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HDD is crazy on XP

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by abcinte

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Hi, I have an external HDD that used to work. Recently I have expirienced problems using it. When I plug in the device through the USB, I meet with unexpected behaivior and see diffrent results: usually, windows XP doesn't respond at all, but sometimes it does respond but shows the message of Can't recognize hardware. Other times it tries to install a driver, but stops with A problem occured message. Now what is weird that once it even succeedes to operate the device. So you may think it's a problem with the extarnal HDD, however I have another computer running Vista and it does no problems when I want to use the drive.

I need to connect the drive to the XP, but how?

Thank you.

15 replies

by rob miners

Have you tried connecting via the rear USB ports and with a powerd hub.

Write down all fixed Disk and CD/DVD drive letters so as not to delete them. DO NOT delete any of the fixed hard disk drives or CD/DVD optical drives registry values.

1. Login with Administrative privileges.

2. Disconnect all USB or FireWire storage devices.

3. Open Registry Editor by typing regedt32 in the Run box and navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices

4. Under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices there will be registry keys with the name that resembles the format of \DosDevice\X: where X can be any alphabet letter which corresponding to your physical system drive letter.

5. Delete all possible USB drives, FireWire drives and external drives which have a drive letter.

DO NOT delete any of the fixed Hard Disk Drives or CD/DVD optical drives registry values.

Exclude \DosDevice\A: which normally reserved for floppy disk drives.

Keep us informed as to your progress if you require further assistance.

If you think that any of the posts that have been made by all TR Members, have solved or contributed to solving the problem, please Mark them as Helpful so that others may benefit from the outcome. ;) :D

by abcinte

I did exactly whay you suggested and after a restart plugged it again and XP didn't respond at all.

by rob miners

Also look for updated USB drivers for your motherboard. Another thing to consider is a BIOS update. Remove all USB devices (except USB keyboard and/or mouse) from the Device Manager in the following order:

Devices

HID and/or Composite USB

USB Root Hub (s)

USB Host Controller (s)

Shutdown and reboot

by oh smeg

If it is a NB you need to use both of the USB Plugs on the Y Cable to plug into the Computer. This is because NB's have limited current available at the USB Jack. If the drive is over 80 GIG Capacity you need both of the USB Plugs plugged into the USB Sockets or there will be insufficient power available to actually run the HDD.

Also the second USB Plug the one furtherest from the External Enclosure is only a Power Lead not a Power & Data Lead so if you use this plug it will not allow the HDD to be accessed.

If you have an External Power Supply make sure that it is correctly plugged in to a working Socket and the Enclosure and that the Main USB Plug is the one being used to access the HDD.

Col.

by abcinte

What you say on here is really complicated to me. I can't understand it. I'm a basic user and don't have a clue what is NB or Y cable or USB Jack. Didn't understand second paragraph either. Your explanation is beyond my knowledge in computers. Please, try to explain it to a simple user- I do have some experience but I didn't really study profoundly in that direction. And pictures, if you can will do nicely. One more thing is that I have 80 gigs capacity (I think), however now I have only 67 gigs left.

If I am right, you are talking about insufficient power and it does make sense to me, because the only time i was able to use it on xp, it disconnected after some minutes. Although, as I said, it working pretty good (not perfectly) on another computer running Vista.

So, please, try to explain patiently all of this again with a significant line on what to do.

Thanks in advance,

David.

by oh smeg

A Y cable is the type of USB Lead with 2 USB Plugs that plug into the computer.

A USB Jack is the thing on the computer that you plug the USB Lead into.

When you talk about HDD Capacity you talk about the total size of the Hard Disc Drive not what is usable on it after being used. So if you have a 80 GIG HDD you should have both of the USB Plugs plugged into the computer on different USB Sockets.

The 2 USB plugs on the Lead that Plug into the computer are not the same one is only there to provide more power while the main one or the one closest to the end that you plug into the External Enclosure carries both Power and Data to and from the external enclosure.

Now the problem here may be the fact that Note Book Computers only have a small amount of power available at the USB Plug this is typically less than 500 Milli amps per USB Plug and a Hard Disc Drive requires considerably more power to run reliably. Because Note Books Computers are designed to run on a battery they save as much power as possible to allow it to run the computer longer. So things like USB Plugs do not have enough power by them self to run a HDD you need to use at least 2 of them and sometimes a external Power Adapter.

There is another possibility as well and that is if you use a external Powered USB Hub this is a USB Hub that typically has 1 USB in and 4 USB out and a Plug Pack that plugs into the Mains to provide the required power to any device that you plug in.

Because you can run 128 Devices off 1 USB Plug on a computer you need to use several Powered USB Hubs to drive the USB Devices that you have plugged into the USB Plug on the computer. No computer could provide enough power to power all 128 USB Devices that you can plug into a USB Computer Plug at a single time.

These USB Enclosures have a Plug for a Plug Pack to plug into to provide regulated Power to drive the Hard Disc Drive inside the Enclosure as well as any circuity that is involved.

I hope that clears things up for you.

Col

by rob miners

Here is a link to a handy little tool. Save it to the desktop.

http://www.usbman.com/WebDrivers/Intel%20USB%20System%20Check/USBREADY.EXE

Using Intel USB System Check
After the download has completed, browse to the file usbready.exe and double-click it. A Welcome to Intel USB System Check message will appear on the screen.
Click Yes . The Intel USB System Check program will check the computer system for USB compatibility.

Computer systems with full USB support

If the computer system has everything required for USB to function correctly, a ?This system has full USB support? message window will be displayed. This message window has green squares with the word "YES" in them.

Computer systems without full USB support
If the computer system does not have everything required for USB to function correctly, a ?This system currently does not have full USB support? message window will be displayed. This message window has red squares with the word "NO" in them.
Click Details, and then read the following summaries that are displayed:
System Software Support
System Hardware Support
USB Driver Support

http://www.usbman.com/winxpusbguide.htm

Keep us informed as to your progress if you require further assistance.

If you think that any of the posts that have been made by all TR Members, have solved or contributed to solving the problem, please Mark them as Helpful so that others may benefit from the outcome. ;) :D

by abcinte

First of all, I want to thank you for your effort to help me. Your explanations re very clear also for not experienced users like myself.

I tried what you advised but XP still doesn't respond when I plug in the USB cable.

The USBREADY confirms that This system has FULL support for USB.

All the thing I did in order to operate the HDD were in vein.

Strange.

by rob miners

site for updated drivers for your motherboard. Go to this site and download siw.exe to your desktop and run it. In the left hand pane you will see Motherboard, left click on it and in the right hand pane you should see the manufacturers information.

http://www.download3k.com/SIW/Download-Free-siw.exe.html

You can check the BIOS settings and switch on USB support if it isn't enabled.

One of these keys should get you in.

Common BIOS entry Keys

F1

F2

DEL

ESC

F10

You will know when to press this key when they see a message similar to the below example as the computer is booting. Some older computers may also display a flashing block to indicate when to press the F1 or F2 keys.

Press to enter BIOS setup

Tip: Hold a Key down, this will cause a stuck key error, which may allow you to enter the BIOS setup.

Keep us informed as to your progress if you require further assistance.

If you think that any of the posts that have been made by all TR Members, have solved or contributed to solving the problem, please Mark them as Helpful so that others may benefit from the outcome. ;) :D

by abcinte

I'm talking about a desk computer. And the HDD still doesn't working when it is the only USB connected.

Thank you.

by oh smeg

Plugs to different USB Ports.

As for not using a NB well as you didn't say I don't know what you have do I?

Read the Manual that came with the Enclosure while these are very brief they do have some information about how the enclosure needs to be used.

Col

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