Maxtor External Hard Drive problem

[Southwestuser]

Pity I hadn't read Mike's posting of Oct 08 before I bought the Maxtor 500gb EHD!

Still, I have - so here's my problem which in all honesty may be attributable to plain ignorance as I am in an area in which I have no experience and I do not understand . . .

 

I have powered up the EHD and the USB seems to have connected up OK as

the Add Hardware Wizard tells me the Maxtor STM3802110A device is working OK.

I had noted in other posts the question "Is it showing in My Computer?" I checked - and it isn't.

The product package seems to be bereft of instructions, installation software or any guidance so, please, what should I be doing next?

(F.i. I am using XP)

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Right click My Computer and then click Manage.

 

Go to Storage, locate the drive in Disk Management and right click on it.

 

Click format.

[Southwestuser]

Thank you Wolfeymole.

Got as far as Disk Management but had to stop there as only the C drive is listed - no Maxtor (as I would expect it to be so identified) is listed.

Any further advice/guidance please?

[maynardvdm]

Hi

 

Does the drive have its own power cable? Does the USB cable have two plugs on the one side?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

If this is the drive they were selling in Tesco's the other day it should have a power lead and a USB lead, simply plug it into the mains and then plug it into a USB slot and the box should find it as New Hardware.

 

You don't need to add it through Add New Hardware

[Plastic Nev]

Just to add that if you do get the computer to recognize it and it shows in my computer, a right click, then "Open" you may then find a pdf or other file with the instructions for how to use it. However, at the moment getting that far is the problem.

Even though it may not be being recognised at the moment, once you have plugged in both the mains power and the USB, do not unplug it while the computer is on, this may damage any files or the drive itself. Turn off the computer first. That will safely shut things down so you can disconnect everything before trying again.

[Southwestuser]

Apologies for delay in responding - have been "off site". Thanks to all for inputs but as of this morning (Monday) still no "recognition" by my PC of the external hard drive. With the EHD connected up "My computer" recognises only Local disc C; 3.5 Floppy A and my DVD RW Drive D.

 

Answers to your questions/suggestions:

Yes, it was a Tesco offer (!)

Yes, it does have a seperate power lead (which is working) and a single wire (EHD to PC) with single terminals either end. Thought - could it be a faulty connection?

Have taken on board the advice, Plastic Nev, to shut down the PC first before disconnecting the EHD - when I get it to work that is!

A novice grasping straws now - could it be anything to do with my Security levels that prevent it being recognised?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

I bought exactly the same drive the other day and it works perfectly.

 

Does the green light show on the front at all.

 

This drive should be instantly recognised by the pc and if it's not then all I can suggest is that it's faulty.

 

Also try going into the bios by pressing Del or F2 on boot up.

 

Look for the message "Press Del (example) to Enter Setup." and see if it's listed there.

[Southwestuser]

Yes the green light is on and the unit "vibrating".

Tried your F2 BIOS tip (a bit scared of that as I understood BIOS was for experts which I am not!) but may have taken a step forward!

In the fleeting time made available to me on the (black) screen I did see some reference to "detecting (or detected?) Mass storage" and think it said "Capable but disabled" before it moved on to "Enter Your Password" which I would not know - where would that come from?

1) how can I slow down the process to enable me to read and understand it?

2) How on earth would I get/know the Password - I've never been there before?

3) What/where would that lead me on to - if I knew the Password?

3) If disabled is a clue - how would I enable it?

I feel a right pain in having to ask these questions but want to get it right!

Edited March 17, 2009 by Southwestuser

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Mmmm I don't understand quite what's going in here as once your in the bios it will sit there all day until you either alter something or exit it.

 

Here are 2 typical bios screens and in the first shot if you enter Standard CMOS Features it will show all drives installed like it does in the second shot.

 

 

Until you hit Esc or F10 you can look round to your hearts content.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi again, I think now we could do with knowing something about your computer, what make, model number etc. From that we can find some more details of the BIOS and how to get into it, also other helpful information such as the motherboard and its type.

For now though, shut it down, then re-start it. As soon as you have pressed the power button start tapping F2. That should open the Bios page and keep it there.

[Southwestuser]

Sorry Wolfymole but no progress to report.

I press F2 as soon as boot up starts and I have a black screen with a rolling (sequencing?) list of actions taking place. I did have time to see a Reference to Primemaster and saw Maxtor alongside it; it then switched screen to "Enter Current Password" (which I cannot do) so I pressed Escape. "Password check" appeared followed by "Press F1 to resume". I pressed F1 and nothing happened!

At that stage I closed down by switching off. Have tried several times.

At no stage did I see anything like the screens you advised - and thank you for that consideration, most helpful of you. It is very useful to know what one should see!

I have appreciated your efforts to assist.

[maynardvdm]

Hi

 

The Primary Master you see on start up is most likely your internal HDD.

 

Boot in to Windows and then plug in the Hard drive, Then Windows should say "New hardware found' and will install the drivers automatically. <- This you done? Yes

 

Next i would try to uninstall the usb and then restart then windows will re-install the usb ports automatically.

[BeeCeeBee]

A basic question perhaps but, did you buy this computer new? There should be no need to enter a password to get to your bios unless someone put it there. Perhaps it was the vender to insure that you would return for repair.

 

You say that you could not enter a password so you pressed escape. Have you ever tried to press enter, that is to proceed as if you had entered a password. We don't know much about your system because you have not as yet replied to Plastic Nev's query several posts ago.

[Dalo Harkin]

as the others have said someone has put the password there either the manufacturer or the person that had the system before you.

There are ways around the ''password'' issue but we cannot tell you here due to our policies.

It sounds to me like something in the BIOS is preventing the use of your HDD, I am right in saying this is just a USB drive yes? and that you are not connecting it any other way?

[Southwestuser]

Apologies if my response times seem long. I am having difficulties in complying with recommendations/questions.

 

Answers:

The PC was built for me privately three (?) years ago. It has no model number as far as I am aware. It has legitimate MS XP Professional (SP3) and I use AVG free security.

 

In case it is relevant I have added five peripherals, with no troubles since having it viz., a scanner, speakers, printer, webcam and NetGear Router. All functioned first time and I had no cause to question the wisdom of adding an EHD - for back-up purposes. The five all use ports on the back of the PC.

 

I have spent a lot of time searching in System Properties for info and found, in System Devices, reference to Motherboard resources but was unable to interpret thereafter. (Maybe 75 is too late to take on this sort of technology!)

How can I find Motherboard details?

 

Tonight I finally got into BIOS following BeeCeeBee's advice to press enter after "Enter Password" appeared. That did the trick. I then had the second of Wolfymole's two sample screens. I tip-toed through the various screens, touching nothing, trying to understand (a joke!) what was there. I did note however the following in BIOS Setup utility/HDDrives:

1st Drive HDD PM-Maxtor STM3

2nd Drive USB Maxtor Basics

A common manufacturer for both drives - by co-incidence?

 

Following Mayardvdm advice I Booted into Windows and then plugged in the EHD using one of the two USB ports on the front of my PC. Up came a message "USB device not recognised USB device malfunctioned Windows does not recognise". I followed the assistance line and it come up with:

USB Root Hub 8 ports

Unused port (repeated three more times)

Netgear WG111

Cannon Scan 4200F

Unused port

UNKNOWN DEVICE

 

The same happened with the second port.

 

How that squares up with BIOS reference re 2nd Drive (see above) - confuses me!

 

I have not yet followed the advice to uninstall the USB as it may not be appropriate (in the light of the foregoing) and I don't know how to!

 

What this all means I'm not sure (but I do have a bit more experience) Do I have a faulty device or USB port? Possibly my BIOS problems may be a false trail?

 

To aggravate the situation if I don't resolve this by Sunday evening I am, very unfortunately, off site for five weeks so can only pick up the trail and continue at the end of April. This is just to let you know I will not have lost interest or failed to acknowledge and appreciate your efforts to get me going.

[maynardvdm]

Hi

 

The reason i normally re-install USB drivers is if they are giving intermittend problems. Not all the devices you listed use USB ports.

 

I would wait for Wolfeymole to see what he says.

 

If all else fails you can try to re-install the USB drivers. Heres how

• Right-Click My Computer and select Properties
  
• Click on the Hardware Tab and click on Device Manager
  
• Click the + by Universal Serial Bus controllers
  
• Right-click on each one and select uninstall
  
• a box will apear, just click OK
  
• After uninstalling them all, Restart your computer
  
• Windows should now automatically install the USB drivers again
  

Edited March 19, 2009 by maynardvdm

[Guest Wolfeymole]

So you are using a hub to connect the hard drive it would seem.

 

Try disconnecting say the scanner and plug that into the hub and connect the Maxtor external to the vacant/ex scanner port.

 

The drive as we see is obviously being recognised in the bios.

 

Also is this 8 way hub mains powered or not?

 

On the coincidence factor it's not really surprising as Maxtor have been making hard drives for a long time.

[Dalo Harkin]

Your PSU may not be able to cope with all the USB devices you are using - it uses a specific rail within the PSU to give it power, and I doubt that the EHD is getting enough juice.

Unplug all the other USBs that are not needed - printer etc.

and then try the EHD - Hubs are not a good thing to use - especially for EHD as they require a lot of power.

[maynardvdm]

I think the drive has its own power supply. If i understand the above posts correctly. :)

[Dalo Harkin]

I think the drive has its own power supply. If i understand the above posts correctly. :)

 

It still draws off the USB mate :)

[Southwestuser]

Some success to report! :):)

 

Substituted the EHD in the port used by Scanner as recommended and checked My Computer and found Device E - at long last.

 

A box said "Windows can perforn the same action each time I (you) insert a disk or connect a device with this kind of file". A Pictures motif was showing just underneath. All the options on the LHS of the screen seem Picture oriented I noted. Would that alter when used to store all my other files off C?

 

Then followed Wolfymole's advice earlier and performed a quick format - the only one available to use.

 

Also checked out Plastic Nev suggestion to right click "E" but there were no files to open giving advice on how to use. Any other sources of info to try?

 

I have also tried the scanner in one of the front ports and it is recognised and "installed etc". How contrary . . . but I'll live with that.

 

The 8 way hub must be an internal feature (I have added nothing) and assume it must draw its power internally.

 

So thanks to you Gentlemen I can now see my device. Now starts the learning curve - again. Would now appreciate guidance on how to use it.

 

I bought it as a way of backing up/saving work I do eg correspondence/ photographs/ music, the usual things, in case of the HD failing. My PC HD is only 80Gb by the way.

 

Thank you again!

[BeeCeeBee]

I bought it as a way of backing up/saving work I do eg correspondence/ photographs/ music, the usual things, in case of the HD failing. My PC HD is only 80Gb by the way.

If that is all you want of an external hard drive (which is not unusual) it is as simple as clicking on it in "My Computer. " Once it is open simply drag whatever you want to copy over to it. You can drag whole folders or individual files. You can organise them on the drive in the same manner as you would your C drive.

 

The original file or folder will remain on your primary hard drive to be retained or deleted as you wish.

Edited March 19, 2009 by BeeCeeBee

[Southwestuser]

Having achieved what I set out to do - install an external hard drive - this is to say "Thank you" to all the Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help team for their patient advice and generous supply of time as I stumbled through my problems.

 

The site really deserves the accolades it has received from third parties.

 

Have still more questions (of a different nature) so am off to the appropriate forums . . . ! Cheers.:D

[Guest Wolfeymole]

We are your humble servants SWU.

 

Thank you for joining and we are glad we have helped you resolve your situation.