20 Most Recent Mad Dog Multimedia USB 2.0 External Drive Case Questions & Answers

Try a different type of CD. If you're using CD+R discs, change to a CD-R and see if it works better for you. Also, make sure you finalize your session to verify that olde CD-ROM readers will read the disc. If you're burning MP3 files, make sure you're converting them to audio files on the way to the disc, as older stereos will not read MP3 files.

Make sure you're using two cables, one for data and one for power. That means you need two USB ports to run this device (or one USB port and one 5 VDC power supply with suitable plug).

Unfortunately, Mad Dog Multimedia went out of business years ago, and no longer provide support services or documentation for any of their products.

Unless you can find another one of these external drive cases on a sale rack somewhere, or being sold used by an individual, your chances of finding the original manual are extremely slim.

I read that in Windows XP it didn't require any installation disk because it would install within 5-7 seconds automatically.

I'm not sure about Vista and 7.

What operating system are you using?

Mad Dog is, unfortunately, out of business by all indications and there is no support available from them. I suspect that Windows 7 will not have a driver that is compatible with the enclosure's interface. Depending upon what brand/model of actual hard drive is inside the enclosure (Western Digital, Seagate, whatever) you may be able to dismantle the enclosure, remove the actual disk drive, and use it in another enclosure with an up-to-date interface. That is only a suggestion...it would require a certain amount of mechanical expertise and a good phillips screwdriver ;-)

Hi.
Here are a few things to try. If you have access to a secondary PC or laptop, try connecting your drive to it using a different USB cable. Also try unplugging your drive from the power outlet for a few seconds and then try connecting it again.
Use a the USB port on the back as well.
Cheers!

this happens to my external drives if they are not getting enough power thru the usb sockets.
Usually the rear sockets on the backplate(desktop pc) have more power.
You can also use a y cable that has 2 sockets on one end to get power from 2 usb sockets

As long as the hard drive is powered up and connected to the computer via USB cable it will show up under the "Computer Management".. Go to the control panel and click on "Administrative Tools", then on "Computer Management", now click on Disk Management in the left pane. You drives will appear in the middle pane. Scroll down until you see the drive. In the upper pane it may say something like usb drive etc., look below for it in the bottom pane. If it says that it is offline or it has not been initialized, you can right click on the name where it sayd "Disk 2" or whatever number the computer gave it and click on "Initialize". Now the computer may recognize the fact that the drive has not been initialized and give a prompt to do it and start up a wizard to help you along.Now if the drive is already initialized and it is just unallocated spece, then right click in the area to the right of the disk number and select make a new simple volume. Follow the prompts in formatting, it will only take a minute to complete. Make sure you click on fast or quick format. If you are using a MAC, make sure to format the drive to FAT32, if you are using it for a PC, then format it NTFS.

follow these steps: plug in the hard drive go to start-my computer-device manager -usb -action(Scan for hardware changes) if is not recognized this way then go to this site and download the program is free http://www.radarsync.com/.

Hello friend,
This can be caused by many things:
1. which software you use to burn dvds? i suggest Nero or CloneCD. 2. which DVD brand you use? you man use a good brand like Sony or Verbatim... 3. you may lower the burning speed by half the speed and see if this will happen again. 4. last thing, you should try different files, maybe the file that you are trying to burn is corrupted.
Best Regards,

Harddrives are built in a 'Clean Room'.
99.9% dust, and foreign object free.

Inside the harddrive are Platters. They resemble a CD disk, and are made of glass, or metal. Their surface is very finely polished.
On the upper, and lower surfaces of these platters, are applied a magnetic media. (Usually Iron Ferrite)

This magnetic media is arranged in a pattern of 0's, and 1's, for the data put on it. The 0's and 1's are then changed into machine language, for the computer to read.

There may be 3 to 6 platters, inside an average harddrive. EACH platter has a Read/Write Head above it, and below it. (Read option of Read/Write head -> 'Reads' data. Write option 'Writes' data. Arranges that magnetic media for the data being applied to it, or taken away. {Address locater removed)

The Read/Write Heads are attached to an 'Arm'. The Arm moves back, and forth across the platter. The arm is actuated by an 'Actuator Motor'. The Actuator Motor is controlled by a circuit board on the bottom of the harddrive.

[More information: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/hard-disk.htm ]

The reasoning of my long 'dissertation', is to help understand my solution/s.

1.It may just be that the circuit board for your harddrive, has burned out components on it. Replacing the circuit board may get your harddrive going again.

How? This may not be a simple task, understandably so. However, when faced with the cost of retrieving data from your harddrive, or finding a compatible circuit board, it may become more relative.

2.Since, removing the platters from the harddrive may be one of the ways the Pro's will use, remember that they have to open the harddrive in a clean room, and use special techniques, as well as special suits that they have to wear. (Lab controlled environment)
Part of the reasoning of the high cost.

3.The motor that drives the platters uses 12 volts. The actuator motor uses a LOT less. If either motor is fried, the platters will have to come out, to read, and copy data off of them, or the motor/s replaced. (Not likely)

Number 1 above, will cost you time to see if a computer shop, has the same type of circuit board you require, and probably around $10 to $20.

Number 2 and 3 above, (Last time I checked), will cost $75 an hour, and on up.