BleepingComputer.com: WD Elements external hard drive "USB device not recognised"

Hi all.

I've had my hard drive (WD Elements 320gb) for a few months now, and it's worked fine. Recently, I plugged it in and got the error message, "USB device not recognized".

I've tried all sorts of steps, including, changing the wire (the hard drive didn't even show the error message I had before - probably due to drop in voltage), switching off USB 2.0 in the BIOS, disabling/enabling it in Device Manager (it shows up as Unknown Device with an exclamation mark icon), uninstalling and plugging it in again in Device Manager, running diagnostics using the manufacturers software (doesn't show up in the drive list - unless this is Hitachi (USB) in which case it showed no errors), and tried connecting to all USB ports (front and back).

I've just bought a USB Y cable to see if that fixes it, but it won't be here for a few days and I'm very sceptical.

Once or twice it's appeared in My Computer as Removable Device G: but whenever I click on it, I get another error message and I can't get access to the files.

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium.

I'm now really stuck as to how next to proceed.

You have at least 4 points that could be problems...the USB port, the cable connecting the device, the device itself, the enclosure.

You should try to eliminate each, one by one.

If the ports work with other USB devices, the ports are absolved.

If the drive itself, removed from the enclosure, works, it is absolved.

And so on...

Louis

Forgot one of the most simple tests of all...connect the drive to a different system.

This post has been edited by hamluis: 03 October 2010 - 12:21 PM
Reason for edit: Added comment.

hamluis, on Oct 3 2010, 06:16 PM, said:

Thank you. It's not the ports, as they work fine with everything else. And I'm trying a USB Y cable when it gets here. I don't have another computer to test the device itself, but if it comes down to it, how difficult is it to remove it from the enclosure and connect it?

I can't tell you how difficult it is...I haven't had a USB exernal hard drive in some time...I alwsys found a way to remove the hard drive from the enclosure.

Don't you have any friends, associates, neighbors...who have systems?

Workplace?

Louis

Removing the hard drive isn't so bad (I've looked it up on YouTube and the like), it's hooking it up to my computer that I'm finding difficult.

I may be able to borrow a friend's laptop for a little while on Wednesday... so I'll test it then.

This post has been edited by hamluis: 04 October 2010 - 01:24 PM
Reason for edit: Removed unnecessary quote ~ Hamluis.

I've just tried using the hard drive on a friend's laptop. The laptop recognized it instantly (it wouldn't install with the cable I was using, but using a 2m cable it worked fine) but it wouldn't show up in My Computer (which is a lot easier to fix than this). Any thoughts?

IME...if it shows properly in the system BIOS, and also shows in Disk Management (Start/Run...type diskmgmt.msc and hit Enter), then there is hope.

Depends on what Disk Management reflects for the drive...could be a file system problem, could be a hard drive problem.

Take a look, post results .

Not sure what a 2mm cable is...I trust that you are connecting the drive properly with proper respective cables.

Louis

It doesn't show up on Disk Management. How would I check if it shows in system BIOS.

And I meant I was using a 2 metre cable, there was no voltage drop on my friend's laptop but there is when I plug it into my desktop as the drive starts making clicking noises, and doesn't even show the error message I've been getting.

I think it's a problem with the cable. So I've bought a USB Y cable to try first, if that doesn't work, I'll get a new short cable for the hard drive and see if that helps.

This post has been edited by hamluis: 04 October 2010 - 01:25 PM
Reason for edit: Removed unnecessary quote ~ Hamluis.

The main screen of the BIOS/Setup...typically reflects all drives directly attached to the motherboard, along with the date/time.

If any drive is properly connected to the motherboard and PSU...and is functional...it should appear on that BIOS page.

To Enter the BIOS, you might try hitting the Delete key or the F2 key.

How to access-enter Motherboard BIOS - http://michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

Louis

My USB Y cable came in the post today; plugged it in and the hard drive works fine.

Problem now is that it won't show up in My Computer. I've got a feeling that it's Mac formatted (from some earlier work I did), but MacDrive doesn't recognise it.

The hard drive now shows up under Disk Management (no name or drive letter though, and only the option to delete drive) and Device Manager (shows no problems), but just not on My Computer.

Eek.

FOUND A FIX!!!
All I did was go to my Device Manager>Universal Serial Bus Controllers>Ext HDD 1021
Uninstalled the driver... and it worked like a charm!