External Hard Drive Problem

Tried it on my laptop and it didn't work. Also it doesn't show in Disk
Managament.:

>Simple check, connect it to another system
>Also check Disk Management, does the drive show there?
>
><rfdjr1.RemoveThis@optonline.net> wrote in message
>news:g3f3e4hsm58ri4jmq41u72quksorofmldh@4ax.com...
>>I have a Western Digital 500Gb USB My Book Essential external hard drive
>>for
>> backup. I'm running Windows XP Pro. The drive, which had been working fine
>> for
>> nearly a year, has suddenly stopped working. At least it's not showing up
>> in
>> Windows Explorer and I can't backup anything to it. I have tried
>> uninstalling it
>> in Device Manager, I've tried different USB plugs on my system. No luck.
>> Tonight
>> I called Western Digital, and after a half hour of trying to help me, the
>> service tech said the USB plug on the drive was bad. My question about
>> that
>> assessment is while the drive doesn't show up in Windows Explorer, it does
>> in
>> Device Manager. When I check Properties it says the device is working
>> properly.
>> Whe I went to physically uninstall it using Safely Remove Hardware, it
>> shows up
>> there so I can remove it, so how can the USB connection be bad. If it was,
>> it
>> seems to me that the drive would not be found at all by the computer.I
>> have to
>> dig up the receipt, and if the drive is less than a year old, WD will
>> replace it
>> for me. If not, I have to buy a new one. The replacement price is not a
>> factor.
>> I just don't understand why I was told the USB connection was bad when it
>> shows
>> up everywhere but Windows Explorer. Any ideas? Thanks.
>

> Tried it on my laptop and it didn't work. Also it doesn't show in Disk
> Managament.:
>
>> Simple check, connect it to another system
>> Also check Disk Management, does the drive show there?
>>
>> <rfdjr1.TakeThisOut@optonline.net> wrote in message
>> news:g3f3e4hsm58ri4jmq41u72quksorofmldh@4ax.com...
>>> I have a Western Digital 500Gb USB My Book Essential external hard
>>> drive for
>>> backup. I'm running Windows XP Pro. The drive, which had been
>>> working fine for
>>> nearly a year, has suddenly stopped working. At least it's not
>>> showing up in
>>> Windows Explorer and I can't backup anything to it. I have tried
>>> uninstalling it
>>> in Device Manager, I've tried different USB plugs on my system. No
>>> luck. Tonight
>>> I called Western Digital, and after a half hour of trying to help
>>> me, the service tech said the USB plug on the drive was bad. My
>>> question about that
>>> assessment is while the drive doesn't show up in Windows Explorer,
>>> it does in
>>> Device Manager. When I check Properties it says the device is
>>> working properly.
>>> Whe I went to physically uninstall it using Safely Remove Hardware,
>>> it shows up
>>> there so I can remove it, so how can the USB connection be bad. If
>>> it was, it
>>> seems to me that the drive would not be found at all by the
>>> computer.I have to
>>> dig up the receipt, and if the drive is less than a year old, WD
>>> will replace it
>>> for me. If not, I have to buy a new one. The replacement price is
>>> not a factor.
>>> I just don't understand why I was told the USB connection was bad
>>> when it shows
>>> up everywhere but Windows Explorer. Any ideas? Thanks.

Have you checked in Administrative Tools; Computer Management; Disk
Management to make certain it has a drive letter assigned to it? If not
it wouldn't show up in Explorer. Or that its drive letter has been
hidden, or changed so it has the same letter as something else?
If ith's hidden or had no drive letter, you can assign a drive letter
right there. Choose the drive and right click; you'll see the menu you
need.

Other than that, I'd say it sounds like a drive problem or possibly the
chassis. USB doesn't have a slew of wires in its cable, so if the USB
connector were bad you wouldn't be able to do any of the things you've
done. The power pack IS plugged firmly, right? Wall, wart, and on to
the drive. I'm sure it is or it wouldn't do anything, but - famous last
words, sort of.
I have the same ext USB drive for what it's worth.
Inside it's just a standard hard drive too, or at least mine is. You
can eliminate the support cktry in the box by pulling the drive out and
installing it in a computer if you have the expertise to do so. As long
as it's a normal disk drive inside like mine is, it might be cheaper to
just get another drive instead of a whole new eBook. Worth looking at.
The USB interface & all that is in the box so if the drive works
inside a computer but not in its box then it's the cktry in the box
that's at fault.
Sounds like the support guy didn't have much of a clue to what's up;
probably just reading from a set of scripts in front of him. Typical of
the first line guys these days.

HTH

Twayne

Its gone, RIP

<rfdjr1.TakeThisOut@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:gro4e4l4icp5q62it4pateh2odm9ap0uso@4ax.com...
>
> Tried it on my laptop and it didn't work. Also it doesn't show in Disk
> Managament.:
>
>>Simple check, connect it to another system
>>Also check Disk Management, does the drive show there?
>>
>><rfdjr1.TakeThisOut@optonline.net> wrote in message
>>news:g3f3e4hsm58ri4jmq41u72quksorofmldh@4ax.com...
>>>I have a Western Digital 500Gb USB My Book Essential external hard drive
>>>for
>>> backup. I'm running Windows XP Pro. The drive, which had been working
>>> fine
>>> for
>>> nearly a year, has suddenly stopped working. At least it's not showing
>>> up
>>> in
>>> Windows Explorer and I can't backup anything to it. I have tried
>>> uninstalling it
>>> in Device Manager, I've tried different USB plugs on my system. No luck.
>>> Tonight
>>> I called Western Digital, and after a half hour of trying to help me,
>>> the
>>> service tech said the USB plug on the drive was bad. My question about
>>> that
>>> assessment is while the drive doesn't show up in Windows Explorer, it
>>> does
>>> in
>>> Device Manager. When I check Properties it says the device is working
>>> properly.
>>> Whe I went to physically uninstall it using Safely Remove Hardware, it
>>> shows up
>>> there so I can remove it, so how can the USB connection be bad. If it
>>> was,
>>> it
>>> seems to me that the drive would not be found at all by the computer.I
>>> have to
>>> dig up the receipt, and if the drive is less than a year old, WD will
>>> replace it
>>> for me. If not, I have to buy a new one. The replacement price is not a
>>> factor.
>>> I just don't understand why I was told the USB connection was bad when
>>> it
>>> shows
>>> up everywhere but Windows Explorer. Any ideas? Thanks.
>>
>