External Hard Drive

[DataGamingYT]

I recently got a hdd but i can't access the files of it. I tried to boot off of it to see if it had previously been a boot drive or a windows backup of some sort but there is no way that i can locate the drive on any of my computers.

Here is the drive https://www.ebay.com/itm/223948302869?hash=item34245bea15:g:XDAAAOSwrSpeb3WQ

It is not an exact replica as mine only has the usb type b mini port and the DC port.

Am I stupid and doing something wrong?

[SupaKomputa]

Stupid question but have you power it on with the dc port?

[DataGamingYT]

Yes.

[Radium_Angel]

15 minutes ago, DataGamingYT said:

I recently got a hdd but i can't access the files of it

Are you using Control Panel>Admin Tools>Computer Management>Disk Management, and seeing if it shows up there?

[legoyoda]

I'd do the following...

1. Power it on and listen to it... does it spin up (good), does it click(bad)

2. Ensure it shows up in Disk management.  If it doesnt it might be bad or  it might be in a strange format for Windows to look at). If it does show up then it might not have a drive letter assigned to it (or it's conflicting with a drive with same letter).  you can right click and add one. It may show up.  If it shows up but is full of crazy partitions that you dont understand you can delete them from here and re initialize it.

3. run a command prompt and used "diskpart" then "list volume" and "list disk" to see what comes up...

   a if it's in here (but not in disk manager) you can blat veything on it and start from scratch (READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON DISKPART YOU CAN EASILY KILL SYSTEM DRIVE FILESYSTEM WITH THIS UTILITY)

[DataGamingYT]

Ok, ill try that later as I am in school right now. Thanks for the help!

[DataGamingYT]

25 minutes ago, legoyoda said:

1. Power it on and listen to it... does it spin up (good), does it click(bad)

2. Ensure it shows up in Disk management.  If it doesnt it might be bad or  it might be in a strange format for Windows to look at). If it does show up then it might not have a drive letter assigned to it (or it's conflicting with a drive with same letter).  you can right click and add one. It may show up.  If it shows up but is full of crazy partitions that you dont understand you can delete them from here and re initialize it.

3. run a command prompt and used "diskpart" then "list volume" and "list disk" to see what comes up...

   a if it's in here (but not in disk manager) you can blat veything on it and start from scratch (READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON DISKPART YOU CAN EASILY KILL SYSTEM DRIVE FILESYSTEM WITH THIS UTILITY)

There is no spinning or click as if it is dead. As well diskpart does not see the drive.

[DataGamingYT]

I am beginning to think i have a dead drive. All of the ports are plugged in but it just wont work.

[DataGamingYT]

The main reason I am trying to use this device is for a makeshift home server along with my raspberry pi and an old thumb drive as well as a sd card.

[legoyoda]

I'm assuming this is a 3.5" drive... when you plug it in to power you should be able to hear it spin up (or even feel it if holding the drive). any power lights? at all? usually there is something to indicate it's getting power.

 

If the unit is on and getting power. dead drive... but you could go one step further and open the unit up and check if anything has come loose in shipping. (those external drives are usually just normal SATA drives in an enclosure... this would allow you to plug direct to a PC to see if it's the drive or the unit..

 

At this point depends how much time you've got.

[legoyoda]

One final thing.... the Type B mini port......if it's a type b that's not that REALLY strange type that looks like two connectors mashed together are you sure the cable is a fully wored one? I've had loads of instances where ive tri3ed to use micro B and the cable was wired for power only.... (i.e. was a phone charger cable).  FI youre using the cale that came with the drive.. it's not that....

 

[DataGamingYT]

4 hours ago, legoyoda said:

One final thing.... the Type B mini port......if it's a type b that's not that REALLY strange type that looks like two connectors mashed together are you sure the cable is a fully wored one? I've had loads of instances where ive tri3ed to use micro B and the cable was wired for power only.... (i.e. was a phone charger cable).  FI youre using the cale that came with the drive.. it's not that....

I am not sure what rou are talking about if you are talking about the fire wire or the eSata port then my model dosent have those port.

If you are talking about the micro typpe b then no its in one whole port.

[legoyoda]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. If the data cable you have is the plain old "Micro B" as shown below and it WASN'T a cable that came with the drive then there is a chance that this USB cable is not wired for data as it was common for cheap phones or other devices with batteries in them to supply cables ONLY wired for USB power.  I've had a few times when i've plugged in known working rives with a cable that didnt have data in it... it's annoying.  if it's the other two then you're back to "dead drive" I'm afraid ;(

[DataGamingYT]

2 hours ago, legoyoda said:

Sorry, I wasn't clear. If the data cable you have is the plain old "Micro B" as shown below and it WASN'T a cable that came with the drive then there is a chance that this USB cable is not wired for data as it was common for cheap phones or other devices with batteries in them to supply cables ONLY wired for USB power.  I've had a few times when i've plugged in known working rives with a cable that didnt have data in it... it's annoying. 

Your'e ok. Yes I can not find the usb that came with the drive so i resorted to using a cable i had lying around. Hopefully it is the cables that is the problem and not the drive. Do you know where i could find one of those cables?

[legoyoda]

Just Amazon.. easy to get

 

[DataGamingYT]

Thanks! 

[DataGamingYT]

Good News for who ever cares! I got a cord and the drive works! I am currently using it in a NAS.