# Solved: Vista does not recognize new hard drive.



## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Hi everyone,

Merry Xmas.

To keep it short...

I have bought a 80g maxtor hard drive and installed in usb case. Vista does not recognise it. I managed to get disk management to find it once but not again since reboot.

Would appreciate any comments on this.

Could it be a Vista problem? I have googled and looked here in these forums and it looks like a few people have had similar problems. 

Thankyou
marcan


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Is it a SATA or PATA/IDE drive? If its PATA then make sure its jumpered to Master.

Do you have any errors in Device Manager? What does it show in Disk Management? Does the new drive show there at all? Have you tried another USB port?


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Triple6

Thanks for Reply.

Will get back on the drive type. No errors in device manager. In disk nanagement it does not show at all. It did once under its name maxtor and drive storage amount. After reboot it never showed again. It appears in Device manager as simply diskdrive. I have tried update driver but only get message that it has most up to date drivers. 

When i plugged in the first time windows finds it and looks for drivers and after a lengthy search it completes the process. I also got same results on vista laptop.

I am sure i have put it to master. I moved the pin cover thingy to the to pins at the far left.

Hope that helps.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

The install shouldn't take long at all, and you shouldn't need to install or update any drivers for - USB drives are fully supported in Vista just like in XP, 2000, and ME.

Check that jumper again.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Im sure its this drive and its PATA:

http://www.microwarehouse.co.uk/catalogue/item/A0149475?cidp=Froogle


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Yup, its PATA. Some enclosures don't work right if the drive isn't set to Master.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

I have taken drive from enclosure. I saw what appeared to be a cover over the two pins which i think meant it was at cable select and i took the pin cover thing off and put it on the end 2 pins (top and bottom) which is what i think it was showing me to do. Was i wrong?


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Not sure what you mean. There should be a legend on the drive, and on the bottom of the drive it shoudl say MS where the jumper for Master goes.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Yeah! Saw the lagend on the drive. Definently set it to master.Doesnt really matter now though as i think i pulled to hard on the power cable adapter for the case as it wont power up now.

I think alot of people seem to have troublw with vista and external usb storage.:down:

Need to come back on this.

regards
marcan

merry xmas


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Managed to get unit powered up. I am wandering now if i should install inside computer if it would make a difference?


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## mowersman (Aug 5, 2007)

is it possible to put it on a xp machine as my memory pens dont work on vista


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

You can install the drive internally if you like and if you have a free PATA connection available.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

mowersman said:


> is it possible to put it on a xp machine as my memory pens dont work on vista


 Not at the moment


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Triple6 said:


> You can install the drive internally if you like and if you have a free PATA connection available.


Does that mean i have to have a PATA connector free on the motherboard? I will open her up tonight and have a peak inside.

There seem to be big problems with this all over the forums. If it has a chance to work internally ill go for that.

Can anyonw suggest an external usb hard drive that definently works with vista?


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Tried in xp. It was the same as vista. Installed quiker and even gave correct manufartures name but showed in device manager as just disk srive. Still didnt show in my computer. And still wasnt found in disk management.

Regards
marcan


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Displaying disk drive in Device Manager is OK, and it won't show in My Computer until it has been partitioned in Disk Management.

But the fact that it doesn't work on three computers, two Vista's and one XP, suggests the the drive or the enclosure(more likely) is faulty.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Triple6 said:


> Displaying disk drive in Device Manager is OK, and it won't show in My Computer until it has been partitioned in Disk Management.
> 
> But the fact that it doesn't work on three computers, two Vista's and one XP, suggests the the drive or the enclosure(more likely) is faulty.


 Thanks for the replies Triple6

I know its a bit late but i found this on the enclosures manufaturers website:

"Application: Any single 3.5" Serial ATA Hard Drive (Desktop size) ATA-6 compatible"

Do you think the problem is using a PATA hard drine instead of SATA one? I did ask the guy in the shop for a compatible hard drive for the ebclosure.

regards
marcan


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

The connections are completely different between the two types of drives.

PATA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT_Attachment

SATA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Sorry i got the specs wrong. The case is for PATA drives. I was looking at wrong product.

Im going to take the drive and perhaps the enclosure back tp the shop tomorrow. Ill explain to the guy what trouble ive had and see if he can part exchange for a ready made usb drive.

I dont feel positive about this though as the chap was a bit abrupt the first time. I almost didnt buy it.

I will let you know how i get on.

I have pasted a link to the enclosore i bought. If you have time and could have a look to see what you think it would be great. Also if you think it should be compatible with the drive i bought?

http://www.octigen.com/products/productdetail.asp?Id=2&A=8&B=15&C=#

I guess i got the correct equipment but why no joy with it? I am thinking that it maybe more to do with the usb ports?

I am not sure wich drive to go for and will need to google wich USB Drives work best with VISTA.

Do you use VISTA with external USB drive yourself?

Regards
marcan
thanks for your time

http://www.octigen.com/products/productdetail.asp?Id=32&A=8&B=15&C=#


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Hi Triple6 was hoping you could confirm correct master setting from attatched gif please.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Found this in driver properties under safelly remove hardware/ drivers

maxtor (model number) USB device
C:\Windows\System32\DRIVERS\disk.sys
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\partmgr.sys

~Is that anything to do with it?


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Yup, thats the correct jumper for Master.


Really any PATA drive should work, so I can't say which drives would be compatible.

I put together a USB drive today, and the enclosure was faulty, wouldn't even come on with a drive connected. I don't think you have a software issue if the unit fails to work on three computers.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

i think the drive enclosure is working ok. It may not be. My computer has a dock ontop of the case. This would allow me to connect a hddrivetogo external hard drive to it. Could it be that this is the only way to connect an external drive?

Im going to take them both back to the shop and ask the guy to show me it working. Dont know how i will get on but will post back here to let you know.

Thanx for your reply. I have exhausted this issue and will put down to bad luck at the moment.

Regards
marcan
thnx again for replies and time.:up:


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

No, you should be able to use any USB drive you want. I'd really have the enclosure with the driver tested, the fact it doesn't work on three computers strongly points to something being wrong with it.


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## marcan (Oct 19, 2005)

Phew! Managed to get drive up and running. It was indeed as you said a problem with the enclosure. It had to be after 3 machines denied it. The chappie in the shop was a bit Doubtful at first and quizzed me about what i had been doing it. When i told him the tech guy (Triple6) says its definently the enclosire that was at fault he started to take me a bit more seriously.

Thankyou for very much for your time and replies to this thread. I will mark it as solved.

Im glad it wasnt something i did, which is what i thought, as that was my first time putting an external drive to it. Not that it was rocket science. But you gave me hope about it being the fault with the enclosure especially after all the other posts i was reading about with people having the same problem but no solution. It also helps keep my faith in Vista.

Regards
Marcan

A wuickie. I understand i could if i wished put another OS on the hard drive if mt motherboard was compatible. Could i though, sorry if it seems stupid, put a macOS on the drive and rum it with my computer??


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Glad to hear that you've got it figured out.

Unfortunately you cannot run Mas OS on it, but Vista isn't really that bad. I use it and love it, I've had very few problems with it.


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