ZD8000 won't show external drives in My Computer

by tristankelley Jul 24, 2007 12:03AM PDT

Hi all,

I've recently been experiencing some Windows errors and ran a repair install (not using the Recovery Console, just the repair install from the XP disc). Everything is back to normal but my ZD8000 isn't fully recognizing external drives. Whether I attach an external HDD, video iPod, digital camera or SD card in the digital media slot the drives are recognized and attached/mounted but don't show up in My Computer. They do show as an attached and active external device in the taskbar - and even in the device manager. I even tried just typing in E:\ F:\ etc in Windows explorer but it says the drives don't exist.

Here's a link to a screenshoot of My Computer with the attached hardware window as well.

http://www.up45.com/hardware.gif

Everything worked fine before the XP repair - any ideas on what is going on? I've already reinstalled every driver from the HP site for my system.

Discussion is locked

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After a repair install? Drivers.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 24, 2007 12:15AM PDT

Microsoft's OS and it's repair may leave you with Microsoft's basic drivers. See if a driver CD came with that machine.

Bob

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I think all drivers are installed

by tristankelley Jul 24, 2007 12:22AM PDT

Yeah, the HP site has a page with all the drivers that came with my machine. I installed everything on there - even the junk I don't really need but no luck.

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(NT) Then try other USB ports.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 24, 2007 1:23AM PDT

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(NT) Yep - tried every port but no luck

by tristankelley Jul 24, 2007 1:28AM PDT

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Try the drive in another machine.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 24, 2007 1:49AM PDT

Sometimes we gotta test, test and test.

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Yep - they all work

by tristankelley Jul 24, 2007 3:20AM PDT

Just to make sure I tested them again and the external drive, iPod, SD card, and digital camera all work on my PC.

I just don't understand why Windows recognizes them as active devices - even in the device manager - but won't show them in My Computer.

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What I would do next...

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 24, 2007 3:44AM PDT

Is to head to the DEVICE MANAGER and on the USB controllers run the UPDATE DRIVER buttons on each device. I normally don't suggest this but it's time to try simple fixes.

Good luck,

Bob

PS. do this with the devices unplugged, do them all and then reboot, retest.

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No new drivers found

by tristankelley Jul 24, 2007 4:52AM PDT

Thanks for the idea Bob but I just got the message stating no better match could be found.

I did however just plugged in my Sony HDV camera via the firewire port and it was recognized fully! I could capture DV, read/write to the memory, etc. Too weird.

I also forgot to mention earlier that I have an optical USB mouse plugged in and it works fine. Just tested a USB keyboard and that works fine as well. I know they're not storage devices but at least the USB ports seem to be working fine.

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Not a great test of USB. Why? And a new thing to try.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 24, 2007 4:57AM PDT

That may only test the basic lo-speed USB functionality. Many hard disks on USB never show on low speed USB ports.

And this may be our clue. I have this one machine that has a BIOS feature that forces the USB ports to legacy or low speed mode only.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/fastFaqLiteDocument?lc=en&cc=gb&dlc=nl&docname=bph05956 notes this issue....

Bob

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Thanks for the link - - great resource

by tristankelley Jul 25, 2007 6:34AM PDT

Unfortunately it didn't resolve the problem. Most of my settings seemed to be correct anyway - at least for power management and legacy USB.

I did a bit more Googling and found a forum post about using the drive manager for assigning connected devices with drive letters. Sure enough it worked - well sort of. I just assigned my extern drive and iPod to E:/ and F:/ and they worked fine until I unplugged them or restarted my laptop. Then they wouldn't mount again and I'd have to go back to the drive manager and assign them again.

I'm glad that at least I can get to my data but I can see this getting annoying really quick. Any other ideas out there?

Thanks!

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(NT) Just checking. We usually don't want legacy USB.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 25, 2007 6:53AM PDT

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Right - no legacy for me...

by tristankelley Jul 25, 2007 3:14PM PDT

So is this even really a USB driver issue or a drive management issue?

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Sorry.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jul 25, 2007 9:46PM PDT

A stumper. Usually that was it.

ZD8000 won't show external drives in My Computer

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