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    External HD won't connect by USB.

    Discussion in 'Accessories' started by ben2go, Sep 18, 2018.

  1. ben2go

    ben2go Notebook Consultant

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    I have an old laptop HD I put into an external HD enclosure about 10 years ago. It connects through a USB to USB cable. I know the cable is good because my other external HDs work with it. I have three computers and suddenly none of them can read the HD over USB 2.0 or 3.0. Win10, Ubuntu, and Mint all recognize that the HD is plugged in. The HD spins up, the light flashes to let me know is operating as if it's moving data between the computer and HD. When I run the troubleshooter on the HD it comes back with," Try connecting device to a USB 2.0 port. Device not compatible with USB 3.0." I've tried uninstalling the HD driver and then reconnecting it to the computer to let it find it's own. I have also tried a driver update. Nothing seems to work. Does anyone have any other ideas that may work? TIA
     
  2. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

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    Try another drive (that's known to work) in that same enclosure. If it works, your drive is dead. If it doesn't work, then the enclosure is dead and you need a new one for the old drive.
     
  3. ben2go

    ben2go Notebook Consultant

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    I'm thinking it's the enclosure's software properties. After digging, I found this bit of info on the HD in Windows.

    "This device is working properly.There is a secondary device connected to this hardware that Windows cannot identify because it does not have a valid hardware identification number."

    Maybe there's a workaround?