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My desktop won't recognize the harddrive at all. I tested it at my laptop and there it worrks fine.
I have installed the USB 2.0 drivers that come with the CD. My op system is Win XP with sp2.
Does anybody know what could be the reason?
The laptop is XP and the drive is formatted in NTFS. The same like my desktop. the ext hd is formatted in FAT32. so theoretically there should not be a difference.
My computer is roughly four years old. so a friend told me that i have to maybe update the usb drivers of the motherbord. does that make senseThe laptop is XP and the drive is formatted in NTFS. The same like my desktop.
the ext hd is formatted in FAT32.
so theoretically there should not be a difference.
My computer is roughly four years old. so a friend told me that i have to maybe update the usb drivers of the motherbord. does that make sense
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Some Hard disk drives are so large that the BIOS can't determine the type of the disk.
Older BIOS versions do not recognise newer high capacity storage devices. They can't even measure the capacity of the drive.
1. Try updating the BIOS (If you know how to do it..otherwise go to the manufacturer's website)
2. New external drives are often not partitioned. Partitioning can be done in the Windows Disk Management (right click My Computer -> Manage -> Disk Manangement).
(Make small partitions)
What system is the laptop?
File differences is the ext-hard drive FAT32 or DOS? Therefore XP [NTFS] is not 'seeing' its content.
On the XP machine
go to start/Control Panel/Admin tools/computer management/storage/removable storage/and check the file type
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Scroll down to the second photo, and left-click on it. The case of the external harddrive is shown open. Inside is a 2.5 inch laptop sized harddrive. An aluminum tape strip covers the small circuit board, attached at the back of the harddrive.
The second photo down on this page, shows you the small interface circuit board, that the harddrive plugs into, with the aluminum tape removed.
(Another design has wires coming from the small circuit board, to an interface the harddrive plugs into )
It is this small circuit board that goes bad in a LaCie. QUITE common.
Solution?
Simple. 1) Obtain a 3.5 inch IDE external enclosure 2) Remove the 3.5 IDE harddrive from the LaCie's case. 3) Install the harddrive out of the LaCie into the external 3.5 IDE enclosure. An example of a 3.5 IDE (PATA) external enclosure,
Inside that LaCie external harddrive's enclosure is a regular SATA harddrive. The kind that fits in a desktop computer (3.5 inches in width), or laptop. (2.5 inches across in width)
Open the external enclosure (Case) of the LaCie, remove the harddrive, and install it into a suitable external enclosure. (Laptop size, or desktop size)
The external enclosure has a USB cable also. Just plug it into any available USB port on your desktop computer.
Do I know for a fact that the harddrive is okay, and this will fix the problem? No sir/maam I do not.
But IMHO this is the first diagnostic method to use.
IF the harddrive is a desktop sized harddrive, it could be installed in your desktop computer as a Slave drive. However the above method is so much easier, and it allows your harddrive to be an external harddrive once more.
Inside the external enclosure of the LaCie external harddrive, is a small circuit board that the Harddrive plugs into. It is this small circuit board that receives the damage in most cases.
If the problem is the Harddrive itself, a professional data recovery shop will;
A) Try a new, or good used harddrive circuit board. Check to see if the harddrive's circuit board received the damage.
B) If the circuit board proves to be good then the next step is to remove the Platters inside. The room used is a Clean Room. A room that is 99.9 percent dust free. (In most cases)
The Platters are installed into the case of a compatible harddrive, that has the Platters removed. Then as much information as possible is copied off.
There are other methods data recovery specialists use also.
[A Harddrive is built in a Clean Room. 99.9 percent dust free. The technicians wear a Clean Suit, that resembles what a doctor would wear in an operating room. They enter the work area after going through a corridor, fitted with air jets at various levels.
If a harddrive is opened up in a room that is not a Clean Room, the harddrive's 'life expectency' drops to a day, or a few hours. The dust 'kills' them ]
Examples of both a SATA 2.5 external enclosure, and a SATA 3.5 SATA enclosure, (The Harddrive's width is measured in inches. (2-1/2 inches for a laptop drive, 3-1/2 inches for a desktop drive)
if your computer came with a motherboard disc the drivers could be on it click start control panel administrive tools ,computer management ,device manager look through all of your devices if you see a yellow question mark?or exclamation mark ! or red x right click to reinstall drivers or if you can see your usb but its not working ports(com&lpt)right click update driver just replace the cable of the hard disk, when you plugged the external disk drive you got that windows could recognize the USB device change the cable everything should work fine again, sometimes the wires inside the cable will be damaged due to bending or stretching or placing heavy equipment upon the cable, check the USB leads that attach to the motherboard usually red-white-green-black make sure they are securely seated and have no dust build up on them dust will cause static and a lot of unforeseen problemshope this helps
First make sure usb cable connected to harddrive is working fine. try it in different usb ports. Press windows key +R key so you can see run then type in run "devmgmt.msc" then press ok so you can see device manager uninstall all usb drivers then it automatic install usb drivers. then check. Also you need to change registry for that type in run "regedit" then press ok then you can see registry editor then locate below key. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11 CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} And remove upper filter and lower filter.Then restart computer then check. Try your harddrive in different computer if it is not recognized on another computer too then your harddrive has internal issue. Let me know if you need further assistance. Thanks for using FixYa
The problem that has been inherent with all LaCie external harddrives, is the interface in the case itself.
Interface: All external harddrives have a Style of harddrive that is used in a laptop, or one that is used in a desktop computer. Laptop harddrives are 2-1/2 inches across in width. Desktops are 3-1/2 inches across. Your LaCie will have a 3.5, (3-1/2) inch desktop style harddrive, inside the case.
There are two main Types of harddrives. IDE and SATA. (There is also a newcomer. SSD. SSD isn't being used in LaCie external harddrives at the moment, to my knowledge)
Your LaCie will use a SATA harddrive inside it. This is an example of an average SATA harddrive, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hdd.jpg The photo of this harddrive is tilted at an angle, that doesn't readily show the interface connection, but it helps to explain.
At the bottom of this harddrive in the photo, and to the left, is the interface area.
Viewing the harddrive, look at the four metal pins on the extreme right of the harddrive. To the left of these pins is the Jumper pin area. (Has a white jumper on two of those pins)
To the left of the Jumper area is an opening, and to the left of that, is a long slot. The first small slot area is for the 7-pin Interface cable. (Data cable) The next slot to the left, is for the 15-pin power cable.
This 7-pin Interface mates up to socket holes in a connector, of the case of the LaCie external harddrive.
It is this interface connector, inside the LaCie external harddrive case, that is the problem. Solution? Buy a quality, in-expensive External Enclosure, take the harddrive out of the LaCie, and install it in this enclosure.
Examples of 3.5 Sata External Enclosures, http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=2780&name=3.5-eSATA-enclosure&Nav=|c:2778|&Sort=0&Recs=10 (From $15 to $35, is a good range for a decent external enclosure)
There have been problems plaguing the LaCie external harddrives, for quite some time now.
The issue directly relates to the interface, inside the external enclosure. I don't know if you are acquainted with harddrive designs, or the interface that they plug into. If you are, disregard the following.
This is an average example of an IDE harddrive, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hard_drive-en.svg Looking at this illustration, note where it points to -> IDE Connector. The illustration isn't very good, but those dots are metal pins. The connection inside your external harddrive, that connects to the harddrive itself, is called an Interface. This is a plug that has socket holes, to match those metal pins.
Now we go a little deeper. There are two types of harddrives. One is an IDE harddrive, the other type is a SATA harddrive. Your LaCie will have a SATA harddrive inside. Instead of the 40 pins that an IDE harddrive has, the interface for a SATA harddrive has 7. (It has 15 pins for the power connection)
Now my solution: Should you wish to save data that is on your LaCie external harddrive right now, I suggest you buy an external enclosure, (SATA), take out the hardrdive thats in your LaCie, and install it in the enclosure.
Since, the dimensions of the, LaCie design by Porsche 160GB external harddrive are: Height -> 1.4 inches, (About 1-1/2 inches) Width -> 4.4 inches, (About 4-1/2 inches) Length -> 7.4 inches, (About 7-1/2 inches), I'm willing to bet the harddrive inside is a desktop harddrive size. (3.5 inches across in width) http://www.lacie.com/download/datasheet/porsche_hd_en.pdf
These are examples of 3.5 inch SATA external enclosures, http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=2780&name=3.5-eSATA-enclosure&Nav=|c:2778|&Sort=0&Recs=10 (A $25 or $35 unit will work just fine)
You need to back up data from the drive and then connect your drive on MAC you need to use mac utility to format the hard disk in Mac as some times it wont recognize a windows operating system...
Your desktop usb compatibility is not supported your 160GB. The only way to attach you 160GB is to make it secondary partition to your primary drive by opening the CPU and attach it to your IDE cable.
Don't force yourself if you cannot do it by yourself just leave it to the expert. Probable cause to damage your hard drive if it is not installed properly.
The laptop is XP and the drive is formatted in NTFS. The same like my desktop.
the ext hd is formatted in FAT32.
so theoretically there should not be a difference.
My computer is roughly four years old. so a friend told me that i have to maybe update the usb drivers of the motherbord. does that make sense
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