Why is my external HDD recognized on my netbook and not on my laptop?
Why is my external HDD recognized on my netbook and not on my laptop?
It happened today, after running ComboFix on my laptop (HP Compaq nx7300 Windows XP Pro SP3). There's a sound when I plug the external HDD in, and in the Window for Safely remove hardware, my external HDD is recognized. But it doesn't get displayed in My Computer menu, so there is no way to access it now. Properties (Safely remove hardware): "This device is working properly."
However, on my netbook it is displayed in My Computer.
Is there any way to access my external HDD on my laptop, other than through My Computer?
It is urgent that I can access it on my laptop and not only on my netbook
It happened today, after running ComboFix on my laptop (HP Compaq nx7300 Windows XP Pro SP3). There's a sound when I plug the external HDD in, and in the Window for Safely remove hardware, my external HDD is recognized. But it doesn't get displayed in My Computer menu, so there is no way to access it now. Properties (Safely remove hardware): "This device is working properly."
However, on my netbook it is displayed in My Computer.
Is there any way to access my external HDD on my laptop, other than through My Computer?
It is urgent that I can access it on my laptop and not only on my netbook
SOLUTION
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I'd also suggest to try the following:
1. Plug the drive back into your netbook and click the "Safely Remove Hardware" and disconnect the drive.
2. Plug the drive into your Laptop.
3. Restart you Laptop and see if it will show up now.
1. Plug the drive back into your netbook and click the "Safely Remove Hardware" and disconnect the drive.
2. Plug the drive into your Laptop.
3. Restart you Laptop and see if it will show up now.
Also you may want to have a look at this article: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic189726.html
You're not the only one that have problems when running combofix.
Perhaps if none of the above suggestions work, do a system restore a day before running combofix. Combofix disabling autoplay should not have made a difference, but there might be other setting that may have caused an issue with your USB drive letter recognition.
You're not the only one that have problems when running combofix.
Perhaps if none of the above suggestions work, do a system restore a day before running combofix. Combofix disabling autoplay should not have made a difference, but there might be other setting that may have caused an issue with your USB drive letter recognition.
ASKER
I changed drive letters for internal HDD to C: and D: and for DVD-drive to E: (before, DVD-drive had D: and internal HDD had E:). But there was nothing displayed about removable media, so in right-click My Computer/Managage my external HDD was not recognized.
But it is recognized in menu for Safely Remove Hardware, I can choose to remove it there.
But it is recognized in menu for Safely Remove Hardware, I can choose to remove it there.
ASKER
ydsonline,
It doesn't work with what you suggested, because earlier (before ComboFix) the main problem I already had with this external HDD was that immediately after booting up, I had to unplug and plug in again my external HDD and first after doing so it was recognized in My Computer.
But now, after ComboFix, it doesn't even work with unplug and plug in again, it does not get recognized in My Computer.
It doesn't work with what you suggested, because earlier (before ComboFix) the main problem I already had with this external HDD was that immediately after booting up, I had to unplug and plug in again my external HDD and first after doing so it was recognized in My Computer.
But now, after ComboFix, it doesn't even work with unplug and plug in again, it does not get recognized in My Computer.
Strange
This is a long shot!
Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services:
http://support.microsoft.com/mats/?DiagID=100001&EulaAccept=Yes
This is a long shot!
Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services:
http://support.microsoft.com/mats/?DiagID=100001&EulaAccept=Yes
What format is the drive?
Did you go into disk management when you went into manager?
Did you go into disk management when you went into manager?
Did you make a backup of your registry before using combofix, I'm thinking it deleted some registry entries. If so restore your registry, don't use combofix but use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (currently version 1.45) after the registry restore to remove the bad entries.
If not your looking at a doing a system restore or a fresh re-install of your computers OS.
If not your looking at a doing a system restore or a fresh re-install of your computers OS.
ASKER
Device Manager/Universal Serial Bus Controllers: My external HDD is recognized here, and reports that it functions properly.
I've rid of a rootkit now and several malwares, and the laptop works fine (except for this last thing with the external HDD).
I've already used Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and some other tools to remove the malware and rootkit on my laptop.
My laptop is not connected to any network, but it's a personal laptop so the drive letters assigned should be alright now.
optoma, I'll try your link for Automated Troubleshoot Service now. I did the manual Troubleshooting, but couldn't resolve it that way.
I've rid of a rootkit now and several malwares, and the laptop works fine (except for this last thing with the external HDD).
I've already used Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and some other tools to remove the malware and rootkit on my laptop.
My laptop is not connected to any network, but it's a personal laptop so the drive letters assigned should be alright now.
optoma, I'll try your link for Automated Troubleshoot Service now. I did the manual Troubleshooting, but couldn't resolve it that way.
ASKER
optoma,
When I tried to run the Automated Troubleshooting Service, I received this message:
"C:\Documents and Settings\My Name\My Documents\Mats_Run.dvd.exe
When I tried to run the Automated Troubleshooting Service, I received this message:
"C:\Documents and Settings\My Name\My Documents\Mats_Run.dvd.exe
ASKER
I disabled Eset Smart Security and Firewall but still get the message it's not a valid Win32 application
ASKER
http://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/7207-messed-up-external-hard-drive-icon.html
Do anyone of you think that if I delete the desktop.ini file from C:\WINDOWS\System32, this would resolve the problem (see the above link)?
Do anyone of you think that if I delete the desktop.ini file from C:\WINDOWS\System32, this would resolve the problem (see the above link)?
SOLUTION
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ASKER
It actually worked fine after I deleted the desktop.ini file from C:\WINDOWS\System32, now my external HDD is accessible again in My Computer window (although the icon is the wrong icon like before: a white sheet of paper with a folded upper-right corner and inside/on this "sheet" is an icon). Shouldn't I be able to change this icon somewhere in Device Manager?
Although everything seems fine now (except for the odd icon for external HDD), can this desktop.ini file affect other applications in any negative way? Or is it totally safe to completely and permanently remove the desktop.ini file from System32?
Although everything seems fine now (except for the odd icon for external HDD), can this desktop.ini file affect other applications in any negative way? Or is it totally safe to completely and permanently remove the desktop.ini file from System32?
You could try this:
Open regedit and goto:
1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
2. Under this key, you'll see a key "DriveIcons". Delete it and log off or restart your Windows.
3. It'll solve the problem and you'll get back default drive icons in My Computer.
resource from: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-fix-corrupt-drive-icons-in-my-computer/
Open regedit and goto:
1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
2. Under this key, you'll see a key "DriveIcons". Delete it and log off or restart your Windows.
3. It'll solve the problem and you'll get back default drive icons in My Computer.
resource from: http://www.askvg.com/how-to-fix-corrupt-drive-icons-in-my-computer/
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ydsonline,
in the key 'explorer' in regedit, I have these sub-keys:
(Default)
IconUnderline
Max Cached Icons
But there's no DriveIcons there. Should it have been?
in the key 'explorer' in regedit, I have these sub-keys:
(Default)
IconUnderline
Max Cached Icons
But there's no DriveIcons there. Should it have been?
ASKER
And there's no autorun-file in root-folder on my external HDD either
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ASKER
The shell in folder Drive was already set to 'none'.
I'll try later, when I find an icon, to use the autorun approach
I'll try later, when I find an icon, to use the autorun approach
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ydsonline,
I did as you instructed and checked 'Show hidden files and folders' and unchecked 'Hide unprotected operating system files'.
Then, on my external HDD, there was this autorun:
Autorun.inf (90 bytes)
Should I remove it temporarily?
I did as you instructed and checked 'Show hidden files and folders' and unchecked 'Hide unprotected operating system files'.
Then, on my external HDD, there was this autorun:
Autorun.inf (90 bytes)
Should I remove it temporarily?
Just rename it, remove your device and reconnect it. Alternitively you can open it and see if there is a line the specifies the ICON file that it is supposed to use.
ASKER
I run ComboFix a second time, and finally: my external HDD is both recognized and the icon is back at last!
It was the Autorun.inf file that was the one to blame: ComboFix deleted it on my external HDD, and then everything was back to normal
It was the Autorun.inf file that was the one to blame: ComboFix deleted it on my external HDD, and then everything was back to normal
Good!
Hows all behaving now?
Hows all behaving now?
ASKER
Deleting the Autorun-file from external HDD solved the problem
e.g. if the disk management assigned your ext. HDD as F: but you have network drive F: mapped, you may need to disconnect the network drive first.