unrecognised external HD

hi!
My lap top got broken so I had to take my old one with a Win 98 ed. again.
By secure mesure I used to save all datas on an external USB Hard drive,
but on my old PC I can't access the HD, otherwise my usb keys, or my usb
mouse are detected. I tried to find any drivers on the firm website:
unsuccessful..
Could you please give me an actual solution plzzzzzz?
Thank you.

What make/model is the external HD?

--

Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"Kiff" wrote in message
...
hi!
My lap top got broken so I had to take my old one with a Win 98 ed. again.
By secure mesure I used to save all datas on an external USB Hard drive,
but on my old PC I can't access the HD, otherwise my usb keys, or my usb
mouse are detected. I tried to find any drivers on the firm website:
unsuccessful..
Could you please give me an actual solution plzzzzzz?
Thank you.

make:Western Digital
MDL:WD1200B014
You think to be able to help me?

What version Windows 98 are you using, Original or Second Edition?
(Right-click My Computer, then Properties. What is the version number shown
there? 4.10.1998 or 4.10.2222?) Also, does this machine have USB2? Look in
Device Manager under USB section. Anything about "Enhanced Controller"?

If you don't have USB2 capability, that external drive isn't likely to work.
For USB2, you need both the correct hardware *and* Windows 98 Second
Edition. You also need to know the date of manufacture, as the Win98SE
drivers are different before and after August 19, 2005 (date of manufacture,
not date of sale.) See:
http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?cxml=n

If all you have is USB 1.1, and you have Win98 Second Edition, the thing
*might* work for you, but if you have Win98 Original, then I'm betting the
drivers won't install. You can try, using the download indicated for Win98
Second Edition (and paying attention to manufacture date), but I'm betting
it won't install. Even then, it's my experience that external HDs on USB 1.1
are so slow that data gets corrupted and/or scandisk *thinks* the disk is
corrupt, which is just as bad. Whatever you do DO NOT let Scandisk touch an
external HD.

Last, but definitely not least, how did you format the drive before? In
FAT32 or in NTFS? If the latter, even if you get Win98SE to see the HD, it
won't recognize the partitioning. There might be ways around this if the
computer is new enough to have native USB2, but otherwise, no dice.

--

Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"Kiff" wrote in message
...
make:Western Digital
MDL:WD1200B014
You think to be able to help me?

it's a 4.10.1998 version. The USB port goes thru a PCMCIA card...
So you think it's dead with the USB 2.0...
.... fed up with these things but I really thank you for all...

With that machine and that version of Windows...

All I can say is to try the Win98SE installer from the page I gave you. If
it installs, maybe you have a chance. Otherwise, I think you're SOL. And
even if that package does install, at those speeds I'd worry about the
integrity of the data. Sorry for the sad news.

The machine that's broken... What's broken? can it be repaired?

--

Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"Kiff" wrote in message
...
it's a 4.10.1998 version. The USB port goes thru a PCMCIA card...
So you think it's dead with the USB 2.0...
... fed up with these things but I really thank you for all...