Help please: WD Passport HDD wont install

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Lord Anubis

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Help please: WD Passport HDD wont install

Hi All

I have two PC's and bought a Western Digital 160GB Passport portable HDD.

My one PC picks it up immediately as a USB device but the other one wont? What can I do? There are no drivers with this thing. Its pnp.

Cheers:o
 
1. What version of USB ports are the first PC using, and the second (non-working) PC?

2. Can you verify that the second PC's USB drivers are actually loaded and operational?

3. Does another USB device work?
 
The HD Passport HDD requires a powered USB port, ie it must supply power to the HDD. I find that on my port replicator it will not work unless I power up the replicator.
 
Sorry couldn't respond till now.

When I plug it into the USB port, it has a little blue light on the side that comes on and I can feel it spin/get warm???.

Then my PC asks for a cd install (you know the windos pop-up). In device manager it shows a yellow question mark under USB.

This thing doesn't come with a cd though. On my other machine it just works fine..pnp, if youy know what I mean like a memory stick??

Iam running XP both updated on both machines?

What I don't understand is why it asks for a cd/driver install.

Western Digital doesn't have drivers etc??

Is it maybe a bios thing. I'm stumped. Please any advice??

Cheers
 
cyberarmy said:
Have you try different USB ports?
Click to expand...

yep, tried it on all the USB ports. In device manager I get a little yellow question mark under USB devices, if I click it it asks for a cd/driver????:confused: , but according to WD there are no drivers required. I have a fully updated XP and its the only USB device I own that wont work on this machine. On my other PC it works just fine.
 
Have you tried completly uninstalling it, then reinstalling the device?
 
plug it in, let it ask for a driver, now hold the drive itself up to your ear...listen to it for about 20 seconds..

is it making a repeating pattern of noises...like, spin up, click a bit, spin down, wait, spin up?
if so, it is a power problem, which can manifest itself on machines with via and sis controllers for usb, and others.

if it is spinning just fine, then you have a windows problem...usb drivers/sp2 etc..is your usb stack supplied via sp2 or was the machine installed prior, using a usb2 stack supplied by the vendor on the driver cd? only you would know..
 
Same problem with Maxtor Storage 3100

:confused:I have had the same problem with my external HDD on my desktop running XP Home SP2.
It will work on a friends desktop running on same operating system and on my wifes HP Pavilion Laptop running Vista.
Please, Please can somebody come up with the answer.
 
BiteMe said:
plug it in, let it ask for a driver, now hold the drive itself up to your ear...listen to it for about 20 seconds..

is it making a repeating pattern of noises...like, spin up, click a bit, spin down, wait, spin up?
if so, it is a power problem, which can manifest itself on machines with via and sis controllers for usb, and others.

..
Click to expand...

Yes, yes it does just that!! I have an SIS mother board as well? Is there a fix:confused:
 
Because your USB port doesn't provide enough power to the portable HD, that's why it can be initialized but won't run properly on your system, and this varies from PC to PC, therefore on another PC it works.

A powered USB hub allow USB devices connected to draw power from AC power, therefore should solve your problem. But I have seen my friend's old WD passport drive came with a special USB cable, one side it has two heads, one goes to USB for power and data, the other can go into your PS/2 port to draw power. You don't have the similar cable?
 
No, the wire is USB on one end and firewaire on the other. grrr...I just phoned the local PC shoppe and asked them for a powered USB hub..they asked me whta's that??? Ag no man!

Is there anywhere local I can buy one online?
 
Tx..but....another question, isn't there a sis patch or something? I mean I can power my camera from the usb ports??? so there is power...is it bios maybe??..or is it straight forward only a USB power problem....not doubting you...just asking ..befrore I go and spend R330
 
There are no platters spinning inside your flashdisk, camera, but in your USB harddrive. It's quite a typical problem with USB HD. And usually caused by your motherboard. You can try to flash the latest BIOS and install latest Motherboard driver, but I do not think it will help. I recon this is a old PC (2 year+)? Or a cr@ppy MB.
 
yep pc is late 2005 version, but was wicked in its day..now its k@k it seems..ag well....i'll try to flash the mbo but if that fails I'll go and buy the hub online..its such a pity.
 
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