help!! cannot access my drives & files on them to burn

[Sossity]

recently wanted to burn some files, but windows or my USB port is having trouble seeing my drive contents; the 1st time, I plugged my external hard drive in, windows did not see it at all, usually the auto play starts & a window pops up with options for me to choose, so I know it is being seen, but this did not happen. I then shut down my PC & restarted it, plugged in my drive, & this time got the auto play & options pop up window, & windows could see it but gradually it could not see all the folders on my drive, the drive & its letter shows up, but when I click to open its contents, there is nothing, & I have dozens of folders on it. I also kept getting a yellow triangle with an exclamation point in it on the task bar at the bottom. I right & left clicked the triangle multiple times to open a window to see what it was about, but it would just go away & then pop up again.

 

I have windows XP home edition, service pack 2, am working with iomega 250 GB external hard drives, & I plug them into the 2 usb ports at the front of my PC, the back is too difficult to reach & I need to be able to plug & unplug them. for one of the drives plugging & unplugging is the only way I can shut it down, to turn off, I have to unplug it first from the usb port & then press a button on its side to shut down, this would be awkward to do this if it were plugged into the PCs back usb ports.

 

up until this point all was ok, when I 1st got the drives there was no problem, & when I plug them in, I hear them start up like before, are my drives failing or is it the usb ports?

 

for now I have come to a stand still, I cannot access my files on my drives to burn

 

Sossity

Edited September 27, 2008 by Sossity

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Sounds like you're getting the 'delayed write' failure message if you've got a yellow triangle in the system tray.

 

Try a new cable. You might even find it's due to whatever is powering the external drive.

 

Can you undo the case and take the drive out? If so, do that and make it internal (outside of the case though), read the stuff off it and then return it / get a new one.

[Sossity]

Sounds like you're getting the 'delayed write' failure message if you've got a yellow triangle in the system tray.

 

Try a new cable. You might even find it's due to whatever is powering the external drive.

 

Can you undo the case and take the drive out? If so, do that and make it internal (outside of the case though), read the stuff off it and then return it / get a new one.

 

where would I get new cables? can one get new cables for external hard drives? are they universal?

 

 

I dont know how to do this, should i try plugging my drives into the PCs back USB ports? is the power cord bad? could it be the front usb ports? I have 3 iomegas, 2; 250 gbs & 1; 160 that I bought in 2004 & 2005. I find it a little odd that both of them would have failing power cords or some other failure at the same time, is it common? so I wonder if it is the usb port? I will try new power cables 1st.

 

if I get a new external hard drive, what brands models do you suggest? what are the most reliable & last the longest? I also prefer the type like my newer iomega where there is a switch on them like a light switch that can turn the drive on & off without having to unplug the drives usb cable from the usb port to shut down. Is it better to have an external drive plugged into a PCs back usb ports? or does it matter? the front ports are more convenient.

 

Sossity

Edited September 27, 2008 by Sossity

[LIGHTNING UK!]

New cable? Well isn't it just a normal USB one? If so, ebay it.

 

Try plugging the drives in everywhere you can... even into another machine!

 

I don't have any proper external drives so I don't know how the power works to those things but mine have a little separate PSU and then a 9 pin din type plug goes from that to the drive enclosure itself.

 

Get yourself an Icy-Dock (www.raidsonic.de) case to fit your needs (connection wise - i.e. usb, firewire, sata, esata) and then buy any old hdd to go in it.

 

As mentioned before, I'm sure you can probably unscrew your current external drives and get the hdd out. It'll only be a bog standard ide/sata one.

 

It doesn't matter where you plug it in, just remember that you more you unplug/plug, the worse the connection / port / lead gets. If you can leave it plugged in 24/7, do so.

Of course then if it's plugged in 24/7 you might as well just have an internal drive! lol

[Sossity]

New cable? Well isn't it just a normal USB one? If so, ebay it.

 

Try plugging the drives in everywhere you can... even into another machine!

 

I don't have any proper external drives so I don't know how the power works to those things but mine have a little separate PSU and then a 9 pin din type plug goes from that to the drive enclosure itself.

 

Get yourself an Icy-Dock (www.raidsonic.de) case to fit your needs (connection wise - i.e. usb, firewire, sata, esata) and then buy any old hdd to go in it.

 

As mentioned before, I'm sure you can probably unscrew your current external drives and get the hdd out. It'll only be a bog standard ide/sata one.

 

It doesn't matter where you plug it in, just remember that you more you unplug/plug, the worse the connection / port / lead gets. If you can leave it plugged in 24/7, do so.

Of course then if it's plugged in 24/7 you might as well just have an internal drive! lol

 

 

my drives have 1 cable that goes from them to a power outlet or this their AC power cord, & then the other cable is a sub cable, should I try getting a new usb cable? so you think getting a new enclosure would help?

 

if I buy a whole new external hard drive what brands models do you think are the best?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I doubt it would be the actual power cable, more so the power supply.

 

If the power supply is internal then you're a bit stuck.

 

Yes you could try a different USB cable - along with trying different USB ports on your PC and even a different PC altogether.

 

If you really must buy a new one and don't fancy doing what I said above (buying an Icy-Dock enclosure and the hdd of your choice), get one by Western Digital or Seagate - because they actually make their own hdds!

[Handler]

Anything Iomega should be taken with great apprehension. Particularly after the Click-Of-Death issue and the way the company handled the situation.

 

Normally you would power off the external enclosure first, after Windows signals, then unplug the USB cable. But just as important, make sure all activity has stopped.

 

A replacement cable would usually consist of a USB v2.0 Type-A Male to Type-B Male. Only you know for sure. USB cables are quite common.

 

Typically the front USB ports are connected to the motherboard with a cable no more than 2 feet in length. Compared to the rear USB ports which are usually attached directly to the motherboard. Normally, there should be no difference between the two sets, but if you are constantly plugging and unplugging USB devices either can start to wear out. That's why it's important to try a different USB port.

 

For that matter, that hard drive inside that enclosure should have been pulled out of there by now and tested on an empty or temporarily made empty, IDE controller inside your PC. It's a waste of time otherwise if it turns out the hard drive is dying or dead. If you see everything, then that would be a good time to make a backup, just in case.

 

If you're looking for a new external enclosure and hard drive, I've had very good results with the Venus DS3 and 750GB Westerns. YMMV. They need to be purchased separately, but installation of the hard drive is very easy. The enclosure allows for you to set the correct physical separation between the IDE interface and the power connector as not all hard drives have the same spacing.

 

Good luck.

[Sossity]

I doubt it would be the actual power cable, more so the power supply.

 

If the power supply is internal then you're a bit stuck.

 

Yes you could try a different USB cable - along with trying different USB ports on your PC and even a different PC altogether.

 

If you really must buy a new one and don't fancy doing what I said above (buying an Icy-Dock enclosure and the hdd of your choice), get one by Western Digital or Seagate - because they actually make their own hdds!

 

actually from reading these newest replies, I think I probably would be better off getting a whole new Hdd & enclosure after all, I am starting to get nervous, at the possibility of hard drive failure, I tried plugging my drive into the back usb ports & this seemed to work better for now, maybe I will get a new one & quickly move all my stuff off my iomega while it is working & before something goes terribly wrong. I dont like its power down method anyhow, it turns on automatically upon plugging into the usb port, but to turn it off I have to unplug the usb cable before pushing its little button to shut down, this makes it inevitable that a usb port will become problematic from all the plugging & unplugging.

 

does hdd stand for hard drive? if I get my own hard drive with the icy dock, what model/ type of icy dock should I get? where is a good reputable American place to get a seagate or western digital hdd from? I am looking for one in the 500 GB- 1 terabyte range. For the enclosure, I would like an aluminum one, with a cooling fan, have read this is better than plastic, & an enclosure that has a switch that can turn it on & off so I can leave its usb cable plugged into the usb port.This will be an external hard drive to store movie & photo files. It will be hooked to a windows XP PC but will probably be moved to a windows vista machine, so I need it to be compatible. I have looked online at alot of enclosures & it is a little confusing, interface, hookups etc, it would be nice to be able to hook up a camcorder directly to it, or firewire.

 

I am a total novice when it comes to moving & placing computer hard ware, only know how to use a computer & a little software, I have no idea of how to put my own hard drive together, if I get my hdd & enclosure, will there be any clear instructions on how to do it? of what part goes where?

 

 

thanks so far for the help

 

Sossity

Edited September 28, 2008 by Sossity

[Sossity]

Anything Iomega should be taken with great apprehension. Particularly after the Click-Of-Death issue and the way the company handled the situation.

 

Normally you would power off the external enclosure first, after Windows signals, then unplug the USB cable. But just as important, make sure all activity has stopped.

 

A replacement cable would usually consist of a USB v2.0 Type-A Male to Type-B Male. Only you know for sure. USB cables are quite common.

 

Typically the front USB ports are connected to the motherboard with a cable no more than 2 feet in length. Compared to the rear USB ports which are usually attached directly to the motherboard. Normally, there should be no difference between the two sets, but if you are constantly plugging and unplugging USB devices either can start to wear out. That's why it's important to try a different USB port.

 

For that matter, that hard drive inside that enclosure should have been pulled out of there by now and tested on an empty or temporarily made empty, IDE controller inside your PC. It's a waste of time otherwise if it turns out the hard drive is dying or dead. If you see everything, then that would be a good time to make a backup, just in case.

 

If you're looking for a new external enclosure and hard drive, I've had very good results with the Venus DS3 and 750GB Westerns. YMMV. They need to be purchased separately, but installation of the hard drive is very easy. The enclosure allows for you to set the correct physical separation between the IDE interface and the power connector as not all hard drives have the same spacing.

 

Good luck.

 

I think I will have to get a new hard drive to play it safe & copy all my stuff off my iomega while it is still working with the back usb ports that I have just tried, just as I stated in a previous post am getting nervous about what is being said of my iomega & of iomega in general.

 

do you know of a good reputable place to get a Western hdd? & the Venus DS3? how does one put these together, have no experience in working with computer hardware. I looked up the DS3 & there is more than one model of this, with different interfaces & hook ups, would like to be able to hook a camcorder to it or firewire.

 

I will be using this drive for movie & photo files, with a windows XP machine but when & if I get my own PC, it will be moved to a windows vista machine, so I need it to be compatable.

 

thanks for the input

 

Sossity

Edited September 28, 2008 by Sossity

[Handler]

I think I will have to get a new hard drive to play it safe & copy all my stuff off my iomega while it is still working with the back usb ports that I have just tried, just as I stated in a previous post am getting nervous about what is being said of my iomega & of iomega in general.

Please don't take my word for it. I recommend that you use Google to get other opinions about Iomega products.

 

do you know of a good reputable place to get a Western hdd? & the Venus DS3?

I do most of my tech purchases at NewEgg.

 

how does one put these together, have no experience in working with computer hardware.

All you have to do is loosen the two screws on the back of the DS3 and pull out the insert from the case. Place the hard drive on top of the insert so that both interfaces are facing each other. If it looks like it's going to bind when they slide together, loosen the screw in the hole of the power connector, adjust the power connector slightly, tighten the power connector screw and then push the two interfaces together. Make sure that they don't go together crooked and that they are firmly seated to one another.

 

While holding the insert and the hard drive together tight like a sandwich, carefully flip it over and align the two holes on each edge of the hard drive with the four holes in the insert. With the provided screws, screw the hard drive to the insert. Make sure not to cross thread or over tighten the screws. Flip the insert over and slide it back into the case and tighten the two screws on the back. Again, making sure not to cross thread or over tighten the screws. The last thing to do is make sure the power switch on the back is in the off position and you're done with assembly.

 

Plug the power supply into an available AC socket, plug the other end into the back of the DS3. Connect one end of the USB cable to the back of the DS3 and the other into an available USB port on the computer. With windows booted, flip the power switch on the back of the DS3. After a few moments the new hardware will be recognized. Go to Computer Management and do a Full format, then create a primary drive with a single partition[1]. When that completes and if I haven't forgotten anything, you should be ready to Rock-n-Roll.

 

If you leave the USB cable connected, as well as the in-line power supply connected, all you have to do is flip the power switch on the back and within moments the drive is available. When you're finished with it, flip the power switch back to off and it goes away. Each signaled with a mount and unmount system chime (respectively). If you want you can also assign a permanent drive letter so that each time the hard drive is mounted it will always be the same letter.

 

[1] For the purists out there who might be reading this, yes I know that technically it's not a single partition, but I found often it's easier to explain it as a single partition.

 

I looked up the DS3 & there is more than one model of this, with different interfaces & hook ups, would like to be able to hook a camcorder to it or firewire.

The ones I have can be found HERE, although if you want one with USB and Firewire then you would probably want this one HERE.

 

I can't answer the camcorder question.

 

I'd also like to add that the ones I have work great. They were purchased at different times and I haven't noticed any production issues. Having said that, it's best to always be prepared and I recommend that you read the reviews before making any decisions one way or the other.

 

I will be using this drive for movie & photo files, with a windows XP machine but when & if I get my own PC, it will be moved to a windows vista machine, so I need it to be compatable.

USB is USB, even for Vista.

 

thanks for the input

You're welcome and good luck.

Edited September 29, 2008 by Handler

[Sossity]

I think I will have to get a new hard drive to play it safe & copy all my stuff off my iomega while it is still working with the back usb ports that I have just tried, just as I stated in a previous post am getting nervous about what is being said of my iomega & of iomega in general.

Please don't take my word for it. I recommend that you use Google to get other opinions about Iomega products.

 

do you know of a good reputable place to get a Western hdd? & the Venus DS3?

I do most of my tech purchases at NewEgg.

 

how does one put these together, have no experience in working with computer hardware.

All you have to do is loosen the two screws on the back of the DS3 and pull out the insert from the case. Place the hard drive on top of the insert so that both interfaces are facing each other. If it looks like it's going to bind when they slide together, loosen the screw in the hole of the power connector, adjust the power connector slightly, tighten the power connector screw and then push the two interfaces together. Make sure that they don't go together crooked and that they are firmly seated to one another.

 

While holding the insert and the hard drive together tight like a sandwich, carefully flip it over and align the two holes on each edge of the hard drive with the four holes in the insert. With the provided screws, screw the hard drive to the insert. Make sure not to cross thread or over tighten the screws. Flip the insert over and slide it back into the case and tighten the two screws on the back. Again, making sure not to cross thread or over tighten the screws. The last thing to do is make sure the power switch on the back is in the off position and you're done with assembly.

 

Plug the power supply into an available AC socket, plug the other end into the back of the DS3. Connect one end of the USB cable to the back of the DS3 and the other into an available USB port on the computer. With windows booted, flip the power switch on the back of the DS3. After a few moments the new hardware will be recognized. Go to Computer Management and do a Full format, then create a primary drive with a single partition[1]. When that completes and if I haven't forgotten anything, you should be ready to Rock-n-Roll.

 

If you leave the USB cable connected, as well as the in-line power supply connected, all you have to do is flip the power switch on the back and within moments the drive is available. When you're finished with it, flip the power switch back to off and it goes away. Each signaled with a mount and unmount system chime (respectively). If you want you can also assign a permanent drive letter so that each time the hard drive is mounted it will always be the same letter.

 

[1] For the purists out there who might be reading this, yes I know that technically it's not a single partition, but I found often it's easier to explain it as a single partition.

 

I looked up the DS3 & there is more than one model of this, with different interfaces & hook ups, would like to be able to hook a camcorder to it or firewire.

The ones I have can be found HERE, although if you want one with USB and Firewire then you would probably want this one HERE.

 

I can't answer the camcorder question.

 

I'd also like to add that the ones I have work great. They were purchased at different times and I haven't noticed any production issues. Having said that, it's best to always be prepared and I recommend that you read the reviews before making any decisions one way or the other.

 

I will be using this drive for movie & photo files, with a windows XP machine but when & if I get my own PC, it will be moved to a windows vista machine, so I need it to be compatable.

USB is USB, even for Vista.

 

thanks for the input

You're welcome and good luck.

 

 

I found some hard drives, seagate ones at 1 tb on e-bay, is this a good/safe place to get stuff like this? they are from a seller that rates at 100% positive, they said they had bought too many, some are sealed & some appear to be just the drive, they show as new with 5 yr warrenty

 

I clikcked on the link for the enclosure & a picture pooped up & in it it showed a cd rom that comes with it & it only goes up to XP I dont see vista, will the enclosure work with vista?

 

Sossity

Edited September 29, 2008 by Sossity

[LOCOENG]

Be careful buying tech stuff from ebay...I would suggest NewEgg as did Handler

[Handler]

I found some hard drives, seagate ones at 1 tb on e-bay, is this a good/safe place to get stuff like this?

The actual DS3 external enclosure specs say drive "capacities up to 750GB". I don't know what would happen if you stuck a 1TB drive in there, but if you decide to proceed then let us know how it went.

 

With the exception of a couple brick and mortar stores, I do most of my tech purchases at NewEgg. It's not as if I haven't heard of eBay, that should tell you something.

 

Attempting to be topical, like Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim discs these days there are only two brands of hard drives I would consider purchasing, Seagate and Western Digital. The last time I was looking for a new hard drive I did consider Seagate, but at the end I went with another Western Digital drive. My main reason for staying with Western Digital was tradition. I've always used Western Digitals in all my PCs and I know they work. IMO, stay away from Maxtor.

 

they are from a seller that rates at 100% positive, they said they had bought too many, some are sealed & some appear to be just the drive, they show as new with 5 yr warrenty

This reminds me, because you would be placing the drive inside a DS3 you do not need to purchase a retail box, a static bagged OEM will work fine and you can save a few dollars.

 

I clikcked on the link for the enclosure & a picture pooped up & in it it showed a cd rom that comes with it & it only goes up to XP I dont see vista, will the enclosure work with vista?

I hate when pictures poop up.

 

Seriously, you don't need the USB 2.0 driver disc since USB support is already built into WinME and above. The disc is provided by a third party company so that USB 2.0 drivers can be installed on Win98se.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Icy-Dock ones work fine with 1TB drives, that's what I run in mine.

[Sossity]

Icy-Dock ones work fine with 1TB drives, that's what I run in mine.

 

 

I am considering buying an OEM bare drive; a sata seagate barracuda 1 tb drive, I have already bought an enclosure, with sata internal interface, will I need any extra cables to go with my hard drive? because it is just the drive & nothing else, will the enclosure have enough of its own cables/hookups to just install the drive into it? if I need extra cables what should I get?

 

is amazon a good place to get a hard drive? i have read 2 reviews that said for the drive I am looking at was not packaged properly. What about Zip Zoom Fly?

 

Sossity

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I would think most sata enclosures don't have any cables in them now, the connector is fixed to the PCB and the drive just slots straight onto it.