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08-12-2006, 09:27 PM
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#1 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 273
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USB Hard Drive Not Visible in My Computer
OK, I got excited when I read Redvette's current post about his USB HD problems because I thought it would cover mine and I wouldn't have to post a thread. No such luck.
Here's the situation: I've been using an external HD on my Win XP machine for several months. Win XP assigned the letter G to it. It's been working just fine. The other day, I unplugged the drive to use the USB port for something else. The external HD was off at the time. When I plugged the external HD back in, Win XP had rolled the drive letter forward, as in H. Well, I tested it in a few other USB ports and each time XP rolled the drive designation forward. I'm now at letter J, which is not a big deal. I changed the shortcut on my desktop to point to letter J and I can read what's on the disk. Everything is the way it should be (disk management, recognizing when the drive is turned on, etc.) except that it is not visible in My Computer. I am diligent about stopping the drive with the icon before I turn the drive off. The problem exists if the external HD is on when I boot up or turn it on after the boot is done. Thanks, tranman |
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08-12-2006, 09:38 PM
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#2 |
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Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Cardiff, Wales. UK
Posts: 6,105
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What did you plug into the USB port when you unplugged the external drive?
__________________
Niwa no niwa ni wa, niwa no niwatori wa niwaka ni wani o tabeta. |
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08-12-2006, 09:48 PM
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#3 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 273
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Card Reader
I plugged a universal card reader into the USB port to dump some photos from my digital camera.
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08-12-2006, 09:54 PM
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#4 |
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Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Cardiff, Wales. UK
Posts: 6,105
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When you plugged it in did it install any drivers that are still there and possibly hogging the port? check add/remove programs and the USB ports in device manager.
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08-12-2006, 10:07 PM
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#5 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 273
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When I plugged the card reader in, XP installed drivers for it. There didn't seem to be any software associated with the card reader (I didn't install any) and the Device Manager's USB ports have a listing for Generic USB hub, 4 USB root hubs, 3 VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller and 1 VIA USB Enhanced Host Controller.
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08-12-2006, 10:14 PM
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#6 |
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Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Cardiff, Wales. UK
Posts: 6,105
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Nothing seems wrong there, can you do a system restore back to before you swapped in the card reader?
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08-13-2006, 11:30 AM
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#7 |
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Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,767
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If the drive is showing in disk management, use the change drive letter function to lock it to a letter that nothing else will try to grab. For eXternal drives, I recommend X.
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08-13-2006, 09:45 PM
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#8 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 273
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Tried that
Same results. I designated the drive as X and it is still not visible in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
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08-14-2006, 09:00 AM
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#9 |
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Forum Administrator
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
Posts: 37,767
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Download and install TweakUI - and check the My Computer tab, make sure all drives are checked.
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08-14-2006, 09:13 AM
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#10 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 273
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I'll try that. Thanks.
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08-16-2006, 12:00 PM
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#11 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 273
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Thanks.
That worked. I simply checked the box next to the drive and it now shows in both My Computer and Windows Explorer.
Thanks again. 
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