Well,

I was reading this thread, I had the same problems. In my case, the USB
harddrive was also invisible. I went to disk Manager, and plugged in the
drive. The disk manager flashed a drive letter "E" and then it disappeared.

I went into my network mappings and discovered that an old network drive was
also mapped as "E". I unmapped the old network drive and then plugged in my
USB drive again, and it mapped to E and now I can see it.

Thanks for the little hints that solved my problem as well.



"Des" wrote:

> Well thank you bud,
> I have it working now - it is not perfect, but functional so I am happy! I
> have to go to disk management each time, then open the folder from there. I
> then simply drag items across to save them on to my external hdd. So it is
> ok, many thanks for your help.
>
> Now to find my missing cd drive! Many thanks again, I really appreciate all
> your help.
>
> Des
>
> "R. McCarty" wrote:
>
> > OK, Our postings/responses crossed each other. The NEC upd720133
> > is a "Bridge Chip". This allows a USB based external drive to function as
> > an IDE disk. Apparently, inside your external casing is a Samsung SP1604N
> > disk drive. I'm still not clear exactly what "Vendor" product the external
> > drive is (Name on the faceplate). Anyway, once you update the chipset
> > drivers & reboot - Your driver detection issue(s) should go away. You'll
> > still have a little work with letter assignments.
> >
> >
> > "Des" <Des@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:E51A034B-9123-4C4E-A098-06EF37F4B96B@microsoft.com...
> > > Sorry, I actually think the relevant model details are,
> > > Disk Type : Hard drive partition
> > > Peripheral Type : USB
> > > Manufacturer : SAMSUNG
> > > Model : SP1604N
> > >
> > > I also wonder - the file system for this is stated as NTFS - whereas my pc
> > > uses FATS 32 - could this be related?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Des
> > > "R. McCarty" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Appreciate the comments, very gracious. Hopefully, "WE" will
> > >> find a solution to your problem.
> > >>
> > >> "Des" <Des@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:25C4F992-897D-4D86-9AB7-2DF3DE720559@microsoft.com...
> > >> > Thank you,
> > >> > Funny thing is - sometimes there are a select few who really want to
> > >> > help
> > >> > &
> > >> > have knowledge. Looking around this site, I can see you are one of
> > >> > those
> > >> > select few & finally it seems I am getting some knowledgeable advice.
> > >> > I will try all the things you have suggested & above all want to thank
> > >> > you
> > >> > for your efforts. As I have said, I have looked around this site & can
> > >> > see
> > >> > that you are helping a lot of people with knowledge so I applaud you &
> > >> > thank
> > >> > you.
> > >> >
> > >> > I will post back.
> > >> >
> > >> > Des
> > >> >
> > >> > "R. McCarty" wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> >> Sorry for the lag in following up - Busy day, yesterday. I would
> > >> >> unplug the external. Open Device Manager, Click View, tic/check
> > >> >> "Show Hidden Devices". Expand the Disk drives category. Locate
> > >> >> all instances of your Samsung external and uninstall. Next expand
> > >> >> the Storage Volumes. Any entries shown slightly diminished (grayed
> > >> >> out) Right Click and Uninstall. Finally, make sure there is no
> > >> >> category
> > >> >> named "Other Devices" and look in Universal Serial Bus Controllers
> > >> >> for any devices with a yellow exclamation point or red X.
> > >> >> It's possible that when you allowed a driver to be installed it's
> > >> >> made
> > >> >> an association between that driver and the unique VID that each
> > >> >> USB device uses to identify itself to XP. If you re-plug the device
> > >> >> DON'T allow it to choose a driver for you. Instead take the manual
> > >> >> driver option path.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> "Des" <Des@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> >> news:6F81B378-A99A-415F-8E44-2C4860ACD964@microsoft.com...
> > >> >> > Oh well,
> > >> >> > It seems this problem is an oddity that no one can solve - I have
> > >> >> > tried
> > >> >> > several sites like this & have had no luck - oh well! Thanks to
> > >> >> > those
> > >> >> > that
> > >> >> > had suggestions. Seems to me though, that unsolved issues should be
> > >> >> > in
> > >> >> > a
> > >> >> > seperate area - I am certain that now this is so far down the list
> > >> >> > that
> > >> >> > no
> > >> >> > one will suggest any thing else.
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > Thanks anyway
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > "Des" wrote:
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> >> Thanks for your suggestion,
> > >> >> >> Yes both the drivers you mention are there.
> > >> >> >> Also, the driver that I installed was not necessarily external -
> > >> >> >> when
> > >> >> >> the
> > >> >> >> device was connected, device manager stated that it was not
> > >> >> >> configured -
> > >> >> >> so I
> > >> >> >> configured it by allowing windows to find the driver through the
> > >> >> >> internet.
> > >> >> >> I hope this helps, thank you in advance for any further suggestions
> > >> >> >> you
> > >> >> >> may
> > >> >> >> have.
> > >> >> >> Des
> > >> >> >>
> > >> >> >> "R. McCarty" wrote:
> > >> >> >>
> > >> >> >> > External USB drives are natively supported by Windows XP. No
> > >> >> >> > 3rd- Party driver should have been required. You should open up
> > >> >> >> > Device Manager, Expand the Disk Drives category. Double-Click
> > >> >> >> > on your USB drive When the details box opens, click the Driver
> > >> >> >> > (TAB) and then the Driver Details button. In the box there should
> > >> >> >> > be two driver files installed for it.
> > >> >> >> > 1. Disk.Sys
> > >> >> >> > 2. PartMgr.Sys
> > >> >> >> > I would check that information and report back.
> > >> >> >> >
> > >> >> >> > "Des" <Des@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> >> >> > news:448FCA8C-6F33-4EB6-93AC-B5748E922E89@microsoft.com...
> > >> >> >> > > Sorry but also,
> > >> >> >> > > The device is seen in management as a logical device &
> > >> >> >> > > 'healthy'.
> > >> >> >> > > however,
> > >> >> >> > > even when there is a letter assigned - it will not let me
> > >> >> >> > > perform
> > >> >> >> > > any
> > >> >> >> > > action
> > >> >> >> > > - it simply says 'the volume does not contain a recognised file
> > >> >> >> > > system.
> > >> >> >> > > Please make sure that all the required file system drivers are
> > >> >> >> > > loaded
> > >> >> >> > > &
> > >> >> >> > > the
> > >> >> >> > > volume is not corrupted'.
> > >> >> >> > >
> > >> >> >> > > The drive has been formatted on my friends pc, there is no
> > >> >> >> > > access
> > >> >> >> > > to
> > >> >> >> > > format
> > >> >> >> > > it on mine.
> > >> >> >> > >
> > >> >> >> > > Thanks again,
> > >> >> >> > > Des
> > >> >> >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >
> > >> >> >> > > "Des" wrote:
> > >> >> >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >>
> > >> >> >> > >>
> > >> >> >> > >> "Malke" wrote:
> > >> >> >> > >>
> > >> >> >> > >> > Des wrote:
> > >> >> >> > >> >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > Hi,
> > >> >> >> > >> > > I really hope someone can help because this is driving me
> > >> >> >> > >> > > crazy
> > >> >> >> > >> > > & I
> > >> >> >> > >> > > hope I am in the correct place.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > I recently purchased a Next 350N external hard drive - USB
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 2.0
> > >> >> >> > >> > > with
> > >> >> >> > >> > > Samsung
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 160Gb of memory. I have a Tiny Powerlite G930 laptopwhich
> > >> >> >> > >> > > uses
> > >> >> >> > >> > > American
> > >> >> >> > >> > > Megatrends bios version 080009 s.3. I am using Xp with
> > >> >> >> > >> > > service
> > >> >> >> > >> > > pack
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 2.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > I connected the device & as prompted I downloaded the
> > >> >> >> > >> > > necessary
> > >> >> >> > >> > > driver. This I had presumed would make the device realily
> > >> >> >> > >> > > accessible,
> > >> >> >> > >> > > however it is seen as a disc drive & the device is
> > >> >> >> > >> > > reported
> > >> >> >> > >> > > as
> > >> >> >> > >> > > working
> > >> >> >> > >> > > correctly.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > However, there is no drive letter assigned & when I open
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 'my
> > >> >> >> > >> > > computer'
> > >> >> >> > >> > > it is
> > >> >> >> > >> > > not displayed. I have attempted to name it with a letter,
> > >> >> >> > >> > > but
> > >> >> >> > >> > > this
> > >> >> >> > >> > > makes no difference.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > Any other usb device I use works perfectly & appears as
> > >> >> >> > >> > > expected
> > >> >> >> > >> > > in
> > >> >> >> > >> > > my
> > >> >> >> > >> > > computer with a drive letter assigned.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > I tried the external hdd on a friends pc & it worked
> > >> >> >> > >> > > immediately -
> > >> >> >> > >> > > absolutely no problems & all was perfect. He too uses Xp
> > >> >> >> > >> > > on
> > >> >> >> > >> > > a
> > >> >> >> > >> > > Dell
> > >> >> >> > >> > > laptop.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > I feel I have tried everything & have researched
> > >> >> >> > >> > > extensively
> > >> >> >> > >> > > for
> > >> >> >> > >> > > a
> > >> >> >> > >> > > solution
> > >> >> >> > >> > > but to no avail. The attempts have included,
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 1) Removing the driver & then re-installing it when
> > >> >> >> > >> > > prompted.
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 2) Removing additional drives - as in PCMIA card drives to
> > >> >> >> > >> > > ensure a
> > >> >> >> > >> > > letter is available.
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 3) Trying partitioning, & naming of the external device.
> > >> >> >> > >> > > 4) I also have tried every usb port on my pc.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > So, if anyone can help I will be greatly appreciative. My
> > >> >> >> > >> > > main
> > >> >> >> > >> > > concern is
> > >> >> >> > >> > > that no external hdd will function on my pc. Thank you
> > >> >> >> > >> > > anyone &
> > >> >> >> > >> > > everyone for your time.
> > >> >> >> > >> > >
> > >> >> >> > >> > > Des
> > >> >> >> > >> >
> > >> >> >> > >> > Does the external hard drive have its own power supply? If
> > >> >> >> > >> > you
> > >> >> >> > >> > are
> > >> >> >> > >> > expecting it to get power from your laptop, perhaps your
> > >> >> >> > >> > laptop
> > >> >> >> > >> > can't
> > >> >> >> > >> > supply enough.
> > >> >> >> > >> >
> > >> >> >> > >> > Malke
> > >> >> >> > >> > --
> > >> >> >> > >> > Elephant Boy Computers
> > >> >> >> > >> > www.elephantboycomputers.com
> > >> >> >> > >> > "Don't Panic!"
> > >> >> >> > >> > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
> > >> >> >> > >>
> > >> >> >> > >> Yes - It has its own power supply. Also I have since noticed
> > >> >> >> > >> that
> > >> >> >> > >> in
> > >> >> >> > >> computer management, it is not seen as 'removable' instead it
> > >> >> >> > >> is
> > >> >> >> > >> seen as
> > >> >> >> > >> 'basic' - like my internal hard drive.
> > >> >> >> > >>
> > >> >> >> > >> P.S, I am past panic & onto frustration!
> > >> >> >> > >>
> > >> >> >> > >> Thanks
> > >> >> >> > >> >
> > >> >> >> >
> > >> >> >> >
> > >> >> >> >
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
> >