External 2.5"HD not recognize with usb

hello there,
i bought recently a cable usb that allow me to connect my 2.5"HD to a desktop. as soon as i plug it into the usb, windows xp 2ed starts installing it by doing that 2 bips sound which tells me everything went fine. i can see the description of the HD on the safety remove hardware on the right botton of the windows bar, but i can`t use it! cos it doesn`t appear in explorer. Plus i got a more advanced program "hard disk manager pro 8" which recognize it as Uknown Model and therefore it doesn`t allow me to do anything.
Any idea?
cheers
kevin

 

Yes: that drive isn't receiving enough power. Most 2.5" HDDs require more than 500mA (USB2.0's max) and require specifically designed USB cables that are a "Y" shape. One port plugs into the drive, and two to the laptop (one for power and the other for more power and data transfer).

What you are describing is almost always (in my experience) the symptom of a lack of power.

 

Really? That's interesting, because the two notebook HD's I own just need the one main USB plug, and the other one usually just goes unused. Even weirder - I used someone else's notebook, and apparently all USBs are not created equally (given the same power); I had to use both plugs on that notebook.

 

so should i try to connect it directly to the mainboard... cos i got the adapter...and if it`s not workin...well i`ll post again...

 

Not all drives are created equally either! I'm guessing that the power requirements border on 500mA (some got it and some don't due to manufacturer variances).

Don't get me wrong: I've seen them work on 1 USB as well. But when they have issues that's the first thing to look at.

 

That certainly won't hurt to try. What kind of adapter is that? 2.5" to 3.5"?

 

hi, thanks for replying
i tried to use my 2.5" to 3.5" adapter. at the boot the pc recognizes the new HD and the windows starting it found it, gave it a serial name, but still nothing in the bloody explorer, neither in Control panel>administrative tools>computer management. nothing. only Hard disk manager can give me some details about the HD but i can`t have access to it whatsoever.

 

the 2.5" hd shows up even in device manager at the disk drives line.
but i can`t access to it.........

 

Can you post a screen shot of the hard disc manager and/or the device manager stuff showing the drive error(s)?

 

You need to format it so Windows can access it.

 

That's what I was starting to think. If gautam3's idea (and probably solution) doesn't work, then try posting those screen shots.

 

cant you simply plug in a power adapter to the drive...

 

hi guys thanks for helping me out...
can`t format the HD cos simply it doesn`t appear in MyComputer and if i go in ControlPanel>System>hardware>device manager>diskDrives it shows up and when i click on it to get into properties, it says "This device is working properly".
basically you don have to see any screenshot, that`s what it says. so it s working but i can`t format it therefore!
maybe if u kno any software that can force the tracing device it might allow me to do something.
as i says harddisk manager a software i found in downloads.com it shows me the device a bit darker the main one it tells me model number, capacity,all that bulls***t but i can`t do any actions....

 

I can`t believe nobody has no idea how to solve this problem....

can anybody suggest a good relible software for taking care of hard drive at least...

cheers