Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

LaCie Rugged not showing up as a drive in My Computer

Jan 2, 2011 12:32PM PST

I have LaCie Rugged FW/USB external hard drive here and have plugged it in using the usb cables for power and actual connection to my Windows 7 desktop.

It was instantly recognized as a storage device and I can see that it's there in the Devices and Printers menu - yet it doesn't show up as a drive in "My Computer" - therefore I can't access the files on the drive.

Any ideas?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Try
Jan 2, 2011 12:37PM PST

First try it on another PC.

Then try the free and free to try titles noted at the top post in this forum.
Bob

- Collapse -
Thanks
Jan 2, 2011 1:07PM PST

Thanks Bob.

I may be misunderstanding your suggestion - but I'm pretty sure the drive is just fine (files have been added to it by someone else earlier today before they gave it to me - probably a mac user) and I don't think it needs to be recovered or anything.

I did a bit of poking around on the web - is it possible that I need to reformat the drive for it to be accessible on a PC? Would that destroy the files currently contained on the drive? I just need to get what is currently on there off and safely onto my PC.

- Collapse -
Or
Jan 2, 2011 1:31PM PST

Or you can try the ideas in this forum. We have the top sticky post to keep from duplicating the same answers when your question comes up.

I know, I know, some folk find that unfriendly but why not try the sticky first?
Bob

- Collapse -
Um, what?
Jul 3, 2011 10:21AM PDT

Um, "Free and Free Titles"? 'Sticky Note"? "Try the forums"?

Sorry but I agree with the author who started this post: not helpful.

I don't know what it is being referred to. I don't know what "free and free" is or see a "sticky note".

Also, personally I did try the forums and the only result for "rugged lacie" or "lacie rugged" comes up with this thread with non-answers in it.

I guess you are trying to gently "educate" folks on forum etiquette but, yes, it does come off as unfriendly and worse, kind of useless info. Maybe at least post a link to what you are referring to, eh?

I am having the same problem with my Lacie Rugged and well all I can find here is "go look elsewhere." Thanks for nothing....

- Collapse -
Good to hear your thoughts.
Jul 4, 2011 1:37AM PDT

I'm sure there are folk that want the answer copied each time it's asked. Since this is all member to member, no paid staff we have some ready answers and links at the top of this forum.

Supplying answers for free sounds friendly to me.
Bob

- Collapse -
thanks for nothing....again
Jul 4, 2011 4:47AM PDT

Yes, but non-answers aren't helpful.

Especially when the search function only brings up this thread.

That has non-answers.

- Collapse -
A "Sticky" thread was mentioned.
Jul 4, 2011 4:50AM PDT
- Collapse -
Welcome new member.
Jul 4, 2011 5:02AM PDT

I see you just joined the discussion forums. Maybe you need a few leads.

The discussions are in a group of forums listed at CNET (link to the forum list.)

In some of the forums there are top posts stuck to the top that can hold common answers and tips.

But maybe you expected more. Remember there are no paid staff and you have to pitch in and help (yourself at times.)
Bob

- Collapse -
Can't find my drive to do anything about it...
Jul 8, 2011 9:18AM PDT

Hi Guys,

So I'm not really new to forums, and I understand how stickies work, and far be it from me to get in the way of testosterone filled arguing. but...

the stickies didn't really have the answers I'm looking for. They contain information on missing keys and corrupt drives. But my drive is perfectly fine. I'm pretty sure its just formatted for a mac, and I need to open it on a PC. But I can't even find it on this windows contraption to reformat it. Any ideas of how I might go about doing that?

Thanks!
Anzibanonzi

- Collapse -
more info...
Jul 8, 2011 9:32AM PDT

So I can't find the drive in 'explorer' but I can find it in device manager - but it lists it as "not initialized" and I don't know how to change this.

- Collapse -
Thanks for the update.
Jul 8, 2011 9:59AM PDT

I see a little conflict in the goals here.

If you want to access the files, the Cnet Storage Forum sticky and using UBUNTU on a Live CD has allowed this, even on Mac formatted drives.

If you want to start fresh on the drive and Windows is not allowing the use of Disk Management then get GPARTED on a boot CD and delete the partitions there. Now we can boot into Windows and prepare the drive.

Hope this helps you out.
Bob

- Collapse -
Thank you
Jul 8, 2011 10:14AM PDT

also thanks for your answer! I just didn't have any access to UBUNTU at work - actually didn't want to download anything either. But at the cost of the data on the drive I was able to format it for windows and everything worked out in the end.

Thanks again!

- Collapse -
problem solved
Jul 8, 2011 10:04AM PDT