[Alex_McIntosh]

I have a Freecom External 500GB HDD which worked perfectly fine, it runs from a plug and plugs into my USB socket, i have had it now for about 5 months, it has worked perfect, nothing wrong.

THEN i tried moving over a 10GB folder to free space on my laptop (Acer Aspire 5715Z) and in order to do that i had to "Format" or "Partition" not sure, but i changed the filetype using the Command line, found this on a tutorial online.

Couple of days later and i cant get it to work, it just isnt recognized and if i go on disk managment and right click the drive and try to initialize it it tells me "The device is not ready"

What has happend? The data on here is extremly important, can someone please help me?

Additional Notes
Tried on Mum laptop (Toshiba), same problem.
Tried 3 USB sockets on mine, all dont work.

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in order to do that i had to "Format" or "Partition" not sure

This is important to know!!

changed the filetype using the Command line, found this on a tutorial online

supply the link to this.

[isimaster]

in order to do that i had to "Format" or "Partition" not sure

This is important to know!!

changed the filetype using the Command line, found this on a tutorial online

supply the link to this.

[Alex_McIntosh]

I went on the command line and it changed it from FAT or FAT32 to NFTS

Cant find the site sorry, and it wasn't a partition

[isimaster]

I'm having trouble understanding why, you were doing what you were doing.

in order to do that i had to "Format" or "Partition" not sure, but i changed the filetype using the Command line

Unless you mean, you had to FORMAT a PARTITION. Hopefully it was an unallocated partition.
Changing a file type, changes which program is assigned to it. example: .txt changed to .doc.; .txt opens with notepad, .doc opens with MS Word.

Lets try this, plug in your USB drive, go to disk managment.
Take a snapshot send with your next reply

[Alex_McIntosh]

My friend has took it home with him and he reckons he can do it. Thank you so much for the help so far, ill get back to you with mroe info with the next couple of days though so you might be able to help someone else and understand my problem better lol

[Alex_McIntosh]

But yeah, thanks so much so far

[Alex_McIntosh]

Screen shot below

As you can see the "Disk 1" is there and i guess thats the drive since that is the one that shows up when i plug the device in.

The error on the left appears after i right click and i try to "Initialize" but, the drive has been noticed because you can see bottom right the remove device safely window and its it the only USB device plugged in.

But, it dont show up.

My friend gave it back to me today and it worked as soon as i got it, but i unplugged it, packed it away and 20 mins later when i try to use it it wont work again.

He said all he did plug it into his and it worked.... After him taking it apart and finding nothing wrong.

Attached Thumbnails

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[isimaster]

Try this test.
Important, Use the exact same port for steps 1 & 2.
1. Plug your USB drive into a port let it fail. unplug.
2. Plug a USB stick. (flash drive) into the same port.

If your USB stick works. Your USB hard drive is flakey or it may be the USB cable to your hard drive.
If your USB stick fails, That USB port may be flakey.

3. Plug the USB stick in the other ports.
If all USB (with stick installed) fail, it's your USB system.

Edited by isimaster, 17 March 2009 - 07:56 AM.

[Alex_McIntosh]

Okay, my friend reckons hes fixed it and it was an internal fault like a wire or sumin...

ill get back to you soon though with the final verdict

Thanks so far mate

[isimaster]

You're most Welcome!

[Alex_McIntosh]

Turns out it was the hardware. it had disconnected from the inside :S its all better now thanks for the help.