External Laptop HDD doesn't get detected !!

[gaurav200x]

Hi Karan,
thanks for chiping in... :)

Check how much power its deriving from USB ports when u run this HDD through Safe Mode.

How do I check that?

Which HDD you have got? Is it 3.5" (You need external power to run this) or 2.5" (Works with USB power straight away and doesnt need any external power source).

It is a 2.5" HDD

Also, check it with some other computer, if it works :ohah:

Also, when u plug this device in, check in the Disk Management Tool (Right Click MyComputer > Manage > Disk Magmnt) on the right hand side bottom if there is any unallocated space.... Right click on it and initiate that HDD and format and partition... :)

I have checked the HDD. Basically, it gets detected in other computers but at times, fails to get detected in mine.

Basically, sometimes it will get detected once i plug it in (provided i plug both the ends in the 2 USB ports - one end is provided with 2 ends for double the power) while at other times, i have to plug it in, put my computer to hibernation and then restart it)

By the way, I hope, restarting / shutting down my PC with the USB HDD plugged in won't harm it.... would it ?

 

[gaurav200x]

Another thing is, I got 2 HDDs 80Gb and 40Gb (PATA) and till few days back my 80Gb had Win XP. Since the partitions got corrupted, I installed Win XP in my 40Gb HDD and made it primary master and made the 80Gb disk to primary slave. Is this configuration right?? I am doubting since I know that the 80Gb HDD will take more power, and 40Gb, which is the primary master will take lesser power. Will this configuration cause any damage to my system ?

Now after re-installing Win XP, the problem is a little less severe since at times, the system is able to accept the HDD and I am able to use the HDD without hiberating and then restarting.

 

[gaurav200x]

By the way, here is a very informative article on the USB HDDs

» Existing USB ports may face trouble powering new breed of peripherals | Berlind’s Testbed | ZDNet.com

 

[gaurav200x]

Another thing is, I got 2 HDDs 80Gb and 40Gb (PATA) and till few days back my 80Gb had Win XP. Since the partitions got corrupted, I installed Win XP in my 40Gb HDD and made it primary master and made the 80Gb disk to primary slave. Is this configuration right?? I am doubting since I know that the 80Gb HDD will take more power, and 40Gb, which is the primary master will take lesser power. Will this configuration cause any damage to my system ?

Now after re-installing Win XP, the problem is a little less severe since at times, the system is able to accept the HDD and I am able to use the HDD without hiberating and then restarting.

Hi donkey42,
Waiting for ur inputs. :)

 

[donkey42]

Hi donkey, Waiting for ur inputs. :)

sorry, i lost this thread, i keep doing that.

I installed Win XP in my 40Gb HDD and made it primary master and made the 80Gb disk to primary slave. Is this configuration right??

yes, any PATA device can be either master or slave on both the primary & secondary IDE channel, you can also set both devices on each channel to C/S (cable select), doing this makes the device location on the IDE cable define which device is master & slave

the device attached to the end of the IDE cable is the master & the device attached to the middle of the IDE cable is the slave

Will this configuration cause any damage to my system ?

no, not at all

 

[gaurav200x]

the device attached to the end of the IDE cable is the master & the device attached to the middle of the IDE cable is the slave

Isn't it the other way round.... the one on the end is the slave and the middle one is the master..... that is how my configuration is working.

My concern was related to the power the HDDs would draw, since the 80Gb PATA (connected as the slave) would be drawing higher power

 

[donkey42]

mega

What is Cable Select?

When Cable Select is used, the device's position on the cable is what ultimately decides whether it's Master or Slave. If you remember, a device connected to the middle of the cable is assigned as Slave. A device connected to the end of the cable is assigned Master.

Isn't it the other way round.... the one on the end is the slave and the middle one is the master..... that is how my configuration is working.

no, that was telling you how to use C/S, your IDE device will be set to master & slave (you are probably not using C/S)

if you set the devices as master & slave, they are master & slave as you set them, cable select is a different way to set the master & slave

My concern was related to the power the HDDs would draw, since the 80Gb PATA (connected as the slave) would be drawing higher power

no, a HDD is a HDD irrelevant of it's size, an 80Gb HDD has the same parts as a 40Gb HDD, it's just the internal spinning platters can store more data in a more compact way

 

[gaurav200x]

no, that was telling you how to use C/S, your IDE device will be set to master & slave (you are probably not using C/S)

if you set the devices as master & slave, they are master & slave as you set them, cable select is a different way to set the master & slaveno, a HDD is a HDD irrelevant of it's size, an 80Gb HDD has the same parts as a 40Gb HDD, it's just the internal spinning platters can store more data in a more compact way

u mean an 80gb hdd doesn't have more platters than a 40gb one

 

[donkey42]

u mean an 80gb hdd doesn't have more platters than a 40gb one

some HDD may have more platters, but extra power needed is very very small, it's not even worth thinking about because the internal spindle which the platters are connected to is already spinning (it's like a tyre on a truck, if you add more tyres to an axle, the new tyres would spin at the same speed as the old tyres, without using very much extra fuel) most HDD just store the data with higher density (more compactly)

Edit: hope that explain it to you, i'm sometimes not very good at explaining things