Windows XP: WD passport - USB Device does not recognize device
Other Threads?
by behmer0284 - 2/5/08 12:10 PM In reply to: Can you do that stuff? by BigMoosey74Which other threads are you referring to? I have good knowledge of how to run and install and troubleshoot most problems, but when it comes to hardware and the real techincal stuff, I don't have any experience. I've tried different data recovery software, but they do not work because they can't detect the drive.
No Clue
by BigMoosey74 - 2/6/08 8:57 AM In reply to: Other Threads? by behmer0284I can't find any specific thread...would have been nice if they provided a link. I haven't taken a USB hard drive apart before but there should be a way to take the hard drive out of the casing and plug it into your computer internally. It should detect it as another hard drive in your system and you should be able to access the files. That is pretty much what you would pay a data recovery place to do.
How to connect it...I am not sure. I don't know what type of connection the hard drive in the USB case uses. I can only find that people "plug it in internally" but they don't specify by which connection they do so. So it sounds like it might be fairly easy but I couldn't help you out too much since I haven't done this before.
There are two connection types inside.
by R. Proffitt
- 2/6/08 9:25 AM
In reply to: No Clue by BigMoosey74
It varies across only 2 variables.
1. The drive size (2.5 and 3.5 inch being the most common.)
2. The IDE or SATA drive.
If you need to do this, get the case open, find the make, model and the drive and use google.com to get the particulars.
Replacement cases are plentiful on newegg.com, geeks.com, frys.com, amazon etc.
It's doubtful you will find a picture laden step by step on this since it's one of the tasks just a little harder than light bulb replacements.
Bob
Fixed
by behmer0284 - 2/6/08 9:54 AM In reply to: There are two connection types inside. by R. Proffitt
I took it to my work IT department and they opened it up and pulled out the USB card and connected using their own equipment, and it worked great. So it was the USB card that was dead, I am looking online now for a new casing, fyi it was 2.5" SATA drive. Thanks for everyone's help.
WD 120Gb Passport
by spazman70 - 5/2/08 5:55 AM In reply to: No Clue by BigMoosey74Tonight I accidentally dropped my WD passport 120Gb drive (from desk to floor). Before doing so I did the "safe disconnect".
Everytime I connect the WD120Gb Windows says "USB device not recognized. One of the usb devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and wondows does not recognise it. For assistance in solving this problem, I click the message."
USB root hub says:
Unknown device.
Windows 2008, Vista, XP machines return same error.
Anyone got some clues? Tried front and back USB ports to no avail. Drive spins up, the I hear a 'crink' a few seconds later.
Thanks!
Re: drive fell
by Kees Bakker - 5/2/08 6:11 AM
In reply to: WD 120Gb Passport by spazman70
It not only fell, it broke also. You can try to transfer the drive to a new case, but it's just as likely (even more likely, IMO) that you need a new drive in this case. Or maybe a totally new set.
Let's hope you're not one of those unlucky members that thought data on an external disk has eternal live and 'forgot' to back it up to another device. Too many of them have to pay $$$ to get their data back.
Kees
Possible Fix
by revolvermd - 8/31/08 11:05 AM In reply to: Other Threads? by behmer0284My experience with this is that I thought I had lost my mini-b to USB-A cable for the WD Passport drive. The one I had I had bought from Radio Shack which was equivalent or better quality then the one that came with the drive. I had to get a new one because the one that was supplied had broken.
Now for the one I thought I lost, I went to best buy and bought another cable to replace it. It was not as thick and nor was it gold plated on the tips. It worked fine and was recognized by Mac OS, although when I plugged it in to my PC it would not supply enough power. Thinking that I still had lost my old cable I ran across it and plugged it back into my PC with that gold plated and much thicker Mini-B to USB-A cable. It worked fine and loaded my WD Passport. I believe that if you have a flimsy cable with no gold plating on the tips it just may not be supplying enough power or also having trouble sending the information to your computer. Macs for some reason don't require the gold plating but for PC having it and a much thicker cable seemed to resolve my issue. It's a little more expensive to get this kind of cable but it may also be the problem you are having. Don't hesitate to give it a try. It may save you from having to get someone to recover the data for you and spending more than $30 for a cable that could fix your problem.
WD Passports!!!!!!!!!! grrrr!
by kokom1 - 10/10/09 12:54 PM In reply to: Can you do that stuff? by BigMoosey74it's my cable!!!! i realized after reading through the postings that my device does not work because it is my cable....i played around with it and when i held it "just so" it worked!!!
Proffitt...
by BigMoosey74 - 2/5/08 11:10 AM In reply to: Just look in our Storage forum. by R. Proffitt
I am a little shocked to see that response come from a moderator. I am not trying to flame you but it usually isn't helpful to give a "you should have done this" kind of response. I know that your intentions are to help but that is something for them to consider in the future.
I agree though, it is a good idea though to have things like pics, music, documents and such backed up on a DVD or CD rather than a hard drive because they eventually fail mechanically.
Plug directly....
by R. Proffitt - 2/5/08 11:36 AM
In reply to: Proffitt... by BigMoosey74
Please supply a better example when the member is either not following directions or not telling us they did.
I'm shocked at some of our members at times but will continue onwards in hopes they'll get it done.
Thanks for your comment.
Bob
FIX: not using the cable
by jainbhawna12 - 8/23/09 4:11 PM In reply to: FIX!!! by BigMoosey74It's possible that the estension cord isn't thick enough to carry the current the HDD needs. For example I have an estansion cord that's somewhat thin, and it can power flash drives but not external hard disks that don't have power adapters or Microsoft Zune players.
Possible solution
by mbag - 3/7/08 10:01 AM In reply to: WD passport - USB Device does not recognize device by rolllrock33Here is a possible solution to the original problem, but I don't know why it works: Plug the drive into a computer running Vista. (I know this is an XP forum, but read on ...)
I have a similar problem. I have a WD Passport 60 gig that I keep music and personal files on at work. Computer is running XP Pro, version 5.1.2600. Every few weeks or longer, the drive simply disappears and cannot be accessed, even after unplugging and replugging it in. The drive light is on, and you can hear a soft rhythmic clicking, as if the drive is spinning on an endless loop. No error messages, nothing. The drive is simply not detected. Rebooting the computer does not solve the problem.
I took the drive home to see if I could recover it. I plugged it into my Vista box there, and it started up fine. All files were there, and fully accessible. The amazing thing is, after this "reset" through Vista, it works fine when plugged back into the XP computer at work. (At least, until the next time it craps out, which can be weeks later.)
I have done this numerous times, and it always works. It's somewhat annoying, but better than not having the drive.
Note that plugging it into other XP computers (at work) does not "reset" the drive, and you still just get the clicking sound, with no recognition by the OS.
Hope this helps. More importantly, does this suggest to anyone what the underlying problem is? I'd like to be able to solve the problem for good ...
What the
by BigMoosey74 - 3/7/08 11:53 AM In reply to: Possible solution by mbagThat could be the first time that I heard about something working on Vista and not XP. Nice find.
Change the cable
by 2petunia - 3/26/08 7:47 AM In reply to: WD passport - USB Device does not recognize device by rolllrock33Same thing happened to me. Fixed it by switching to another (thicker) USB cable I had AND plugging it directly into the back of the computer.
USB size
by BigMoosey74 - 3/28/08 6:36 AM In reply to: Change the cable by 2petuniaI have noticed that I have a few USB devices that do not work with the USB extension cable. I just got a 2GB flash drive and it doesn't get recognized either.
I compared it to another USB flash drive that I have and that works with the cable. The actual USB connection part on the 2GB flash drive is longer than what is on the other flash drive that works. So it looks like the extra length is just enough to prevent a good connection to the USB cable.
If you look closely there are two small square holes towards the end of the USB male end. The female USB connector has two pin-like prongs that are supposed to click in the holes. This is the problem. On the longer USB male parts it prevents the prongs from clicking into those square holes.
I looked at the passport and it has this longer male USB end as well. I was not aware that there are different USB male lengths but this is what is happening.
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