USB Hard Drive Not recognized

If the device is still under warranty, I would send it back to Western Digital for repair or speak to their technical support department.

As a last resort, I would remove the hard drive from the case, and connect to a standard PC interface, this will give you an indication if the hard drive is defective, or if the USB elecrtronics have become faulty, I've had a few external USB devices, that I've recovered by removing the drives and putting in a new external USB case.

Hard Drive software you install is unlikely to help you diagnose the fault because it's USB, and needs direct access to the device.

If the data on the device is rerquired urgently, I would stop using the device and considered Data Recovery Specialist help.  e.g. http://www.krollontrack.co.uk/

I should have mentioned that I don't need any data off this HD, I just need it working again for temporary backups if possible.  Unfortunately, it is no longer under warranty.

I got the following results with the Data Lifeguard diagnostics after trying all options repeatedly:

1.  Quick Test: passed
2.  Extend Test: fail
3.  Write zeros: complete

The Extend Test found bad sectors but they couldn't be repaired.  

I guess the next step is to connect it to another computer for UBCD?  I got the case open (not so easy) and the got the HD out but I don't know what to do next.  Can you use short sentences and small words so I'll be sure to understand :-)?  I've never done anything like this before.  

On that note, if you think this will never be reliable again, it's time for me to go buy a new one!

Thoughts?

thanks,
darin

What type of interface has the hd, got sata or ide?

You'll need connect it to the SATA or IDE interface on the motherboard of a PC and run Western Digital vendor diagnostics, to check if the drive passes Smart Test, also a good idea as to whether it's working is if the PC recognises the disk.

If the Extended test can't do the repairs, it won't be reliable. You might be able to delete the old partition, create a new one and then format the drive, but for backups I'd not use that drive again. You need reliable media for backups. I'd use that drive for testing purposes only.

Also, from the results you got, the USB system is OK. It is the drive that is acting up.

The HD is WD3200AAJS WD Caviar SE with SATA (according to the WD website).  

I've got a Dell Optiplex desktop that I could connect it to but how do I find the interface on the motherboard?  

thanks,
darin

Dell has several different optiplex models. But the connection is probably next to the one your current HD is attached to.

But as I mentioned above, as the WD tool was able to diagnose the HD through windows, it is clear the USB part is OK, and the HD itself is bad. In my point of view there isn't much to gain by trying it connected directly in this situation.

does the motherboard have a sata connection?

you could disconnect the existing hard drive and reconnect in place?

rindi:  You metioned that I might be able to delete the old partition, create a new one and the reformat.  Can you tell me how to do that?

I was able to write zeros to the drive but the drive was not recognized by disk maanagement to format it.  I now have a really cool decoration and conversation piece for my coffee table.  

Thanks for all the help.

darin