External Hard Drive Not Regonized

If you have a SimpleTech SimpleDrive connected to your computer and you're experiencing problems with the external hard drive, there may be several reasons why it's malfunctioning. Troubleshooting your computer can help rule out common problems and the possibility that the hard drive may be defective. If you recently purchased the device and suspect there is something wrong with it, return the defective drive to SimpleTech or the reseller for a replacement. Incompatible USB Port Problems SimpleTech SimpleDrive plug and play options makes it easy for you to connect the device to your computer. But you may encounter problems if your computer's USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports are not compatible with the external hard drive. Make sure your ports are powerful enough to operate the drive. USB 2.0 ports are recommended, but if you're using an older computer with 1.0 ports, the hard drive will function much slower or you may receive an error message that the device is not compatible with your system. b> Missing External Drive Letter If you're unable to find the SimpleTech external hard drive's letter on your desktop after you have installed the drivers for the device, it's possible that the external drive may be assigned to another drive. Sometimes, the hard drive is assigned to a network drive and you may need to manually change the drive's letter in Disk Management. b> SimpleTech SimpleDrive Incorrectly Formatted b> SimpleTech SimpleDrive is normally pre-formatted for Windows NTFS (New Technology File System), but Mac users may need to copy the backup software and reformat the external hard drive for FAT32 or Mac OS to be able to use the external drive. If the external hard drive is not formatted correctly for your system, it may not function or work properly. b> External Hard Drive Inaccessible If you receive an error message that says "Drive Inaccessible," the SimpleTech SimpleDrive may not be able to read the service area of the platter. If the external hard drive emits a loud or abnormal sound, this could mean the device is failing.
Test the drive on another computer to see if it is working properly. Otherwise, the external hard drive's surface area may be damaged or corrupted.
Replacing a Defective Hard Drive You can return a defective hard drive that is under warranty to SimpleTech. The manufacturer will exchange the device if the seal is not broken. But if you break or tear the seal on the case, any warranty claims will not be accepted and the device will be returned back to you. SimpleTech will only accept the device if you contracted a commercial data recovery company to retrieve critical data from the external hard drive and the seal needed to be broken. Before returning the defective drive, you will need to secure a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) approval number from SimpleTech and furnish any invoices or documentation regarding the data recovery company's services
or if its a usb external drive you might need a usb 3 card installed on your computer your computer might not have enough usb output power USB 3 card will provide more power when needed to the device to gain maximum throughput and conserve power when the device is connected but is idling http://blog.premiumusb.com/2010/09/usb-2-0-vs-usb-3-0/ these can be purchased on Ebay cheap and easy to install http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PCI-e-PCI-Express-USB3-0-Card-new-NEC-720200AF1-chipset-/330608109325?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf9c7670d for roughly $9 or $10free postage Hope this helps.

just plug your hard drive in another noze of usb...
if u have loose connection in usb then it will happen. try to copy small size of data

is the issue a power 1 or does it power up but your computer doesn,t regonized the harddrive within the external...have you tried a separate power supply/usb cable....or try a different usb port in another computer

regards Tony

Step 1: Connect your hard drive to your PC.
Step 2: Create a FAT32 partition on your hard drive. If you’re using less than 32 GB, you can use Windows via “Control panel > Administrative tools > Computer Management”. If you’re using more than 32 GB, you’ll have to use an external program, e.g. Partition Magic.
Step 3: Load all the content you want from your PC onto the external drive. This should consist of files that can be read on the Xbox hard drive.
Step 4: Remove the external hard drive from your PC. Plug it into your Xbox 360 console through the USB port.
Step 5: Go to the Media menu on your Xbox screen. Select "Portable Device" from the menu. All the readable files saved on the external drive should be available to read on your Xbox 360.
N.B. Xbox's connection with an external drive is read-only. You can only read files that are already on the drive after connecting. You can't save game files or anything else on the Xbox main drive onto the external hard drive. Also, USB storage devices cannot be used for Xbox live marketplace content.

I had a similar 'rebooting' issue with my WD external drive caused by a faulty USB interface on my Desktop: if you have an external USB hub, try running your drive via the plug-in USB Hub to shield your external drive from your desktop inbuilt USB electronics..

if this drive has 2 usb cables you need to connect both. one is for power other is for data. it may be also drive physical damage.

If the external hard drive was unplugged during a file transfer or without using the Windows "Safely Remove Hardware" utility, there might have been data loss.

If you have a second machine, try plugging the drive into it and see if you can read the drive.

Also, try transferring a file onto the drive, unplug the drive, plug it back in and see if the file is still there. If it's not there, it could point to a problem with the cable. Try to use a different USB cable and perform the same test.

If none of those suggestions work, the drive could have gone bad. It's not uncommon for hard drives to become unreadable due to bad sectors, or mechanical failure. You may need to purchase a new drive.

Try it on a different USB port or on a different computer - is this hard drive powered via a mains cable ? If so is that plugged in and switched on as well ?
Also does the hard drive have an on off switch at the back or on it anywhere that needs turning on ?
Does this hard drive have a firewire port or another way of connecting to it ?

- Do you hear any beep sound when you plug in the USB drive into the laptop? - You can also try a different USB cable - Try connecting the hard drive to a different computer and see if it works All those steps will help you determine where the issue is. Please revert back with any other observations. Good Luck