Western Digital External HD not recognized...

[amea_gari 0]

I have a WDE1U4000N (Western Digital Essentials external hardrive with 400 gig memory) that has worked on 2 different computers. I recently plugged it into the USB drive of a third computer. At first it recognized the new hardware and established an E: drive in the My Computer folder, but when I attempted to click on the E: drive to open up the contents of the external drive, it informed me to please insert a disk. I waited a few seconds, and tried this several times, to the same effect.

I then unplugged the Elements External drive from the USB port, and attempted to plug it in again.

Yeah, oops. I didn't use the 'stop device' program when I unplugged it, so I expect that's the source of the problem that follows.

 

This time when I plugged it in I received a popup that said

"USB device not recognized."

"One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and windows does not recognize it."

 

I have tried restarting the computer with the USB external HD unplugged from the USB port, as well as giving the system time to cool down before restarting it (as mentioned in another thread), and then plugging in the USB drive once more, but I receive the same error. I'm at a loss as to what else to do but it is very important I get this device to work ASAP.

I realize similar issues were addressed in another thread but after spending an hour on that thread, I just feel miserable and confused. I'm not much of a computer person.

 

The computer is running Windows xp, recently upgraded from Windows ME, and the system is about 7 years old. It's 955mhz.

I at LEAST need to get things back to the drawing board, with the initial problem so I can address that with Western Digital. Please help

 

 

[amea_gari 0]

Also, the external hd has it's own power supply, and I did try to plug it into the other usb port on the computer, only to have the same error given. Another USB device (a printer) still functions in both usb ports.

[danleff 0]

The most logical reason, given the age of the system, is that you are trying to use a USB 2.0 device in a system that does not have USB 2.0 support.

 

What is the make and model of the drive enclosure?

 

What motherboard make and model is this, or what make and model system?

 

Does the drive enclosure still work on the other systems?

[amea_gari 0]

The external hardddrive is a USB 2.0-- it's Western Digital, WDE1U4000N. I am unable to test it on any other computers right now because I am out of town and only have access to one computer.

I do know my own computer at home (about a 5 year old Compaq presario) doesn't have a USB 2.0 port but still works with the external HD, just at reduced speed.

 

I'm not sure about the specs of this computer. I have no idea what motherboard it has. It's a Dell Dimension L1000R

It's running XP Professional (just realized) Service Pack 2, Pentium 3 with 384 mb of ram, 955 mhz.

 

I left the external HD off all night, unplugged, hoping that if the problem was with it, it might clear up. No good.

 

[danleff 0]

Lost track of this thread, sorry!

 

This system is 7 yeards old? Maybe an issue with the bios, given that this is a 400 gig hard drive, which is not supported by the system, given it's age?

 

The enclosure is supposed to be plug-n-play, but given the upgrade from ME, maybe a driver issue? If your still there, I will give a look see.

[amea_gari 0]

I updated the BIOS to A14 from A11 but it still didn't work.

Unfortunately I am back home and never did get the problem resolved, and lost a lot of data as a result

Oh well, I guess I am still interested if anyone has any suggestions, as I don't know when I might be up there again. I appreciate the offers of help!

[thatsteveguy 0]

just out of curiosity. can you make sure that it is not assigning the same drive letter as one that is allready in use.