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#1
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
How can I assign the Drive letter M to a newly connected (USB) external
hard drive? The external hard drive is presently showing up in the Device Manager as: - Acronis Devices Acronis True Image Backup Archive Explorer I tried to follow the following instructions: 1. In the System option in Control Panel, click the Device Manager tab. --This I was able to do. 2. In the hardware list, double-click the item that represents the removable device. Removable devices are typically found under CD-ROM or Disk Drives. --My device is reflected as depicted above. I was able to click the Acronis True Image Backup Archive Explorer entry. 3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Settings tab. --The Properties dialog box is not present...thus, this is where I am stopped. 4. In the Reserved Drive Letters list, select the last drive to be assigned to this device. Click OK. --The last letter assigned to this device was M. In the End Drive Letter, list, select the last drive to be assigned to this device. Click OK. --All of this I can't do. 5. To close the System Properties dialog box, click OK. --Can't do this one either. 6. When prompted, restart the computer. ----- I'm stuck again. I am now attempting to recover lost files from my earlier computer disaster. Here is where I am in this process: I have a formatted 120GB hard drive installed in my system. I have an external 120GB hard drive connected to my system via USB plug (peviously in my system as Drive M). On this hard drive is a backup copy of my system prior to my computer melt-down. I have a 30GB hard drive that is not presently in my system. This hard drive is the one created after my recent melt-down. Be assured that this hard drive is off in a safe place during this backup-restore process. I have a backup of my earlier system on an external USB connected 120GB hard drive. This backup was made with Acronis software. I also made several sets of backup restore disks (CD and floppies) for use when it became necessary to restore my system. I attempted to use the floppy disks, and both sets were faulty. I then attempted to use the CD. (By the way, for all who helped me with my recovery problems, the CD was found during the startup process.) The CD disk did work, but it did not find my external USB connected hard disk where the backup is stored. I next loaded a Image for DOS backup copy of my 30 GB - C Drive on to the 120GB internal drive. That worked without any problems. I then was notified during startup that a new device was found...the USB connected external hard drive. That is where I am at the moment. My plan, once a letter is assigned to the external hard drive, is to cut a new CD boot disk...hopefully, one that shows the USB connected external hard drive. I hope that all of this makes some sense, and I am again able to access my lost data. Thanks for any help sent my way. Frog |
#2
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
"Frog" wrote in message
... How can I assign the Drive letter M to a newly connected (USB) external hard drive? If all else fails, use TweakUI to disable drive letters (say) H I J K L N O P Q R S T leaving M as (next after all your other drives) the only vacant and available logical drive after reboot. (We assume your ext USB drive should be connected only after boot.) -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#3
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
Don Phillipson wrote:
"Frog" wrote in message ... How can I assign the Drive letter M to a newly connected (USB) external hard drive? If all else fails, use TweakUI to disable drive letters (say) H I J K L N O P Q R S T leaving M as (next after all your other drives) the only vacant and available logical drive after reboot. (We assume your ext USB drive should be connected only after boot.) Thanks for your help. Subsequent to receiving your message I did the following: 1. I removed: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer from the device manager. I initially, while the system was off, plugged the external hard drive into the USB port. I then started my computer. On start-up, the computer quickly flashed a small screen that said something to the effect that a new USB device was found. Next, another window appeared wanting to install a driver for this device. I clicked cancel on this window. I then made a visit to Device Manager and found the following: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer In no way am I able to find a way to identify this external drive as drive M. 2. I unplugged the external hard drive from the system--restarted the system--and then plugged the external hard drive into the system. The same two windows were observed during start-up (i.e., new hardware found and the one about finding a driver for the new hardware). I next made another visit to the device manager--the external hard drive could not be found. I did not do the TweakUI bit as I am not able to get close to assigning a drive letter to this external hard drive. Did I miss something in your instructions? Frog |
#4
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
"Frog" wrote in message
... Don Phillipson wrote: "Frog" wrote in message ... How can I assign the Drive letter M to a newly connected (USB) external hard drive? If all else fails, use TweakUI to disable drive letters (say) H I J K L N O P Q R S T leaving M as (next after all your other drives) the only vacant and available logical drive after reboot. Subsequent to receiving your message I did the following: [ snip ] I did not do the TweakUI bit as I am not able to get close to assigning a drive letter to this external hard drive. Did I miss something in your instructions? My advice concerned only TweakUI so you missed nothing because you did not use this tool. You may be making the task unnecessarily complicated. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#5
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
Comments inline.....
"Frog" wrote in message ... snip 1. I removed: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer from the device manager. I initially, while the system was off, plugged the external hard drive into the USB port. I then started my computer. On start-up, the computer quickly flashed a small screen that said something to the effect that a new USB device was found. Next, another window appeared wanting to install a driver for this device. I clicked cancel on this window. I then made a visit to Device Manager and found the following: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer In no way am I able to find a way to identify this external drive as drive M. Why would you expect to, from removing and reinstalling the Acronis Devices? The Acronis Devices Acronis True Image Backup Archive Explorer has nothing to do with your external USB hard drive.....it is a driver that allows you to mount an Acronis backup archive in Windows Explorer so you can view and extract individual files from the backup. On startup, when a new USB device was found and Windows wanted to install a driver, why did you click Cancel? It sounds like Windows is trying to install the driver for the USB hard drive. Have you installed the Win98 driver for the USB hard drive yet, from the CD that came with the drive or from a download from the manufacturer of the hard drive? 2. I unplugged the external hard drive from the system--restarted the system--and then plugged the external hard drive into the system. The same two windows were observed during start-up (i.e., new hardware found and the one about finding a driver for the new hardware). I next made another visit to the device manager--the external hard drive could not be found. Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+ http://dts-l.org/ http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm |
#6
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
"Frog" wrote in message ... | Don Phillipson wrote: | "Frog" wrote in message | ... | | How can I assign the Drive letter M to a newly connected (USB) external | hard drive? | | If all else fails, use TweakUI to disable drive letters | (say) H I J K L N O P Q R S T | leaving M as (next after all your other drives) the | only vacant and available logical drive after reboot. | (We assume your ext USB drive should be | connected only after boot.) | | Thanks for your help. | | Subsequent to receiving your message I did the following: | | 1. I removed: | - Acronis Devices | Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer | from the device manager. I initially, while the system was off, plugged | the external hard drive into the USB port. I then started my computer. | On start-up, the computer quickly flashed a small screen that said | something to the effect that a new USB device was found. Next, another | window appeared wanting to install a driver for this device. I clicked | cancel on this window. I then made a visit to Device Manager and found | the following: | - Acronis Devices | Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer | In no way am I able to find a way to identify this external drive as | drive M. | | 2. I unplugged the external hard drive from the system--restarted the | system--and then plugged the external hard drive into the system. The | same two windows were observed during start-up (i.e., new hardware found | and the one about finding a driver for the new hardware). I next made | another visit to the device manager--the external hard drive could not | be found. | | I did not do the TweakUI bit as I am not able to get close to | assigning a drive letter to this external hard drive. Did I miss | something in your instructions? | | Frog You should have allowed Device Manager/Find New Hardware to install the USB device, that would have been the base files necessary for access. Do you presently show anything listed under Universal Serial Bus Controllers? Without the hub and USB channel drivers, you will have no access. As an aside: I have been noticing an issue which I have apparently localized to installation of TweakUI regarding newer CDROM/DVD drives. On several computers in which the customer had installed Tweak, the drives eventually failed. The setting [NoDriveTypeAutoRun] modified in the registry {or some other} is apparently causing some type of conflict with the chip code, drive requirement, or something similar. I have no idea why it would, just that the same make and model drives are failing faster in systems in which TweakUI has been installed. -- MEB http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com ________ |
#7
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
Oops sorry Glen, should have waited for your response..
-- MEB http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com ________ |
#8
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
Glen,
I am totally confused at this point. Let me see if I can get this hard drive back on track with a drive letter. The external USB connected hard drive is a 120GB Western Digital hard drive (MDL: WD1200BB-23RDAO). This hard drive is mounted an a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 case. I have exchanged the 30GB internal hard drive with another 120GB Western Digital hard drive. I did this without installing any drivers, and it immediately found the 120GB hard drive with no problem. I am lost as to what to do next. As I said in an earlier message, I removed the Acronis entry from the Device Manager. How do I get this back? Secondly, I was in Safe Mode; and I found an entry as follows: -Human Interface Device---USB Human Interface Device. Should this stay or should it be removed? I believe it would be easier for me to remove that entry also and start over again. Is that the best road for me to take? As I remember the Acronis entry in normal Device Manager, it had an MS driver assigned to it. Sorry for my lack of knowledge at this point, but it is as it is..... Help! Frog glee wrote: Comments inline..... "Frog" wrote in message ... snip 1. I removed: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer from the device manager. I initially, while the system was off, plugged the external hard drive into the USB port. I then started my computer. On start-up, the computer quickly flashed a small screen that said something to the effect that a new USB device was found. Next, another window appeared wanting to install a driver for this device. I clicked cancel on this window. I then made a visit to Device Manager and found the following: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer In no way am I able to find a way to identify this external drive as drive M. Why would you expect to, from removing and reinstalling the Acronis Devices? The Acronis Devices Acronis True Image Backup Archive Explorer has nothing to do with your external USB hard drive.....it is a driver that allows you to mount an Acronis backup archive in Windows Explorer so you can view and extract individual files from the backup. On startup, when a new USB device was found and Windows wanted to install a driver, why did you click Cancel? It sounds like Windows is trying to install the driver for the USB hard drive. Have you installed the Win98 driver for the USB hard drive yet, from the CD that came with the drive or from a download from the manufacturer of the hard drive? 2. I unplugged the external hard drive from the system--restarted the system--and then plugged the external hard drive into the system. The same two windows were observed during start-up (i.e., new hardware found and the one about finding a driver for the new hardware). I next made another visit to the device manager--the external hard drive could not be found. Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+ http://dts-l.org/ http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm |
#9
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
Your external WD hard drive is installed into a USB 2.0 enclosure. That enclosure
should have Win98 drivers that need to be installed before you can recognise and use the enclosure in Win98. Those drivers should be on a CD that came with the enclosure, or else you can probably download them from the maker of the enclosure. Have you installed these drivers yet? What brand and model is the *enclosure*? -- Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+ http://dts-l.org/ http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm "Frog" wrote in message ... Glen, I am totally confused at this point. Let me see if I can get this hard drive back on track with a drive letter. The external USB connected hard drive is a 120GB Western Digital hard drive (MDL: WD1200BB-23RDAO). This hard drive is mounted an a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 case. I have exchanged the 30GB internal hard drive with another 120GB Western Digital hard drive. I did this without installing any drivers, and it immediately found the 120GB hard drive with no problem. I am lost as to what to do next. As I said in an earlier message, I removed the Acronis entry from the Device Manager. How do I get this back? Secondly, I was in Safe Mode; and I found an entry as follows: -Human Interface Device---USB Human Interface Device. Should this stay or should it be removed? I believe it would be easier for me to remove that entry also and start over again. Is that the best road for me to take? As I remember the Acronis entry in normal Device Manager, it had an MS driver assigned to it. Sorry for my lack of knowledge at this point, but it is as it is..... Help! Frog glee wrote: Comments inline..... "Frog" wrote in message ... snip 1. I removed: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer from the device manager. I initially, while the system was off, plugged the external hard drive into the USB port. I then started my computer. On start-up, the computer quickly flashed a small screen that said something to the effect that a new USB device was found. Next, another window appeared wanting to install a driver for this device. I clicked cancel on this window. I then made a visit to Device Manager and found the following: - Acronis Devices Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer In no way am I able to find a way to identify this external drive as drive M. Why would you expect to, from removing and reinstalling the Acronis Devices? The Acronis Devices Acronis True Image Backup Archive Explorer has nothing to do with your external USB hard drive.....it is a driver that allows you to mount an Acronis backup archive in Windows Explorer so you can view and extract individual files from the backup. On startup, when a new USB device was found and Windows wanted to install a driver, why did you click Cancel? It sounds like Windows is trying to install the driver for the USB hard drive. Have you installed the Win98 driver for the USB hard drive yet, from the CD that came with the drive or from a download from the manufacturer of the hard drive? 2. I unplugged the external hard drive from the system--restarted the system--and then plugged the external hard drive into the system. The same two windows were observed during start-up (i.e., new hardware found and the one about finding a driver for the new hardware). I next made another visit to the device manager--the external hard drive could not be found. Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+ http://dts-l.org/ http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm |
#10
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Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive
glee wrote:
Your external WD hard drive is installed into a USB 2.0 enclosure. Yes That enclosure should have Win98 drivers that need to be installed before you can recognise and use the enclosure in Win98. Those drivers should be on a CD that came with the enclosure, or else you can probably download them from the maker of the enclosure. Have you installed these drivers yet? No What brand and model is the *enclosure*? All I see on the exterior of the enclosure is-- Hi-Speed USB2.0 Model no: PHR-100A Macally USA Mace Group Inc. 15861 Tapia Street, Irwindale, CA 91706 email: website: www.macally.com I found the box that the enclosure was in at the store---and there was a disk titled Devices Drivers Manuals. Here is the list of drivers on this CD: Driver CD(V07.05) PHC-500B Drivers PI-022 PI-042UB PHC-500BC Drivers PI-019 PI-042 PHC-500BF PHR-100A Drivers PI-004 PI-036UB PHR-100AC Drivers PI-002 PI-010 PI-023 PI-036 PHR-100ACB PHR-100ACE Drivers PI-053 PHR-100AF PHR-250A Drivers PHR-250CC Drivers PI-017 PI-035 PI-062 PHR-250CE Drivers PI-050 PHR-250CU Drivers PI-017UB PI-035UB PHR-250OTH Drivers Each of the Drivers listed will open a manual. My only problem is I don't have any to open these manuals on my XP machine. I will open them tomorrow on my 98SE machine. Now with all of the above, what should I do first? I'm thinking of formatting the internal C drive first. Then, I will reinstall the C drive backup from my 30GB drive onto the 120GB internal drive. From that point on is where I get lost. Well, that is some progress toward my goal of recovering my lost data--I hope. Frog |
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