Computer won't recognize portable hard drive

[Jdsmitty10]

Hello,
New to the forum.

I had an HP laptop running windows vista go dead on me which turns out it was probably the motherboard from what the symtoms are and what I read online.

I have a desktop running windows xp. In my research I found that I could get a SATA hard drive enclosure and access my laptop files on my desktop.

I bought an enclosure and installed the hard drive but when I plug it in to my desktop computer I cannot locate the drive anywhere.

I have checked in My computer and in disk management. Nothing in either area. I have tried on my work computer also an cannot get it to recognize the hard drive.

When plugged in the light comes on on the enclosure and I can hear the hard drive spinning but the computer doesn't even show that something was plugged in. I have tried multiple usb ports and both types of cables that came with the enclosure.

My questions are
1. Does it not showing up mean the hard drive is shot?
2. Is there any thing i can do to make my computer recognize the hard drive?


Any help is MUCH appreciated as there are ALOT of pictures of our little ones on that hard drive which I backed up with Norton but can't seem to access those back up files(if anyone has pointers on that that would be great too).

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Larisa]

You probably need to install HP drivers for SATA. Maybe this is the place to down load those drivers, Hp Drivers Download - Hp

Good Luck!

 

[Jake-]

Could just be a bust enclosure??

Or take of the side panel and connect the drive right to the sata port, with a power, then boot up.

you might need to use a drive recovery software as the drives main files could be damged and just need fixing

 

[Jdsmitty10]

Could just be a bust enclosure??

Or take of the side panel and connect the drive right to the sata port, with a power, then boot up.

you might need to use a drive recovery software as the drives main files could be damged and just need fixing

Is it possible to install a 2.5" laptop drive in my desktop?

 

[Jake-]

As long as your computer is also Sata should be fine, there may just not be a place to screw it in, but its only a temporary thing till you have transferred your data.

Just make sure your bios doesn't try to boot of the Drive.

 

[strollin]

My first thought is that you may have a defective enclosure. Do you have another drive you could try in it?

Yes, you can install a 2.5" drive in your desktop. If you only want to get the data from it just hook up the power and data cables and leave the drive hanging. If you want to mount it permanently then you will most likely need a mounting adapter that will allow you to install the 2.5" drive in a spot designed for a 3.5" drive.

 

[Jdsmitty10]

As long as your computer is also Sata should be fine, there may just not be a place to screw it in, but its only a temporary thing till you have transferred your data.

Just make sure your bios doesn't try to boot of the Drive.

How do I make sure my bios doesn't try to boot off of it?

---------- Post added at 10:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 AM ----------

My first thought is that you may have a defective enclosure. Do you have another drive you could try in it?

Yes, you can install a 2.5" drive in your desktop. If you only want to get the data from it just hook up the power and data cables and leave the drive hanging. If you want to mount it permanently then you will most likely need a mounting adapter that will allow you to install the 2.5" drive in a spot designed for a 3.5" drive.

Unfortunately I don't have another drive I could try. The enclosure is brand new but I did read somewhere they are all junk lol. Wonder what is easier, ordering another enclosure or tearing into my desktop? I will surely need to go buy the correct plug to plug it in right?

 

[Jake-]

As you Post, theres options to hit F1,F2,F3,F4 etc. Hit the button which says boot preference or similar. -it shouldn't be a problem, but i thought id mention it incase your PC didn't turn on and you worried

All you'll need is a Sata Cable, you should have a spare power port.

 

[Jdsmitty10]

As you Post, theres options to hit F1,F2,F3,F4 etc. Hit the button which says boot preference or similar. -it shouldn't be a problem, but i thought id mention it incase your PC didn't turn on and you worried

All you'll need is a Sata Cable, you should have a spare power port.

Do I just need a sata cable by looking at this pic?

 

[Jdsmitty10]

And is this where I would plug the sata cable? If so which port?