External HD not getting drive letter

Ocelot

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Hey guys, I was wondering if someone might have some suggestions for me.

I have a 3.5" Maxtor HD in an external enclosure, connected by USB.
It was working fine, then one day I noticed it wasnt showing up in windows explorer anymore.

Windows sees that I have connected a USB Mass Storage Device, and I can see it in Disk Management.

But I cant get a drive letter, thus cant access the drive contents.

Any Ideas?

Thanks
 
TRDCorolla said:
Go to Computer Management. Does your drive show up there? If so, right click the new drive and "initialize" it.
But make sure not to format it!...you'll lose everything on it.
 
Freestyler:
Not using any software driver, was just plugging it in and letting windows install it via plag and play (just like any other usb drive.

TRDCorolla:
No it not showing up in Computer Management

It just shows in Device Manager under Disk Drives
 
it sounds like it had been disabled.

is there anything over the icon (red x, yellow question mark) in device manager?
 
wood_workur said:
it sounds like it had been disabled.

is there anything over the icon (red x, yellow question mark) in device manager?

Nope, it say this device is working properly.

You know how when you plug in a usb thumbdrive, and windows detects it, then says this device is ready to use?

Well my windows (XP) dectects it, but never goes past that, ie asigns a drive letter and says its ready to use.
But it did in the past.

Thanks for trying to help fellas
 
Ocelot said:
Getting ready to when the wife gets of the other computer.
I'll report back

just a thought, have you tried taking it out of the enclosure and reseating it...? maybe it's loose or one end isn't in all the way (I have one also), that would explain the usb recognition, but the drive not being present...
 
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