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How To Activate Elements WD External Hard Dr.
Topic Started: Sep 17 2013, 01:03 PM (283 Views)
dogleg
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Today I bought a new 500Gb WD external hard drive to save data from my old Windows XP computer. When I plug it into the USB port it isn't recognized by my computer. Any suggestions. Thanks. (The power light is on OK on the drive).
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Dialtone
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Hi DL, here are a few articles on your issue, and hopefully the fix.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-hardware/western-digital-external-hard-drive-not-recognized/cf584d5d-896f-4549-bb00-edcaa54bb8a9

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/find-your-missing-usb-drive-on-windows-xp/
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wildie
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dogleg
Sep 17 2013, 01:03 PM
Today I bought a new 500Gb WD external hard drive to save data from my old Windows XP computer. When I plug it into the USB port it isn't recognized by my computer. Any suggestions. Thanks. (The power light is on OK on the drive).
Did the drive come with a CD? Some have the drivers installed on the hard drive, whereas some need a CD.

Usually when you open my computer, then plug in the h/d the computer will give a little beep and then the hard drive will appear with a drive letter in the 'tree'.

In some cases the new drive will have to be formatted.

Another possibility would be that the USB port is defective and you will need to move the drive to a different port.
External drives usually have a power supply cord that plugs into a wall outlet and an on/off switch. When all is plugged in and the switch turned on, a power indicator light will come on. Then, when its plugged into a USB jack and recognized by the computer, a beep is sounded.

One thing that I'm wondering is if your old computer is in fact equipped with USB1 ports and that your external drive requires USB2? Perhaps the external drive user guide will indicate what is required.

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wildie
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Another option that you could consider is to remove the hard drive from the external case and install the drive from your old computer into the case.
Then, you can merely plug the old drive into your new computer.
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dogleg
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Thanks. My external drive shows up on my device manager with the others. It shows the available memory and classifies it as healthy.( too bad it isn't talking about my mental state right now!! )I think it needs to be 'initialized' but I don't know how to do it. Steps 5 and onward don't seem to apply to my computer??? I am referring to the website DT gave from "answers .microsoft"
Edited by dogleg, Sep 17 2013, 02:23 PM.
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Dialtone
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Hi DL, since it is new, you probably have to create a primary partition, here is a Youtube video that will show you how to get it going.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEyvdhZemSg
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wildie
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dogleg
Sep 17 2013, 02:21 PM
Thanks. My external drive shows up on my device manager with the others. It shows the available memory and classifies it as healthy.( too bad it isn't talking about my mental state right now!! )I think it needs to be 'initialized' but I don't know how to do it. Steps 5 and onward don't seem to apply to my computer??? I am referring to the website DT gave from "answers .microsoft"
I looked at DTs two links and the second one seemed to be the better option!

I have yet look at his link to the Utube site!
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Delphi51
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I have never seen a USB hard drive that needed to be formatted!
I have seen some that were all set up to make automated backups working with software installed on the computer, and I don't think they showed up in My Computer as a drive you could open through Windows. If I were you I would take it back to the store and ask them to show you how it works. It would be most informative just to see if it shows up in My Computer on one of the store computers. If it is set up to only work with backup software, I would recommend exchanging it for a drive you can access yourself just like a memory stick.

You might be better off with a memory stick. Very few people have more than 16 GB of personal data on their computers. Even if you do, you could transfer it in more than one pass.
Edited by Delphi51, Sep 17 2013, 03:05 PM.
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wildie
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dogleg
Sep 17 2013, 02:21 PM
Thanks. My external drive shows up on my device manager with the others. It shows the available memory and classifies it as healthy.( too bad it isn't talking about my mental state right now!! )I think it needs to be 'initialized' but I don't know how to do it. Steps 5 and onward don't seem to apply to my computer??? I am referring to the website DT gave from "answers .microsoft"
Did your X/h/d come with a user guide? If so, maybe they can tell you how to 'initialize'. your drive.

As Fred has stated, you need to set a new primary partition and then do a full format of that partition.

While you are setting partitions, it would be wise to set up two or three partitions. The first as a 'primary' and the rest as secondary.
I have three computers, so I have setup 3 partitions. Then, using backup software, I backup the 3 computers onto separate partitions.
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wildie
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Delphi51
Sep 17 2013, 03:03 PM
I have never seen a USB hard drive that needed to be formatted!
I have seen some that were all set up to make automated backups working with software installed on the computer, and I don't think they showed up in My Computer as a drive you could open through Windows. If I were you I would take it back to the store and ask them to show you how it works. It would be most informative just to see if it shows up in My Computer on one of the store computers. If it is set up to only work with backup software, I would recommend exchanging it for a drive you can access yourself just like a memory stick.

You might be better off with a memory stick. Very few people have more than 16 GB of personal data on their computers. Even if you do, you could transfer it in more than one pass.
I have to do this all the time, as I buy external drive cases and new virgin drives, rather than buy factory units.
When my friends buy new computers, I suggest they that would buy an external drive case, retrieve the h/d from their old computer and put it in the case.
This allows them access to their old files and once these are retrieved, format the drive and use it for backup purposes.
Saves concern about cleaning personal info from the old drive or having to destroy it!
Edited by wildie, Sep 17 2013, 03:42 PM.
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Delphi51
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Yes, I know about enclosures though I don't have one. I got sucked in to buying a cheap universal adapter that was supposed to allow any IDE or SATA drive to be plugged into USB - it never worked. But this one is a sealed unit ready to plug in, isn't it? So it says when I look up "Elements WD external Hard Drive".
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dogleg
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The you tube info is helpful. However my wizzard control doesn't show up when I try to initialize. I'm too tired to do more tonite. Try again in the morning. Thanks.
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Trotsky
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Quote:
 
When my friends buy new computers, I suggest they that would buy an external drive case,


If I am thinking of the same thing, the toaster, they are VERY pricey.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4573461&CatId=2429

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1610410&csid=_61
Edited by Trotsky, Sep 18 2013, 01:15 AM.
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Delphi51
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I see prices start at $10. Time for me to get one. A lady is bringing a computer she says is infected so bad it won't run a program. I don't have a SATA computer so I won't be able to scan it. Maybe it will restore.
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wildie
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Delphi51
Sep 18 2013, 04:42 AM
I see prices start at $10. Time for me to get one. A lady is bringing a computer she says is infected so bad it won't run a program. I don't have a SATA computer so I won't be able to scan it. Maybe it will restore.
External drive cases are relatively cheap so I recently bought a couple for 2.5" laptop drives for around $12. These are USB powered.
I bought two for my satellite tv boxes. These were for 3.5" drives.
Then, I have two more for computer backup purposes.

Hard drives last for years and years, so installing them in an external case allows the drives to be recycled.
Edited by wildie, Sep 18 2013, 04:00 PM.
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