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General discussion

External Hard Drive Issue

Jul 11, 2006 12:09PM PDT

I purchased a new Seagate 300GB external hard drive (USB 2.0). I am attempting to connect it to a HP laptop running Windows XP with all of the updates available until mid-June (when all of my network connections disappeared after a hung-up installation of XP updates). I bought the hard drive so that I could back everything up and reinstall XP.

Upon connecting the drive to my laptop, the new hardware is recognized...but there is a problem with the drivers (not Windows-certified).

I connected the hard drive to our desktop computer, which recognized it and installed it immediately...no problems. I checked the drivers that were associated with it (disk.sys and partmgr.sys). Those were already on my laptop, but I copied them from the desktop computer to the laptop just in case they were corrupted. I am still receiving the driver errors on the laptop. I cannot connect to the Internet from the laptop, because of the missing network connections. I have run out of ideas, and would greatly appreciate any help!!

Discussion is locked

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Just sharing the usual.
Jul 11, 2006 12:27PM PDT

XP (notice no SP1 or SP2) can't recognise such large drives. This is discussed at http://www.48bitlba.com

Once you install the machines drivers and SP2 then it should work.

As to backup of this OS, your plan has some kinks to be worked out.

Bob

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Re: Drivers and SP2
Jul 11, 2006 9:07PM PDT

I already have SP1 and SP2 installed. All other XP updates prior to June 17th, 2006 were also installed. I cannot reinstall any of this, because I cannot connect that machine to the Internet.

The machine that recognized and installed the drive (with no additional goofing around) had the exact same XP updates installed.

Should I install the drivers even though I am receiving a message that they are not Windows certified?

I don't want to back up the OS on the external drive, just my personal data.

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About "certified".
Jul 11, 2006 9:31PM PDT

All that means is that the maker paid Microsoft for the certification. Your choice here to not or to install. I don't pay it any heed since it's just a money issue and not a sign of working drivers.

As to service pack 2, that's good but was not mentioned in your post. For future posts try to list the OS such as XP SP2 or XP SP1 so all will know. If I don't see SP1/SP2 or "Service Pack" I will take that as if it was not installed. Why? Some pirates seek help here and can't install such or connect the pirated OS to the internet.

As to missing drivers and such, this is another area you may be learning about. Microsoft's OS install does not have most hardware drivers for motherboards and some USB 2.0 chipsets. You must upgrade your plans to install the rest.

Bob

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Problem Solved
Jul 15, 2006 9:55PM PDT

Saying yes to installing the "uncertified" drivers didn't solve the problem. So, I took some pretty drastic (and time consuming) measures and got my computer all tuned up and back in business.

First, I backed up all of my personal files, shuttling them back and forth between the laptop and good computer with a 2.5GB external hard drive.

Then I used the HP recovery disks to wipe out and reinstall XP. Updated all of the drivers, downloaded all of the XP updates again (SP2 and 53 others). When I plugged the previously problematic external hard drive back in, it was recognized and installed immediately.

Apparently there was evil lurking somewhere in my computer!!