External hard drive problem

I have an external hard drive that is no longer coming up when I plug it into anything. I tried both my computers and blu Ray player. It has worked on all of them before. I've tried device manager it doesn't show up on there. My computer acts like nothing is pluged in but the hard drive fires up and has power. Please help.

 

Try replacing the USB cable. They're the cheapest and weakest link. I've had to replace several of mine for the same or similar reasons.

 

I just tried that it didn't work but thanks.

 

I started having that problem about two weeks ago. Usually when I plug the hard drive it, the install device icon would display letting me know when the drive is ready. Now when I connect my hard drive and turn it on, nothing happens. Every once in a while, if my computer is in a good mood, it will recognize it, but when I select safely remove the hard drive option, it won't let me because the drive is still running a program. I scanned for viruses and ran malwarebytes anti-malware and was clean.

 

Which version of Windows are you running? I have an external data storage hard drive that gives me the same type of message when I choose "safely remove". There is a setting that will make the drive "hot swappable" and you won't have to use "safely remove". But, do as DavidGP says first.

 

I'm running windows 7 and 8. I tried it on both my computers. Plus my bluray player.

 

Hi, I have had the same problem, fixed it myself!! I took the whole case apart and found that the hard drive had slipped off the connecting pins, pushed it back on and reassembled. All working now. Maybe try this before binning it.