If it's an IDE-drive, it should be configured as Master in the IDE. And drivers shouldn't be necessary.
Two little experiments:
1. Find a friend, colleague or family member who has another external disk (they are quite common, nowadays). Does that work on your PC?
2. Find another PC. Does your disk work on that PC. It should.
Kees
My current PC is a Dell Inspiron 570 running Windows 7 64-bit.
I have a Western Digital WD1200JB internal hard drive from my old PC that I have fitted into an Akasa Integral External Enclosure and connected to the Inspiron via a USB port. Windows says that it has recognised a USB mass storage device and that it is installing device driver software. After a few minutes trying it gives the error message that the device driver software was not successfully installed. Windows Device Manager gives the Device Status as This device cannot start (Code 10).
I have tried various jumper settings on the HD without success. Windows trouble shooting says that I have the most up to date driver. I have looked on the Western Digital site and cannot find any drivers for the WD1200JB - I believe that it uses a Windows one.
Have you any suggestions on what to try next?

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