[scottportraits]

July 6, 2007

Hello Techies,

I got a new hard drive case-enclosure gadget for my 250 GB storage library. Unlike the cheaper previous enclosure gadget I am having trouble getting XP to recognize the driver for this new plug-and-play 'USB Device'. Actually, the PC and "new found hardware wizard" detects it when I turn it on, but I get an error message that the software (driver) may not be properly installed.

I see it recognized as the yellow 'USB Device' in the Device Manager, and it has a yellow exclamation point and question mark icon next to the text 'USB Device'.

Under 'Device Properties' it says : Status: This device is not configured correctly (Code 1). There is a reinstall button which opens the same hardware installation wizard you see whenever you go to Control Panel > Add Hardware . The wizard searches for the device, then says it failed to find the software....

I tried to uninstall and re-install the driver, but it wouldn't work; get the same messages. The PC recognizes the external HD, because it ding-dong's when I turn it on and off. The CD that came with it has no 'Driver' file except for Windows 98 SE.

It is supposed to be Plug-and-Play for XP....that is, I assume, XP is supposed to have the drivers for any USB plug-and-play devices, right ?? Where are these files, under C:/WINDOWS/System ??? Didn't find 'em there.

Again, the CD has no driver files except for 98SE; and the instructions say XP will recognize it and install it with XP's own drivers.

What next ???

-Scottportraits

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30 minutes later....

Noticed in the instructions that it supports all 3.5" PATA hard disk drives.....

I have a Western Digital 2500 Caviar internal hard drive that is "Enhanced IDE".....the plugs fit snugly and elsewhere in the instructions (and on the box) it says "for IDE HD".

So is my enhanced IDE HD in the wrong enclosure casing ???

[scottportraits]

30 minutes later....

Noticed in the instructions that it supports all 3.5" PATA hard disk drives.....

I have a Western Digital 2500 Caviar internal hard drive that is "Enhanced IDE".....the plugs fit snugly and elsewhere in the instructions (and on the box) it says "for IDE HD".

So is my enhanced IDE HD in the wrong enclosure casing ???

[anzenketh]

PATA is Parallel ATA it is the same as IDE. Western Digital hard drives have had problems with needing drivers in the past. Try installing the drivers for the hard drive.

[scottportraits]

July 7

Hi Tx,

I don't think it's the Western Digital HD driver, because I put this internal HD back in the OLD external enclosure, (also Plug-and-Play) , and the PC recognized it just fine and accessed all files in it. No problems, so the PC must be recognizing both the enclosure casing and the WD internal HD.

Trying it in the new enclosure, a Cooler Master X-Craft, we got all those errors stated above. I am hesitant to unpack the new casing and try it again, because I put it all back in the box to get an Refund (RMA#) from Newegg.com.

The CoolerMaster website, the box it came in, and Newegg's specs say it is Plug & Play for XP. Like I said, I took it apart and put it back in the old casing I was using, and voila, it was recognized and there are drivers for the HD and the plug'n'play enclosure (or else it wouldn't run, right?). You can check their website and see if you can find a driver (the only ones I saw are for Win 98 SE); or give me any other suggestion why this isn't configuring right (Code 1) and some solution to remedy the problem. I have until Monday to mail it back....so I will call Western Digital and Cooler Master on Monday and ask them some questions.

The internal HD is a Western Digital WD2500LB - enhanced IDE
The enclosure casing is a CoolerMaster X-Craft RX-3HU-LAB1 (will only take PATA HD's). (?)

Let me know if you can think of anything,

Thanks,



Scottportraits

[Neil Jones]

If it works happily in the old enclosure but doesn't want to know on this one, your Cooler Master is faulty. Get it replaced.

[scottportraits]

July 8

You know, that's about the best advice I've heard in a few days.

I could send it back to Newegg and replace it with a better (more costly) external casing, one that has a FAN as a feature, since I run the thing almost 24/7.

I did download an evaluation copy of Driver Genius, in hopes of updating and/or adding newer drivers. But the Free Trial doesn't let you get at the updated drivers that it thinks you need.

I guess I'll leave the drivers on my PC alone until some real issue comes up in the future.

Thanks again TX,

-Scottportraits

[Troy]

I would just like to point out that I have a Cooler Master X-Craft external (but mine's SATA), and it's actually really good at keeping the hard drive within a good temperature range. Just because you got a faulty one first-time around doesn't mean that it won't serve your needs once you replace it. Just a point to consider, especially if money is tight!

Cheers

[scottportraits]

July 12

Well, I did replace it but am still getting the same problem: error messages re: driver cannot be found, etc.
I bought a Galaxy Metal Gear 3507UC, with a built-in fan. I have two hard drives inside the PC, a master and a slave. Both are 80 GB. The master may or may not be a Western Digital, but the slave and the hard drive I am using in the enclosure are Western Digital Caviar's.

Upon receiving the unit I took the 250GB Western Digital HD from the old cheap external USB enclosure and put it in the Galaxy Metal Gear model.

My PC recognizes it (ding dongs when powered 'on'), but it won't register as another USB Mass Storage Device or show up on 'My Computer'.

In 'Device Manager' under 'Other Devices' it shows up in a yellow question mark with an exclamation point as Cypress ATZLP RC58.....

The "new hardware installation wizard" keeps asserting that the driver is missing (Code 28), etc. (Supposedly it needs no driver with XP as the OS.)

The error message states that 'one of the filter drivers is invalid'...
...apparently some filter drivers differ from others as the brand of hard disk changes. Western Digital is supposed to have this problem sometimes.

XP's 'Help & Troubleshooting' guide has an article about this. It is called "ERROR MESSAGE WHEN YOU INSTALL & CONFIGURE A SUBORDINATE DRIVE". It gives a solution that involves tampering with the registry. First you back-up the registry. Then you go to this value:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

After that, you click the 'Upper Filters Value" (?) and delete it. I can find the value above, and when I click on it I see at the bottom of the right side pane a sub-file called 'Upper Filters'.....but no 'Lower Filters' value there. You are supposed to delete both of them (so says Microsoft ). I am afraid to do this to the 'Upper Filters' I do see there until I back-up the registry and find out if I'm doing the right thing.
Then you do likewise to the files 0000 & 0001, which also both lack either the Upper or Lower value file anyway.

So inside the key above itself is just one file, the 'Upper Filter' which supposedly needs to be deleted.
I did a system restore and set a restore point before deleting it.

Do you think deleting this one sub-file, 'upper filter value' from that key string above will make my PC recognize the new external enclosure with the Western Digital internal hard drive inside it ??? After a reboot (or two) I find the PC is still recognizing the new hardware, a USB mass storage device, but asserts the driver needs to be reinstalled, code 28, etc etc. It keeps bringing me around and back to the same place, namely that the PC is failing to fully install the new subordinate drive because it cannot find the software.

Once again the old external casing is plugged in and the machine accepts and recognizes the drivers and the new HD under 'My Computer'. So it can't be the Western Digital HDD, and MUST be the external enclosure that needs a driver (or to get around a filter).

The 'upper filter' value of that string above is now gone. So why can't my PC run with this new and better external enclosure ??

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Help; I'm getting exasperated
- Scottportraits

[The Skeptic]

With XP you don't need a driver to run the disk. You do need one with winsows 98 that's why you got this driver with the enclosure.

Are there any jumpering instructions with the new enclosure? If not, then try all jumpering options, one after the other, as printed on the HD.

[scottportraits]

Yes, I tried each and every different jumper....it still generates error code 28 when I switch it on and try to reinstall it. It shows up under 'Device Manager' as an 'other device' with a yellow question mark and exclamation point. Tried uninstall-reinstalling, updating driver, rolling back driver, and going to the mfg'r's site to look for a driver download....they only have drivers for Windows 98 SE.

This will be the second one of these now I've bought from Newegg.com, and returning it with shipping costs and trip to stupid post office will make me not want to buy from them or try another model, just get out altogether and forget the whole thing. Bite the bullet and swallow the lost....over $25 in shipping to and fro twice.

Plus, I'll never be sure if it's the hardware or my machine and OS files, so I'll be afraid to try any other HD external enclosure for fear of getting another big run-around and spend time and money shipping junk back and forth.

Obviously, after two turkeys, I am getting frustrated....

Back to the old cheap-o enclosure I originally started with, from HongKong off EBay, I find it is recognized and accepted by my PC and OS.....so it really can't be my E-machine or this internal 250 GB Western Digital HD that is the problem.

If you'd like to look at Newegg's spec page here is the link....http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16817716019

Thanks for your help all you guys, wish me luck...

-Scottportraits