External HDD not recognised

I have been using a WD External HDD for several months now, but since formatting my computer it is not recognised anymore. I like to use Ghost for my backups. I have tried the WD External HDD on another computer and it works on that OK, in fact I was able to format it so that I could start afresh. I have done all AV and spyware programs etc. Can anyone help me please.

Thanks
Tilly

 

Have you checked WD's website for drivers and read through their support page?
http://support.wdc.com/product/kb.asp?wdc_lang=en

Maybe if you get the WD Hard drive tools to run a diagnostics as well.
http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?lang=en

 

You could open your device manager and see if the HDD is seen by that.
Or open "run" and type in the bar "msconfig" then under "tools" highlight "computer management" there you will see "disk management" it may take a few seconds to find the disks in your system, then highlight the disk you are having trouble with from there you will be able to get it recognized.

 

Hi thanks for your replies.

I have checked the device manager and it shows the WD HDD OK. Also done the updating of device as suggested, no updates were needed. It is still not recognised in the backup/restore program or for Ghost.

To be absolutely clear what I am trying to do is to get a mirror image of all my computer on to the external drive in such a way that I can read all the files etc., not in compressed format, so that if my computer goes down and need to format it, I can reinstall all my data and read everything.

I should like to know if possible whether and if so how I can copy all my data from my computer to the WD HDD and then use that external drive to a different computer and be able to install it to that computer.

Thanks again
Tilly

 

Data can be copied and used on another computer; programs can not be copied and used on another computer. A ghost image/clone made of one computer can not be restored to a different computer. Aghost/clone made of one computer can be restored to a different hard drive on the same computer.

It would also help if you gave a few other pertinent details: what version of Ghost are you using, how large is the WD external hd, what version, including Service Packs of windows is installed on the computer that Ghost does not "see" the WD as an option to image to.

 

Thanks Plodr

Your first paragraph is as I thought, Ghost cannot copy data/programs on to a different computer.

I have WIndows 8 on my computer, the WD external HDD is a 250GBs, my Ghost is v.12. WHen I look in Control Panel it shows the external HDD as working properly, but it doesn't do the Microsoft backups in the control panel, nor will it do Ghost.

Your advice would be appreciated. Thank you

 

edit: i just saw your question. if nothing else worked try this (on YOUR setup)

in this situation i've always had to format the hard drive using disk management. it might be something else, but this was always my issue.

right click my computer>click manage>on the left click disk mgmt
you'll see the drives listed. it might be recognized but not healthy/usable. if it does show but it's red (i think) right click the space for the drive and then "format"

windows 8?

 

There is no such operating system - yet!

 

:-o Oops - I meant Internet Explorer 8. My O/S is Vista Ultimate

 

Is there a possibility that the HD is trying to utilize a drive letter that is already taken by the system?

Start/Control Panel/Administrative Tools click Computer Management

in the treeview on the left side storage/Disk management

Look in the disk #'s to see if there is a multiple drive lettering. $.02

 

I have checked out the Admin.Tools in Ctrl panel, under computer management and it only shows my C and D drive and E for the CD/DVD drive. There is no sign of the WD (F drive)

The drive is connected OK to the computer as the blue light is showing on the WD HD.

Sorry I do not know what you mean by $.02

Thanks

 

Just saying those are my ideas or my two cents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_two_cents_(idiom)

 

Maybe the external drive has gone bad? Try booting to a cd containing a utility like the IBM drive fitness test. See if DFT recognizes the external drive, and if it does run the advanced scan.

Good Luck

br0k3n

 

Please delete my last post. I didnt read closely enough that the drive works on other PCs. Sorry