Hi, Do I have to format internal HDD to use it with a USB 2.0 external enclosure? Becouse my laptop do not see it at all.

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

Right click My Computer> select manage> storage> disk managment. You should find the disk listed there, where you can format it. Yes, you do need it formatted. Windows should assign a drive letter after that. For best versatility, format using FAT32.

If it has already been formatted, it should not need to be formatted again.

If it can be seen as an internal disc, I would have thought it would be seen when installed in the external enclosure, although the drive letter will change.

Do you have to install any drivers for the external enclosure. If so, they should be installed before connecting/plugging-in the enclosure.

Good Luck - Keep us posted.

I guess the original question is up for interpratation. I see where Mike is coming from. I was thinking the question wasn't that the drive was removed from a computer but now I see where that may be the case. If so, the instructions are still the same to a point. If when viewing the drive from disk manageement the drive shows there as formatted drive then you will need to take ownership of the files. Look at the link below to learn how to do that.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Sorry but the laptop do not recognized it at all it don't show up anywhere. Th setup is like this "new HDD inside a USB 2.0 enclosure plugged in to laptops USB port".

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

In that case you should follow Othehill's instructions in response #1. A new drive has to be partitioned and formatted before it will be seen in My Computer.

Also you may have the jumper on the HDrive set incorrectly.

Are you saying the harddrive doesn't show in disk management.

How about the enclosure. That should show in the tray as a mass storage device.

Do you know for sure the USB port you are using works?

You do have the AC power adapter connected and the power switch on the enclosure on?

Thanks again but any idea how to do that? I don't have a PC all I have is this setup....."new HDD inside a USB 2.0 enclosure plugged in to laptops USB port".

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

this is a response to OtheHill .....
Also you may have the jumper on the HDrive set incorrectly. ...SET TO MASTER
Are you saying the harddrive doesn't show in disk management.....YES

How about the enclosure. That should show in the tray as a mass storage device...NO

Do you know for sure the USB port you are using works? ....YES I USED ENOTHER HDD AND WORKS FINE

You do have the AC power adapter connected and the power switch on the enclosure on?.. YES BLINKING CONSTANTLY.

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

This is a Seagate 250 GB and had it replaced by Seagate 2 times already and I'm thinking maybe is not the drive.

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

Some enclosures require the jumper to be completely removed. Shouldn't make a difference but I think it may. You do have the volage selctor on the enclosure set for your voltage? Don't understand the flashing. What is flashing, the green light on the front? That is an indication the drive is seeking data.

In response to my #7.
Right click on My Computer> then select Manage> storage> disk management> once there you should see at least two listings. One for the laptop harddrive and the second for the laptop CD drive. There should also be a third listing for the external drive. If not showing there you may need to check the jumper and the power connection to the drive inside the enclosure.

If there is a voltage selector on the enclosure be sure it is set correctly.

I removed the jumper and no difference. ...no voltage indicator on the eclosure their is some clicking inside the enclosure. no third drive showing and like I mentioned earlier this only happens with the new 250 GB HDD I have used an old HDD with data on it and the the enclosure and the laptop are in sync.

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

You just mentioned the drive is a 250GB drive. The enclosure MAY not be 48bit LBA compatible. That means the controller in the enclosure may not be able to handle drives larger than 127GB actual size.

Is this an older enclosure? If so, check for 48bit LBA compatibility. Older enclosures were 28bit.

One more thing, I thought you buy a HDD in this case 3.5 pop it in a USB 2.0 enclosure plug it in your 2.0 firewire laptop USB port and your are good to go.....right?

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

in responce to # 12
Oh the drive I used before with this enclosure was a 80 GB I have to reserch the enclosure spects and see.

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

This are the spects....

This is the newest 3.5 inch USB 2.0 enclosure. It has solid aluminum body, very slim (just one inch. see picture). 100% Plug & Play. Works with PC and MAC. It Works with all 3.5" standard IDE desktop hard drive (including Western Digital, IBM, Seagate, Samsung, Hitachi, Maxtor and much more). UP to 512GB. It is the coolest device to carry large amount of data. It uses the best cypress chipset to ensure best compatibility.

40 times faster (480 MBPS) than USB 1.1

Best Cypress chipset to ensure best compatibility.

Screwless design

Enclosure stand for upright position

Slim and Solid aluminum Body (Measures only 1" high)

On/Off power switch

LED indicates Power and Action status

Truly Plug and Play - Hot Swappable

100% Aluminum Casing with no fan necessary

View, copy, and edit the image photos/data/music directly on the drive

Support Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, MAC OS 8.6, 9.x, or X

Dimension 6.5 x 4.1 x 1.1 inch

Universal Auto-Switching AC Adapter (110V~240V) Included

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

What is a 2.0 firewire laptop USB port?

I think you may be confused. USB and Firewire (IEEE 1394) are two different, competing interfaces. USB is by far the more common of the two but some computers have both types and some exclosures have both interfaces. Look at the link below to see the difference.

http://www.coolnerds.com/Newbies/Po...

you are right I'm conected on the USB port....

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

You have an unusual situation. Try going to Device manager and looking at the listings there for any sign of the Mass Storage Device. It could be listed separately or under Universal Serial Bus Controllers. If found, remove and reboot the computer.

No there is int anything showing their.......
A Little background as to how all this happened.
I had a 80 GB WD HDD in side this external USB 2.0 enclosure with all my data back up there and one day the drive stop working and din't show up on the devise manager and it started to make this faint clicking noise so I was told that the drive took a dive and decided to get a new one 200 GB Seagate well the new drive was making the same noise so I had it replaced from Seagate with a 250 GB and that one was making the same noise and dint show on the manager so I call Seagate and made sure that the replacement was checked before shipping so here I'm three drive and still clicking, and no show or recognised.

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

If all these drives have been installed into this same enclosure and went bad, I would suspect a defective enclosure.

Have you checked the wall recepticle to make sure it is supplying the correct current?

I would replace the enclosure.

It works fine with a 80 GB from a PC that I used to have and can axess all the data in it.

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

I thought you said the 80GB bit the dust? You referring to a different one?

If that is the case then the specs are wrong about what size drive the enclosure can support.

That still doesn't explain why the enclosure isn't showing up in Device Manager as it should.

In response to #22
Yes their two different drives 80 GB WD OK and 80 GB Seagate not OK
The specs are listed on # 15 you think that their wrong?

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

I think that if the enclosure works with an 80GB drive and won't work with a 250GB it MAY not be 48bit LBA compliant. Below is one line from the enclosure specs. I am not sure what to make of it. Is the enclosure automatically sensing the input voltage? Universal Auto-Switching AC Adapter 110V~240V) Included

Are you connecting to a USB port directly on the computer, or thru a hub?

I guess it sensing the voltage because I been using it for 1 year at 110V ....I'm connected direct to USB yes.....What is puzzling to me is that the bad 80 GB Seagate and the new ones three of them are making the same exact faint clicking noise and the the same kind of dimming in and out indicator green light. And neither one is recoknised......

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

I would guess the enclosure has problems. Not worth destroying harddrives by keeping it in service. It doesn't appear you can depend on this enclosure.

Surely 250gb should be considered a fairly large capacity hdd.

Is it possible the pc itself does not recognise hdd's of this capacity, whether installed internally or externally.

If this is the case, then a drive overlay program from the hdd maker needs to be downloaded.

Perhaps the clicking is nothing to worry about. There will be some noise from an hdd when mechanics are involved such as head movement. With an external enclosure it is much easier to hear such noise.

Good Luck - Keep us posted.

Mike, lok at the link below. USB drives are not sublect to the same 48bit LBA barrier as internal HDrives are.

I thought of the OS not being 48bit LBA compliant some time ago but discounted that as a possible cause because I assume WMC IS 48 bit compliant.

http://www.48bitlba.com/usbharddriv...

Thanks to every one but I think I need to refresh the post a bit.
So here it goes, I have a enclosure that is working fine with a 80 GB Western Digital and axes it fine, now I install a 80 GB Seagate with data and the drive is not recognized and have this faint clicking nose, now I don't know if this noise is significant but is their, so remove the 80 BG WD and install a new 200 GB Seagate and have the same problem, now remove this drive and install a new one 250 GB Seagate same problem again so remove that one have Seagate replace that one and here I'm still having the same identical problem with all the Seagate's, now the specs on the closer state that is capable of 515 BG drives............

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”

IMO the clicking may be normal. The enclosure is metal and that could transmit and amplify the normal HD sounds. The fact that these other drives don't work in this enclosure is reason enough to believe the enclosure is incompatible or defective. No amount of debate is going to change that.

The controller circuitry may not be compatibly with the mode of the drives that are not working. One can only speculate as to why. The point is that it doesn't work.

Have you tried tech suport for the enclosure?

Yes and the tech have listen to the clicking adt determine that the drive is defected and they will be replaced he made a note on the return to have the replacement checked before shipment to make sure it works, but the new replacement don't work, and the mystery here is that the enclosure works with the 80 WD but non of the Seagate's. ()?()?()? I guess spend the $15 for new enclosure and fined out?

“The lack of knowledge in time of performance equal stress”