Lacie 750 GB External hard drive

Did you check the MS hardware compatability list http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/default.aspx

Basic Troubleshooting:

-Check all connections (Ethernet, Power, USB, etc)
-Install the appropriate driver for the device, usually included on a CD
-Double Check compatibility with your system (system requirements usually on packaging of product)
-If you haven't rebooted since you set it up, then reboot, this fixes a lot of things
-Try the product on another computer
-Try different cables/ports on the comptuer.

If nothing works, then send it in if it's under warranty or contact a professional service.

Check your BIOS > StartUp sequence
Maybe the USB boot option has much higher priority that HDD boot. Try exchanging their priority and then reboot, with your external HD connected to pc.

Is the drive making any repetitive clicking noises?

Try connecting the Lacie to another computer, if it doesn't work then the hard disk may need to be formatted using Disk Manager. I suggest you format as a primary partition in FAT32.
If it doesn't work then it is possible that the hard drive in the Lacie has failed.
To test the hard drive, remove it and connect it to an USB hard drive adapter and connect it to a working computer's USB port. If it deosn't detect it as an external drive and you connot open folders and files then it is faulty.
You can install a new hard drive in the Lacie and then format in FAT32
There are companies that can recover data from faulty hard drives BUT it will cost you an arm and a leg for their services.

Hi. Sometimes, there are compatibility issues on external drives. Most recent computers will read them while others may not. Either the external casing or the cable is causing this.

Providing you didnt format it specific to a MAC then moving it to a proper windows PC would be my next step as you suggest.

A few things to check. These are my generic tests but will still work on almost any external drive. They all assume at least a USB 2.0 connection as anything else may prove unreliable.

1. ensure the drive is connected directly to the computer and not via a HUB

2. ensure you use the original cable that came with it (not one that looks the same)

3. remove as many other usb components as possible

4.check the power supply for the external drive if it has one

5. shut down and restart the computer

At this point you should be able to see and move files around.

If this is not the case and the drive is no longer under warranty you could try the following

remove the drive from its enclosure and mount it in a computer that has a suitable interface eg. SATA or IDE.

If you can now use the drive normally then the enclosure is at fault.

If the drive CANNOT be used normally then the drive is at fault.

If its the drive then it is either dying or dead.


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USB is very finnicky. Shut off your computer and external drive. Unplug the USB cord from one end (which ever is easiest). Turn on your computer. When windows is up, plug in USB cable. Turn on USB drive. Windows should recognize the USB ox and drive and attach the extra drives. But, you must have windows millenium or newer. Or you will need USB drivers for the external USB box.

Are you sure it is not a power problem? If the drive has an external power supply then then will not be the case, but if not, the USB port might not provide enough power.

Also check out: http://www.devicedriverfinder.com/blog/device-errors/external-hard-drive-troubleshooting

Sounds like the drive is dying. Is it externally powered, or powered through the USB port? How old is the drive? When you say 'strange' what does it sound like?