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Bubba
27-10-10, 08:00 PM
i need some help with my computer if anyone has the slightest clue as i aint gettin sod all off the interwebs.

I have a western digital 250gb 2.5" sata HD in an external enclosure. if i plug it into my 360/dead laptop it will spin up, yet if i plug it into my computers usb ports, either directly, or through a powered usb hub, i get sweet FA! the light just stays red which indicates to me it IS gettin power but the puter doesnt want to know

its XP and the comp is about 4-5 years old.

any ideas/help why i cant access it?
phazer
27-10-10, 08:16 PM
Possible it's not getting enough power from the USB port on your PC. Does it come with USB cable that has two large 'A' connectors? If so, plug them both in.
phazer
27-10-10, 08:17 PM
The 'Y' cables look like this:
http://www.costcentral.com/product-thumbs/I895578_t.jpg
Bubba
27-10-10, 08:21 PM
both plugged in, directly into computer and via a powered usb hub thing. jus linged it in the laptop and ran the windows setup. it has a partition, but i dont think its formatted.
phazer
27-10-10, 08:23 PM
It should still appear as a drive even if it's not formatted if it has been partitioned - out of the box it would have one and would normally be formatted also.

If it works on all other devices there has to be a USB (possibly relating to the hardware) problem with your PC.
Bubba
27-10-10, 08:26 PM
bugger, i was hoping that would not be the case...ill format it on my flatmates computer see if that does it
Jack
27-10-10, 08:49 PM
Can you see the drive in disk management?

If not, is the port USB2? USB1 doesn't provide power...
phazer
27-10-10, 09:46 PM
USB1 doesn't provide power...

Errr yes it does! Pins 1 & 4 are +5v and Ground.
Jack
27-10-10, 10:53 PM
So it does. Dunno WTF I am thinking of then lol
breadstraw
27-10-10, 10:56 PM
also check that the usb port you're trying to use is enabled in your bios :)
Bubba
27-10-10, 11:38 PM
right, my mate sugested installing the usb2 drivers...since in device manager it only says USB not USB2...something to do with sheety XP
phazer
28-10-10, 11:23 AM
Just install SP3 for XP and you'll get all of the USB 2 updates and a bag load of security updates etc - you should really keep it patched anyway but that's another story lol

Back to USB, even if you have USB 1.1 and the ports are working ok, so should the drive, USB is backwards compatible. However if they're USB 2 and you don't have the driver installed. Well, it ain't going to work lol