My computer won't recognize my external hard drive any more

[hornchaser1660]

Can anyone help me? I have a 2 TB Western Digital hard drive that my laptop no longer recognizes. I've tested it on two working computers and it hasn't been recognized by either one. It appears to have power and is connected properly. It does not make the grinding noises that a broken drive customarily makes, it just won't show up anymore. Has anyone out there seen this before or know how to fix it?

[Rik from RCE]

What windows version are you using?

[hornchaser1660]

What windows version are you using?

I've tried it on Vista and Windows 7. I've even tried freezing it (hey, it's worked for me before). Still nothing.

[Rik from RCE]

Right click on your My Computer and select manage, storage, then disk management and see if you can spot it there

[hornchaser1660]

Did all that. It's not there.

[Rik from RCE]

Looks like it's an ex external hard drive then!

[hornchaser1660]

Is there any way to pull the data off of it without forking out too much money?

[Rik from RCE]

Other than data recovery, your chances are low.

The only thing that occasionally works is taking the drive out of it's enclosure and fitting it into a PC. It being 2TB, it's most likely a sata2 drive so you will need a PC with a spare sata port, a data cable, and power connector. Be aware, some sata drives have the 4 pin molex as well as the sata power connector. If yours is like that, use one or the other, not both, or you will damage your PC!

[hornchaser1660]

I'll try that. Thanx

[Rik from RCE]

If that doesn't work then professional data recovery is the only option left and that will be very expensice indeed!

[cudmore11]

Did you find anything that worked? Mine is doing the exact same thing. it is being recognized as being plugged in because the little light on the hard drive is lighing up, but it is not being recognized on the comp. Im sooo frustrated i have 500 gb ob info on it