unable to initialize and format new hard drive

[flcpge]

Heylo,

I’m having trouble with a new hard drive I bought for my home computer running Windows XP. I got a Samsung 120 GB laptop hard drive (model HM120JC) and placed it into a Vantec Nexstar 3 external enclosure. The problem is the disk does not show up in Computer Management for my home computer. I checked by right clicking on My Computer, then Manage. Then I click on Storage>Disk Management. The hard drive does not appear, only the C drive and DVD drive are listed.

But when I go to the Control Panel, click Performance & Maintenance, click See Basic info about computer. Followed by choosing the Hardware tab, click Device Manager, then Disk drives, the Samsung drive appears along with my C drive. Also, the Safely Remove Hardware icon appears in the system tray and lists the Samsung drive. The Samsung drive appears there when Display Device component is checked. I can also the select the hard drive so I can stop it.

The next day I took the hard drive and enclosure to my work computer. It was recognized by that pc, so I initialized and formatted it there. For some reason my home computer doesn’t see the drive. I think my room mate might have screwed it up, because I was able to initialize and start a format on it but he turned off the computer before that was finished.

Any help would be appreciated.

[LeftyAce]

It's possible your roommate messed it up. Try this: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=175212
Or try reformatting it at work and see if that does it.

[flcpge]

You didn't read my post closely. I cannot initialize or format the disk because it does NOT show up at all under Disk Management.

As I've said before, I intialized and formatted the hard drive on my work computer. On my work PC, under Disk Management the hard drive was listed as unallocated space. On my home pc, the drive does NOT APPEAR at all in Disk Management.

I pretty sure my room mate messed it up. Question is how do I fix this so the drive appears in Disk Management so I can initialize and format it.

[pam123]

Can you use system restore?

[flcpge]

I tried system restore, it doesn't work. This is a weird problem.

[pam123]

Yeah, it's getting strange.
Have you tried another usb port on that computer?
Does it do that with any drive/usb key that's attached?

[flcpge]

I tried all the USB ports on the back of the motherboard, none of them can recognize this new hard drive.

I have a 512 MB usb flash drive and 200 Gb Seagate in an external hard drive. These two drives work fine... my home computer recognizes them. I still don't understand why Disk Management doesn't list the drive, while the Device Manager and Safely Remove Hardware icon recognizes the drive.

My room mate gave me a nice $90 paperweight. It's useless for me to copy work files on the drive when my home computer can't see the drive.

[glc]

You may need the optional second power cable. The USB hub in that computer might not be strong enough to power the drive with only one connection.

[pam123]

Originally Posted by glc You may need the optional second power cable. The USB hub in that computer might not be strong enough to power the drive with only one connection.

Yes.
If you're hooking that external up to just one usb port that might be your problem.
From the newegg review :

No AC Power Adapter included have to use 2 USB Ports 1 for power and 1 for communication.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817145135

[flcpge]

It's not the second USB cable. I've tried it with a single USB plug and with both USB plugs on my work computer, and the drive is recognized. This computer is an old Dell built around 2004.

Trying a single or both USB cables is the same for my home computer. The drive is not listed in Disk Management, while the Device Manager and Safely Remove Hardware icon list the new drive. I don't think it's the USB hub on my computer, because my motherboard is an Asus A8N-E which I bought in 2006... it's a recently made motherboard. The PC was built only last year. Second, I initially was able to start and initialize and format on my home PC with only one USB cable. It was only after my room mate turned off the pc that the drive was no longer listed in Disk Management.

I really don't want to re-format and re-install the OS, programs, and data. Can you guys think of any other way to fix this?

Thanks.

[glc]

Remove all USB devices in device manager and reboot, let them reinstall - see if this takes care of it.