Need help: having trouble with a External hardDrive Please HElp!

[darkknight8787]

Im trying to build my own external harddrives, I bought a WD 250 gig HD and connected it to the cases I bought with a Sata cable. I plug the USB cord into my lab top but then my computer won't automatically pick it up, in the remove hardware thing it says it's there and even in the USB ports it says it's there but I can't accsess it. it's using a USB 2.0 port so I download the new drives that I mightneed but I have to find any results. Please any help would be great thank you - darkknight

 

[trance-n-e]

Can you please be more clear, as I do not really understand.
From what I got, you tried using an internal hardrive, as an external one?

 

[darkknight8787]

Let me try to explain, I bought an WD 250 gig harddrive as well as a external harddrive case with a sata option. I connect the sata and the other cables, closed the case and plugged the power in it started up and then I went to plug it into my computers USB port. It made the sound it usually makes when a new thing has been plugged into a USB port. Well the computer doesn't automatically start it up, but it sort of reconginizes it's there but I can not accusses it in any way. and I was wondering if it might be that I need a new driver for the computer. I hope thats a better way of writing it.

 

[compguy91]

Let me try to explain, I bought an WD 250 gig harddrive as well as a external harddrive case with a sata option. I connect the sata and the other cables, closed the case and plugged the power in it started up and then I went to plug it into my computers USB port. It made the sound it usually makes when a new thing has been plugged into a USB port. Well the computer doesn't automatically start it up, but it sort of reconginizes it's there but I can not accusses it in any way. and I was wondering if it might be that I need a new driver for the computer. I hope thats a better way of writing it.

Is the drive formatted? sometimes that can be an issue. Did you make sure your ports are all functioning? on my parents computer the front USB ports don't take my external drive for some odd reason but that's because the software for the media reader has to be enabled for it to work. If you have software or drivers for the ports, make sure it's up to date and see if that helps.

 

[trance-n-e]

So you basically dont see the hardrive in My Computer? Like its just not there? If so, did you partition/format it when you got it? If not, do that.

 

[trance-n-e]

Oh and another thing, for example you know how some keyboard have USB ports? Well those ports can not give enough power.

 

[darkknight8787]

I see, thanks for the help but how do I format it or partion it first , Im just getting back into computers so if you could tell me how I could do thsat would be great

 

[darkknight8787]

if you can message me on AIM at Colossus1616 , it make it alot easier thanks