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    Vista won't detect my USB HDD

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by mr.rhtuner, Mar 1, 2009.

  1. mr.rhtuner

    mr.rhtuner Notebook Consultant

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    Hey everybody, I've got a problem that I don't know how to fix.

    My girlfriend bought a nice new Sony Vaio laptop a few weeks ago and I want to hookup my western digital to her pc so we can transfer over some files.

    I hooked it up about 2 weeks ago but vista wouldn't detect the drive or anything plugged into the USB.

    I just tested the drive on my laptop and vista picks it up without issues, so we know it's not the drive. I doubt its faulty USB drivers as we had her camera hooked up when she first got it via USB but they not won't work.

    Is there a setting in vista that would prevent the OS to recognize new added hardware?

    Thank you
    bart
     
    mr.rhtuner, Mar 1, 2009
    #1
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Are you using a Y-USB cable? Your laptop might just barely be giving the WD drive enough power to run via USB, but hers might be shorting it just enough to not start up with power from only one USB port.
     
    Greg, Mar 1, 2009
    #2
  3. J&SinKTO

    J&SinKTO Notebook Deity

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    Also check the Sony site for Updates/patches - for my FW there was a patch released for USB reading problems - else concur on the Y cable.
     
    J&SinKTO, Mar 1, 2009
    #3
  4. Peto

    Peto Notebook Enthusiast

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    and install properly latest chipset software drivers !
     
    Peto, Mar 1, 2009
    #4