Dvd recorder hard drive not recognized when used as an external

SOURCE: Lacie extern. hard drive is recognized, but I can't access files

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.

SOURCE: External HDD wont show up in My Computer

you need to install driver for it on your pc

SOURCE: My compure wont recognize my external hard drive.

check if your external hdd connect to the pc.. cables is important..

SOURCE: External Hard Drive not showing on My Computer? [URGENT]

Hello there Mansoor.

First, I have to commend you on how clear and extremely well articulated your problem is presented. You give every detail necessary to grasp your current situation. Good job! I can also clearly see you're at least a fairly proficient user. I only wish I'd reviewed your question before now, so I could have replied sooner. That notwithstanding, here's my GEEK-steer ...

Good job testing the drive against other "known good" systems. Because (as you probably already know) based on that, it's a virtual certainty it's the drive itself that's the source of the problem (UNLESS you used the same USB cable in all tests ... rule that out by using a "known good" cable). Its trouble could be caused by any number things [e.g., deleted partition, virus related, "sector" (file/folder structure related) errors, etc.]. At this point you've utilized all the tools that Windows avails you to work this problem (e.g., you obviously can't perform a Windows "chkdsk" on it unless there's an assigned and known driver letter, "Disk Managment" was no help, etc.). We therefore need additional software tools in order to proceed further.

Per the manufacturer's webpage, "Acomdata does not have any Windows XP, Windows Vista or Mac OS drivers because all products use the built-in driver support already supplied by the associated Operating System". Therefore, they design all their devices to be supported by Windows' database of generic drivers. However, here's their offered driver package for "All Platforms". It's a long-shot, but it couldn't hurt to start by giving this driver a try (you can always "Roll back driver" from within "Device Manager" if necessary).

== CAPTURE AN IMAGE BACKUP ==

If, as you state, data recovery is of the utmost importance, then I would strongly advise your very first objective to be (if at all possible) creating an image of the problem drive, then backup that image onto another drive. I would do that FIRST to lock in it's current state as an insurance policy, BEFORE I ran any testing/diagnostics, or attempted any alternate means of data recovery. Keep that image intact throughout this process until resolution. There are several disk image "Backup Tools" (e.g., "DriveImageXML", "Acronis True Image", etc.) in "Hiren's Boot CD" you can use to accomplish this.

== BREAK OUT THE TOOLBOX ==


Refer here for complete list of its available tools. There are far too many to cover in any detail here. Particularly when the nature of your problem is yet known, as each may, or may not be THE one for the job. However, you can simply Google each to obtain background and usage instructions. Also, tools reside in either the DOS or mini-Windows boot portions of the CD, as some are DOS executable and some Windows. You may have to venture into both until you find the tool that works for you. I know there's a lot in that puppy, but that is intentional because it's a good thing ... affords wide range of choices/options.

== HOW-TO CREATE 'HIREN'S BOOT CD' ==

1. Download "Hiren's Boot CD".
2. Extract/unpack/unzip/decompress (<-choose your term, they all mean the same thing) the .ISO disk image file ("Hiren's.BootCD.#.ISO") located within the downloaded "Hirens.BootCD.#.zip" archive file (where # = version of Hiren's).
3. Burn the disk image to a CD using whichever capable disk image burning software (e.g., Nero, Roxio, etc.) you may have. Don't have one? Then download and install the very capable, yet lightweight FREEWARE "imgBurn"

1. Insert a blank disk (R/RW) into your disk burning capable CD/DVD drive.
2. Launch "imgBurn", then select "Write image file to disc".
3. Browse for and select the "Source" .ISO file above.
4. Ensure the applicable disk burner drive is selected as "Destination" (you may have more than one).
5. Click the burn icon.
6. When burning completes, close "imgBurn".

• Be aware that you MAY discover you'll HAVE to perform testing/diagnostics/maintentance related actions on the drive first, just in order to get it into recognizable shape for any of the drive image and/or data recovery related tools to perform. That's OK, 'cause "you gotta do, what you gotta do".
• "Partition Find and Mount" might be particularly helpful in recognizing, then mounting the drive

• to let me (and interested others) know how things worked out,
• to provide clarification or feedback,
• if you have ANY further questions.

SOURCE: Hard drive clicks several times when turned on,

I have to say from the sounds you describe the Hard Drive is totally destroyed, the noises you can hear are the mechanical parts inside grinding and clanking together. If the information is critical it may be recovered by a specialist data recovery company, but we are talking £100's even £1000's to do the job, so otherwise I would suggest taking case apart and buying a new hard drive for it.

Sorry its not what you want to hear but it sounds very terminal to me.

The reason the PC can detect a device is that it can see the Interface card that sits between the USB port and the Hard Drive.

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