitions in our hard disks. We can have at most 3 primary
partitions and 1 extended partition, or at most 4 primary partitions.

*

 

[R. McCarty]

You're Welcome.

You're awesome R. McCarty--it worked. For the record below is more on
DiskMgmt.Msc I got off the web. I assigned two mid-alphabet letters
using DiskMgmt.Msc, and immeadiately, without rebooting, File Explorer
showed the drives.

Thanks,

RL

*
Don't know how many have you used this but try out the Diskmgmt.msc
control utility.
Goto Start > Run and type diskmgmt.msc and press Run.

You will see a correctly populated virtual representation of our hard
disk partitions. Now the best part is what is considered a head ache
otherwise is solved just by right clicking and selecting. Its more
efficient that most tools available in Linux.

One important thing that will be seen is we can create multiple
primary partitions in our hard disks. We can have at most 3 primary
partitions and 1 extended partition, or at most 4 primary partitions.

*

 

[raylopez99]

You're Welcome.

R. McCarty you are quite knowledgeable I see from your other posts. If
I could send you money I would--saved me quite a bit of aggrivation.
Mention your favorite charity and I'll send $25 to them.

Cheers,

RL

 

[Billal]

Hello, I bought a new 500G hard drive and installed in it its
exclosure. I have windows XP SP2. My laptop detects it, but I can't
not open it. It freezes "my computer" window. It is their in device
manager as working properly, it is set to master by the jumpers. When
I try right mouse click to open it or view its properties....it just
freezes "my computer window. I tried restarting my laptop and the hard
drive....but nevertheless...would you please advise...perhaps email me
to (e-mail address removed)..please...I have spent at least 6 hours over
night working on this...I can hear the hard drive spinning and loks
all fine.....but i can't open it....please help.

 

[raylopez99]

Hello, I bought a new 500G hard drive and installed in it its
exclosure. I have windows XP SP2. My laptop detects it, but I can't
not open it. It freezes "my computer" window. It is their in device
manager as working properly, it is set to master by the jumpers. When
I try right mouse click to open it or view its properties....it just
freezes "my computer window. I tried restarting my laptop and the hard
drive....but nevertheless...would you please advise...perhaps email me
to (e-mail address removed)..please...I have spent at least 6 hours over
night working on this...I can hear the hard drive spinning and loks
all fine.....but i can't open it....please help.

I don't know. But I would use "Partition Manager" to split the 500 GB
HD into two 250 GB partitions, or even three smaller partitions. I
think XP cannot easily see 500 GB at one go. Maybe you can find a
freeware version, but Parition Manager by Acronis is very very good.
It has saved me many times, and works great under XP.

RL

 

[Billal]

I don't know. But I would use "Partition Manager" to split the 500 GB

HD into two 250 GB partitions, or even three smaller partitions. I
think XP cannot easily see 500 GB at one go. Maybe you can find a
freeware version, but Parition Manager by Acronis is very very good.
It has saved me many times, and works great under XP.

RL

Do you have the link for this " Parition Manager by Acronis" is it
free. Does anyone have any other idea of how I can resolve my
problem:
I bought a new 500G hard drive and installed in it its exclosure. I
have windows XP SP2. My laptop detects it, but I can't not open it. It
freezes "my computer" window. It is their in device manager as working
properly, it is set to master by the jumpers. When I try right mouse
click to open it or view its properties....it just freezes "my
computer window. I tried restarting my laptop and the hard
drive....but nevertheless...would you please advise...perhaps email me
to (e-mail address removed)

 

[raylopez99]

Do you have the link for this " Parition Manager by Acronis" is it
free. Does anyone have any other idea of how I can resolve my
problem:

Yes, another program is free for XP (see below )and also free under
Vista.

RL

Partition Logic
Partition Logic is a free hard disk partitioning and data management
tool. It can create, delete, format, defragment, resize, and move
partitions and modify


http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/resize-a-partition-for-free-in-windows-vista/

 

[Billal]

A problem is appearing now, when connecting my 500 external GB, device
manager shows a yellow sign and in its properties it says, This device
can not start (Code 10), I can't not open it, as it is not showing in
"my computer". ...would you please advise... any clues of how to
solve this issue, would the jumpers have any relation.....my hard
drive is a Hitachi and it has 16 different configurations for the
jumpers. please help!

 

[raylopez99]

A problem is appearing now, when connecting my 500 external GB, device
manager shows a yellow sign and in its properties it says, This device
can not start (Code 10), I can't not open it, as it is not showing in
"my computer". ...would you please advise... any clues of how to
solve this issue, would the jumpers have any relation.....my hard
drive is a Hitachi and it has 16 different configurations for the
jumpers. please help!

Did you install Partition Manager? Are you new to the internet? We
can't read your mind friend.

RL

 

[Bob I]

Suddenly means you didn't change the jumper settings to cause the issue.
Perhaps your hardware has actually failed. It's an external, connect
it to another machine to verify.