Windows Vista forum: Help with WD external hard drive...

It spins and I can hear it in the case that it is in. It does not work on other computers at all but I know that the power lite is on. It plugs up into a usb port and the computer is the power supply. How would I back it up with out being able to access it?

There is no need to back it up since it is just a backup and the original is still where it is.

Maybe you need to re-write your post (I goofed mine!) about this being the only and last copy.

Does the drive show in Device Manager or Disk Management?

Yes I read "manage" above but let's try to use the titles of the apps Vista came with during technical discussions.
Bob

It does show up in device manager and it does not show up in the disk management... I deleted the originals because I had the back ups still there and I was making more room on my computer hard drive. Hind sight is 20/20 I would have never done that if I would have known this was going to happen. Sorry about not being really specific about this I will be later on.

No drive letter or sign in Disk Management means you have a choice to make.

You can decide if it's too much to lose by chance of trying recovery software I'll link to in a moment and if you decide to have it recovered for you I suggest http://www.drivesavers.com

If you decide to try some titles, we list them at http://forums.cnet.com/7723-7588_102-354911/lost-and-found-or-the-storage-forum-sticky/?tag=contentBody;threadListing

Good luck,
Bob

And if you follow your IT training you have your original and at least 2 copies so that's 3 copies in 3 places for safety. Folk that drive it down to one last copy or one copy and original are not "in a state of backup."

With DropBox and more out there it's a shame to read about losses today.
It's like folk tell us they let the antivirus expire. Since there are free antivirus apps (like free storage) there's rarely a good reason to go without.

-> There is another way to get those files back. If you are serious you would turn the power off to the machine that had the last copy and remove it's hard drive. Then you put it into some other system on USB or internal and try those apps I listed earlier or drivesavers that drive as well.
Bob

I don't know how to navigate around this but when it shows up for the short amount of time in the folders section where the hard drives are located under computer it shows a question mark and then after 1 to 2 minutes it disappears completely off the computer but the power is still on and the drive is still going...

This is the response I get when I try and click on the drive to open it...

F:\ refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this computer or on a network. Check to make sure that the disk is properly inserted, or that you are connected to the internet (which I am always connected) and then try again. If it still cannot be located, the information might have been moved to a different location.

1. What other location can there be if this drive does not show up in disk management?
2. Where could this setting be so I can possibly change it?
3. I have tried all the USB ports on my computer and with different USB cables so that is not the problem.

Drivesavers is your next stop as do it yourself recovery is not working for you.
Bob