Com-Central.net

Hi,

I have a WD 325GB external hard drive that I use to store photos on. It is one of two of the same drive that I own.

Recently the drive simply fails to "mount" when I plug it in to my computer (WinXP, fully updated). The drive power light comes on. Then I get messages that it didn't install properly and may not work, then XP attempts to do the driver installation but "can't find the software". Ultimately, the drive does not show in "My Computer" and I can't access it by any means I know of.

Edit: I have tried the drive on two other computers with the same results.

The second WD hard drive works properly and is accessible as soon as I plug it into the computer.

Any suggestions on how I can either resurrect this drive, or recover the data stored on it?

Thanks!
Chuck

It sounds as if the HD or the remote case is failing.

You may try restarting the computer with the USB drive plugged in to force the OS to 'see' the remote HD. At times this works, but usually it doesn't. This sometimes works if the USB wasn't shut down correctly and primarily is a Linux Warning.

The HD enclosure could be bad. In this case, pull the HD from the enclosure and put it in a computer and see if it responds.

Good luck and storage failure is never good...

If you get the drive to boot 'one more time', try running a file recovery program such as THIS ONE.

Let us know what you find...

Hi,

The WD help topics are not helpful. Basically, if the drive doesn't work...it's busted and needs to be replaced. Thanks for that, WD. Any suggestions for recovering the data I entrusted to your freakin' brick?

C

Did you try to "delete" it in your hardware controlpanel and then let the system look for new hardware ?

If all else fails, the disk inside the drive may still useable and there are companies around that might be able to recover data from it.
Though it will depend whether your data is worth the price they will charge you to recover it.
It's not the same as using software to recover it as it sounds like the drive hardware has failed and the disk will need to be extracted and re-mounted in another drive unit.

Pull the HD out of the case, I've never opened a USB drive before, but depending on age it could be an IDE or Sata drive. Remove the drive and plug it directly onto the mobo to see if it's a drive fault or a USB interface fault within the drive case.

Ooo, good call Kit.
Wish I'd thoughta that.
*blushes*

yep good call indeed Kit