Author Topic: USB Drive not displayed in My Computer (Read 6757 times)

Michael · « **on:** September 15, 2006, 11:48:48 AM »

Recently when I plug in the USB drive (any brand), Windows XP would recognise it and install the proper drivers until it is "ready to use".
But when I go to my computer (or explorer), the Removable Disk(s) is/are not there.

patio · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2006, 01:01:49 PM »

Turn off the machine.
Plug in the USB drive and re-boot.
Right clik on My Computer and select "manage".
Does the USB disk show up there ? ?
You neglected to mention if this is a USB thumbdrive or an external USB HDD.
Is the drive formatted ? ?
If not Windows will not recognise it.
This is one example of why we ask for more info before we attempt to troubleshoot...

Michael · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2006, 09:19:33 PM »

It is a thumb drive (I thought that would be clear by "USB Drive" otherwise "External HDD", never seen anyone called an Ext HDD as USB Drive).

It is formatted and working fine with my own computer at home.
The problem is with my computer in my office.

Anyway, the thumb drive is not with me now. Will try your suggestion on Monday.
Thanks.

patio · « **Reply #3 on:** September 15, 2006, 09:56:04 PM »

I'd like to say i've never seen anyone call an external HDD a "USB drive" as well...

However i spend way too much time here and i've seen it all....

Let us know how you get on...

Michael · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2006, 03:59:05 AM »

Quote

Turn off the machine.
Plug in the USB drive and re-boot.
Right clik on My Computer and select "manage".
Does the USB disk show up there ? ?

It is shown under Storage->Removable Storage->Media but not in My Computer.

patio · « **Reply #5 on:** September 20, 2006, 09:43:00 AM »

I know you answered this but are you sure it's formatted ? ?

patio. 8-)

soybean · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2006, 09:50:54 AM »

Quote

It is shown under Storage->Removable Storage->Media but not in My Computer.

Where is "Storage->Removable Storage->Media"? How do you get to that screen?

Raptor · « **Reply #7 on:** September 20, 2006, 10:34:02 AM »

It may need to be assigned a station letter.

patio · « **Reply #8 on:** September 20, 2006, 10:43:51 AM »

Quote

Quote
It is shown under Storage->Removable Storage->Media but not in My Computer.

Where is "Storage->Removable Storage->Media"? How do you get to that screen?

Right clik on My Computer/select Manage and it's on the left side...

soybean · « **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2006, 11:25:00 AM »

OK, thanks. Of course, if it shows up there, it should also be in My Computer under Devices with Removable Storage, right? If I connect my USB flash drive, it immediately shows up in both places. And, I never assigned a letter to it. Windows took care of that.

soybean · « **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2006, 11:30:59 AM »

Quote

It is formatted and working fine with my own computer at home.
The problem is with my computer in my office.

Has that particular flash drive ever worked with the computer in your office? Does the flash drive require USB 2.0? Do you know for sure that the port you're trying to use on the office computer is USB 2.0?

Michael · « **Reply #11 on:** September 22, 2006, 12:12:55 PM »

The computer in my office is a Dell Dimension 3000 so it's definitely a USB2.0.
The same thumb drive used to work with the same computer before this happened.
The issue happened after a few weeks since I last used the thumb drive on the computer.
And the same thumb drive is working fine on any other computer.
The thumb drive is a Kingston Data Traveler 1GB.

soybean · « **Reply #12 on:** September 22, 2006, 01:49:01 PM »

Are you currently using other USB 2.0 devices on that computer? Do you have any other USB devices you can try on the same USB port that's giving you this problem, as a troubleshooting step to verify the port is working OK?

If you open Device Manager and scroll down to Universal Serial Bus controllers, do you see an item called USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller?

patio · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2006, 10:40:35 AM »

Quote

The computer in my office is a Dell Dimension 3000 so it's definitely a USB2.0.
The same thumb drive used to work with the same computer before this happened.
The issue happened after a few weeks since I last used the thumb drive on the computer.
And the same thumb drive is working fine on any other computer.
The thumb drive is a Kingston Data Traveler 1GB.

Try formatting it on a machine that it works on...
Then copy a few small files to it...
Now see if it is recognised in your machine...

patio. 8-)

Michael · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2006, 07:17:49 PM »

Quote

Are you currently using other USB 2.0 devices on that computer? Do you have any other USB devices you can try on the same USB port that's giving you this problem, as a troubleshooting step to verify the port is working OK?

I have tried with a card reader which suppose to have 4 removable drives shown in My Computer, but it only shows 2 of them.
I tried with a digital camera (direct connection) and it happens the same like the thumb drive - detected but not shown in My Computer.
The same situation happens to all other USB ports on the machine.

Quote

If you open Device Manager and scroll down to Universal Serial Bus controllers, do you see an item called USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller?

Yes. Please refer the picture below:

Quote

Try formatting it on a machine that it works on...
Then copy a few small files to it...
Now see if it is recognised in your machine...

I formatted it to FAT with my computer at home (which it works fine), but the issue remains the same with my computer in my office - detected, not shown in My Computer.

patio · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2006, 10:19:56 PM »

Did you try what i suggested or No...

downundersteve · « **Reply #16 on:** September 28, 2006, 02:26:37 AM »

Hi
I had exact problem several times.
It was caused by not having enough spare drive letters at the "low" end.
eg a to f

I know it sounds silly but if you are using a few differnt drive letters already, mapped drives, cd/dvd/dvd burner, second HDD, partitions, USB stuff etc etc.......
try RE-lettering the drives to high letters eg start from U and work backwards.
(other than a to d, leave them as is)

Does that make sense

Anyhow it worked for me serveral times.
Steve

Michael · « **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2006, 07:26:53 PM »

Quote

Did you try what i suggested or No...

Quote

Quote
Try formatting it on a machine that it works on...
Then copy a few small files to it...
Now see if it is recognised in your machine...

I formatted it to FAT with my computer at home (which it works fine), but the issue remains the same with my computer in my office - detected, not shown in My Computer.

May I know what else that you've suggested that I haven't tried and answer?

Michael · « **Reply #18 on:** September 28, 2006, 07:36:38 PM »

Quote

Hi
I had exact problem several times.
It was caused by not having enough spare drive letters at the "low" end.
eg a to f

I know it sounds silly but if you are using a few differnt drive letters already, mapped drives, cd/dvd/dvd burner, second HDD, partitions, USB stuff etc etc.......
try RE-lettering the drives to high letters eg start from U and work backwards.
(other than a to d, leave them as is)

Does that make sense

Anyhow it worked for me serveral times.
Steve

As you can see from the picture I posted, I actually have spare drive letter from G: to J:.

So I tried to disconnect the network drive E:, and as I plugged in the thumbdrive, it appeared as E: !!

So it seems like what you suggested works!
But why does this never happened previously with same drive letters taken up by the local drives and network drives?
Why it wouldn't take up the drive letter G: to J: ?
I don't remember what letter is taken by the thumbdrive previously.

Thanks downundersteve anyway.

downundersteve · « **Reply #19 on:** September 28, 2006, 10:23:17 PM »

Hmmm dunno why it used to work and now does not?
I have found that thumb drives sometimes just don't like letters above F, dunno why and it's not every drive has that problem.

glad it works now though.

Steve

patio · « **Reply #20 on:** September 29, 2006, 09:40:46 AM »

Another way to get XP to play right is to give your removable devices a distinct label and assign them a drive letter that you know will be available even if everything is plugged into your machine...
For example on my testbench machine here is my drive configuration:
200G master w/4 partitions:
C; D; E; F;

120G with the same:
G; H; I; J;

2 optical drives;
K; L;

Card reader
M;

I then have 3 different thumb drives (OS specific) that i gave label names to and drive letters. I always skip at least 2 empty drive letters on purpose;
Da Stick1 P;
Da Stick2 Q;
Da Stick3 R;

This has worked fine for me swapping between all my machines...

patio. 8-)

soybean · « **Reply #21 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:19:41 AM »

Quote

Another way to get XP to play right is to give your removable devices a distinct label and assign them a drive letter that you know will be available even if everything is plugged into your machine...
For example on my testbench machine here is my drive configuration:

I then have 3 different thumb drives (OS specific) that i gave label names to and drive letters. I always skip at least 2 empty drive letters on purpose;
Da Stick1 P;
Da Stick2 Q;
Da Stick3 R;

This has worked fine for me swapping between all my machines...

What makes a thumb drive OS specific? By assigning a distinct label and drive letter to removable devices, do other computers then recognize the device with same letter, even though they could otherwise assign it a lower letter? I believe that's what you mean but just wanted to confirm that.

patio · « **Reply #22 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:22:07 AM »

Quote

Quote
Another way to get XP to play right is to give your removable devices a distinct label and assign them a drive letter that you know will be available even if everything is plugged into your machine...
For example on my testbench machine here is my drive configuration:

I then have 3 different thumb drives (OS specific) that i gave label names to and drive letters. I always skip at least 2 empty drive letters on purpose;
Da Stick1 P;
Da Stick2 Q;
Da Stick3 R;

This has worked fine for me swapping between all my machines...

What makes a thumb drive OS specific? By assigning a distinct label and drive letter to removable devices, do other computers then recognize the device with same letter, even though they could otherwise assign it a lower letter? I believe that's what you mean but just wanted to confirm that.

I have 6 OS's on the testbench machine...not all file systems can be read by each other.

patio. 8-)

soybean · « **Reply #23 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:27:10 AM »

Oh, OK...., FAT, FAT32, NTFS. I gotcha.

And, the answer to the other question, "By assigning a distinct label and drive letter to removable devices, do other computers then recognize the device with same letter, even though they could otherwise assign it a lower letter?"

patio · « **Reply #24 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:31:51 AM »

Quote

Oh, OK...., FAT, FAT32, NTFS. I gotcha.

And, the answer to the other question, "By assigning a distinct label and drive letter to removable devices, do other computers then recognize the device with same letter, even though they could otherwise assign it a lower letter?"

Yes. Another distinct advantage...

almn · « **Reply #25 on:** September 30, 2006, 07:39:29 PM »

Are those USB Drives u3 ??
If so that what the problem is, some businesses block something in Win XP which disable the u3 drives.

Al968

Michael · « **Reply #26 on:** October 01, 2006, 02:03:11 AM »

I know that we can label a drive, but I thought the drive letter is assigned by Windows every time the drive is plugged in? How can I fix the drive letter to be assigned?

patio · « **Reply #27 on:** October 01, 2006, 08:57:06 AM »

Right click My Computer, select Manage then Disk Management....right clik the drive you want to assign a letter to and a drop down window will appear...

patio. 8-)

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Author Topic: USB Drive not displayed in My Computer (Read 6757 times)

Michael

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Michael

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Michael

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Michael

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downundersteve

Michael

Michael

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