When I connect it to my laptop (or ANY other computer/laptop) the blue light on the external hardrive turns on and I can feel that it is working, but it simply doesnt get read, the computers dont recognise it...how do I get all my work out of the hard drive?!!!?

try it on another computer if that dosent work you should
reformat your computer but first backup all your data by putting your another internal hardrive on your computer and move all your files you need to the empty hardrive and after that take the hardrive with all your stuff in it off the computer and then reformat the hardrive which the external hardrive does not work on and install a new operating system then put the other hardrive with all your stuff back on your computer and transfer your stuff into the hardrive with a operating system then try the external hardrive

OR
you can burn all your stuff into a CD or a DVD
OR
you can put all your stuff into FlashDrives and then after you reformat the hardrive with an operating system put your stuff back into the computer and after that the external hardrive should work

have you tried connecting the hardrive to some other computer. Is it getting detected on it?

If it used to read it, but doesnt anymore, could be a sign of a hardware failure. If another computer reads it, then it is probably a driver issue. Try to turn the power on, then insert the USB cable into the computer.

I had a simular problem!
If the problem your having is caused by the same thing mine was then this is how to fix it ...
1. Buy a External case like this one.. http://www.amazon.co.uk/IOMAX-External-Enclosure-Laptop-Powered/dp/B001EEQQ8Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1279755665&sr=8-1-catcorr
2. Remove your ps3 hardrive by taking of the cover on the side and removing the blue screw, then remove the tray from around the hardrive.
3. Place the hardrive in the external case.
4 Plug usb external case into computer, goto my computer then right click ps3 hardrive that will now show up.
5. Right click the drive and click format
6. After formating put the drive back into the ps3 and the ps3 will then come up with a message follow the instructions... and your ps3 will now work again.
(by doing this you will lose all your ps3 saves, music and videos and so on it will be like resetting your ps3 to when you bought it.)

Hope this works!

hi....

This may be because the video cable to the TV has not properly connected to the PS3 console and to the TV please check this,If both connected properly check weather the cable is ni Good condition. try using another cable so that you can confrim weather the problem is the cable

thanx

I had this problem!

If the problem your having is caused by the same thing mine was then this is how to fix it ...
1. Buy a External drive case like this one.. http://www.amazon.co.uk/IOMAX-External-Enclosure-Laptop-Powered/dp/B001EEQQ8Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1279755665&sr=8-1-catcorr
2. Remove your ps3 hardrive by taking of the cover on the side and removing the blue screw, then remove the tray from around the hardrive.
3. Place the hardrive in the external case.
4 Plug usb external case into computer, goto my computer then right click ps3 hardrive that will now show up.
5. Right click the drive and click format
6. After formating put the drive back into the ps3 and the ps3 will then come up with a message follow the instructions... and your ps3 will now work again.
(by doing this you will lose all your ps3 saves, music and videos and so on it will be like resetting your ps3 to when you bought it.)

Hope solves your problem!

Brand new?

Did you follow the instructions in the booklet that were packaged with the external disk-drive?

Did you try connecting the unit to a different computer?

Did you take it back to where you bought it, and ask them to demonstrate attaching it to one of their computers, as a demonstration that it works, or to prove that it is "defective" and the seller must replace it?

Try it in another computer, if it doesn't work on anoither computer, it may have died

Please insert a disk into drive