Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frog
  • Start date Start date
F

Frog

Guest
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
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

"Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
news:OxU6cIt$HHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> 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)
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

Don Phillipson wrote:
> "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
> news:OxU6cIt$HHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
>> 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
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

"Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
news:e0%23seyu$HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Don Phillipson wrote:
> > "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
> > news:OxU6cIt$HHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> >
> >> 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)
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

Comments inline.....

"Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
news:e0%23seyu$HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> 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
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive



"Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
news:e0%23seyu$HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
| Don Phillipson wrote:
| > "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
| > news:OxU6cIt$HHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| >
| >> 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
________
 
Re: 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" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
> news:e0%23seyu$HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> 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
>
 
Re: 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" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
news:OuRsusx$HHA.5652@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Glen,
>
> I am totally confused at this point. Let me see if I can get this hard drive
> back on track with a drive letter. The external USB connected hard drive is a
> 120GB Western Digital hard drive (MDL: WD1200BB-23RDAO). This hard drive is
> mounted an a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 case. I have exchanged the 30GB internal hard drive
> with another 120GB Western Digital hard drive. I did this without installing any
> drivers, and it immediately found the 120GB hard drive with no problem. I am lost
> as to what to do next. As I said in an earlier message, I removed the Acronis
> entry from the Device Manager. How do I get this back? Secondly, I was in Safe
> Mode; and I found an entry as follows: -Human Interface Device---USB Human
> Interface Device. Should this stay or should it be removed? I believe it would
> be easier for me to remove that entry also and start over again. Is that the best
> road for me to take? As I remember the Acronis entry in normal Device Manager, it
> had an MS driver assigned to it.
>
> Sorry for my lack of knowledge at this point, but it is as it is.....
>
> Help!
> Frog
> glee wrote:
>> Comments inline.....
>>
>> "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
>> news:e0%23seyu$HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> 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
>>
 
Re: 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: sales@macally.com
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
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

"Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message news:eqybb4y$HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> 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

You need to install them.

>>
>> 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: sales@macally.com
> 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:
<snipped>
> 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.

You mat not have the app to open them on 98 either unless it's on the CD.
From macally support:
http://www.macally.com/EN/Techsupport/
<quote>
Note:
All drivers are in hqx format and you'll need Stuffit Expander 5.5 or above for
decompress and decode all the files.
To view the manuals, you'll need Adobe Acrobat reader 4.0.

Macally Input Manager ver1.0 driver for Bluetooth Mouse BTMouse, Btmini and MTMicro
in Mac 10.4 and above.

*Please make sure to delete the old drivers before installing a new one.
</quote>

>
> 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.

If you have a true image created by ATI you don't have to reformat. Restoring the
image will overwrite everything on the disk.
Question: If you have the backup image on the 30GB drive, why are you messing with
the external drive for now until after you get the system back in order?




--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

"MEB" <meb@not here@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uX0wESx$HHA.3716@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> 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.

It seems surprising that a Registry setting could cause
either ROM coded chips to malfunction or IDE to fail.
Can you be more specific?

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
 
Re: 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. 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?

Yes. I, however, haven't gotten to my lost files yet. I now have the
Acronis driver for PHR-100A/Drivers/PI-036 installed for this device. I
also know that I am unable to get a drive letter assigned to this
device. The following quote is from the manual for the external hard
drive device:

Quote
Note: If you don't see the new drive letter added in My Computer after
driver is loaded properly, the reason could be the hard disk has no
partition and format yet, please partition and format the drive in the
enclosure before using it.
Unquote

I know I can't take the actions they suggest--the files would be lost.
Are there any other possible steps I can take to assign a drive letter
to this device?


Here is what I am seeing on my system:

Device Manager

1.
- Acronis Devices
Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer

The General tab under properties for this entry is as follows:

Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer
Device type: Acronis Devices
Manufacturer: Acronis
Hardware version: Not Available
Device Status: This device is working properly.
Device Usage:
(Not Checked) Disable in the hardware profile.
(Not Checked) Remove from this hardware profile.

The Driver tab under properties for this entry is as follows:

Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer
Provider: Acronis
Date: 9-21-2007
To view details about the driver files loaded for this device, click
Driver File Details. To update the driver files for this device, click
Update Driver.

The Driver File Details are as follows:

Acronis TrueImage Backup Archive Explorer
Driver files:
---C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\timntr.pdr
|
---C:\wINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32\IOS.VXD
Provider: Acronis
File version: 1.1 build 111
Copyright: Copyright (c) Acronis 2000-2002

2.
- Disk drives
GENERIC IDE DISK TYPE47
GENERIC NEC FLOPPY DISK
IOMEGA ZIP 100
WDCWD12 00JB-00REAO

The General tab under properties for WDCWD12 00JB-00REAO is as follows:

WDCWD12 00JB-00REAO
Device type: Disk drives
Manufacturer: (Standard disk drives)
Hardware version: Not available
Device status: This device is working properly.

The Settings tab under properties for this entry is as follows:

WDCWD12 00JB-00REAO
Target ID: 0
Frameware revision: 0000
Logical unit number: 0
Options
(Checked) Disconnect
(Not checked) Removable
(Checked) Sync data transfer
(Checked) Int 13 unit
(Grayed out) Auto insert notification
Current (Grayed out) Drive letter assignment
(Grayed out) Reserved drive letters:
(Grayed out) Start drive letter
(Grayed out) End drive letter

The Driver tab under properties for this entry is as follows:

WDCWD12 00JB-00REAO
Provider: (Standard disk drives)
Date: 4-23-1999
No driver files are required or have been loaded for this device. To
update the driver files for this device, click Update Driver.

3. (Found in Safe Mode only.)
- Human Interface Device
USB Human Interface Device

The General tab under properties for this entry is as follows:

USB Human Interface Device
Device type: Human Interface Device
Manufacturer: (Standard device)
Hardware version: Not Available
Device status: Status is not available when Windows is running in Safe Mode.
Device usage:
(Not checked) Disable in this hardware profile.
(Checked) Exists in all hardware profiles.

The Driver tab under properties for this entry is as follows:

Provider: Microsoft
Date: 4-23-1999
To view details about the driver files loaded for this device, click
Driver File Details. To update the driver files for this device, click
Update Driver.

Driver-File details:
Unknown Device
Driver files:
--C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\hidusb.sys
|
--C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32.VXD (ntkern.vxd)
|
--C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\HIDPARSE.SYS
|
--C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\HIDCLASS.SYS
Provider: Microsoft Corporation
File version: 4.10.222
Copyright: Copyright (c) Microsoft Corp. 1981-1999













>
> What brand and model is the *enclosure*?


I hope someone can help me figure this dilemma out.

Frog
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

MEB wrote:
> "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
> news:e0%23seyu$HHA.1168@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> | Don Phillipson wrote:
> | > "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
> | > news:OxU6cIt$HHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> | >
> | >> 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.

I believe there may be some duplicates in my Universal Serial Bus
Controllers list. Nevertheless, here is the list:

Universal Serial Bus controllers
Generic USB Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Root Hub
USB Storage Adapter AT2 (TPP)
VIA Tech 3088 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
VIA Tech 3088 PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
>
> 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.
>

I have TweakUI on my system, however, it has only been used once or twice.
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

Thanks for you help once again...I'm starting to wonder if I will ever
find the end of this melt-down happening.

Brian A. wrote:
> "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
> news:eqybb4y$HHA.4880@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> 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
>
> You need to install them.

Drivers are now installed--see my message replying to Glen in this
thread. Thanks.
>
>>>
>>> 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: sales@macally.com
>> 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:
> <snipped>
>> 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.
>
> You mat not have the app to open them on 98 either unless it's on the CD.
> From macally support:
> http://www.macally.com/EN/Techsupport/
> <quote>
> Note:
> All drivers are in hqx format and you'll need Stuffit Expander 5.5 or
> above for decompress and decode all the files.
> To view the manuals, you'll need Adobe Acrobat reader 4.0.

I was able to open the manuals today with Adobe Acrobat on my Win98SE
computer.
>
> Macally Input Manager ver1.0 driver for Bluetooth Mouse BTMouse, Btmini
> and MTMicro in Mac 10.4 and above.
>
> *Please make sure to delete the old drivers before installing a new one.
> </quote>
>
>>
>> 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.
>
> If you have a true image created by ATI you don't have to reformat.
> Restoring the image will overwrite everything on the disk.
> Question: If you have the backup image on the 30GB drive, why are you
> messing with the external drive for now until after you get the system
> back in order?

I attempted, I think, to do as you suggested. The internal 120GB hard
drive was formatted soon after my melt-down occurred. Thus, I thought I
could simply put the Acronis startup disk in the CD drive and read the
backup off of the external 120GB USB connected drive back to the
formatted internal hard drive. That did not work because it could not
find the external hard drive (no drive letter was assigned to the
external device). Thus, I was attempting to have a drive letter
assigned to the external hard drive. The reason for messing with the
external hard drive when I have a backup image of the 30GB hard drive is
simple, the backup of the 30GB hard drive was originally made over a
year ago and it does not include all of my files. The backup on the
external hard drive was made a week or two before my melt-down occurred.
Hope this makes sense...I just want to gain access to my genealogy
files, photos, and other recent data files.
>
>
>
>

Frog
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive


"Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message news:%23E3s4y5$HHA.1184@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> glee wrote:
>> 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?
>
> Yes. I, however, haven't gotten to my lost files yet. I now have the
> Acronis driver for PHR-100A/Drivers/PI-036 installed for this device. I also know that I am unable to get a drive letter assigned
> to this device. The following quote is from the manual for the external hard drive device:
>
> Quote
> Note: If you don't see the new drive letter added in My Computer after driver is loaded properly, the reason could be the hard
> disk has no partition and format yet, please partition and format the drive in the enclosure before using it.
> Unquote
>
> I know I can't take the actions they suggest--the files would be lost. Are there any other possible steps I can take to assign a
> drive letter to this device?

So the device is being seen now? Only MS type partitions are assigned
drive letters by Windows.

Did you image or copy the source partition?

If the device is visible, I would do a partinfo on the drive to see what is
in the partition tables and corresponding boot sectors, (if anything).
Partinfo will not write to drive. Only read it.

To write the output to a file, at a command prompt do

partinfo > partinfo.txt

ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/tools/pq/utilities/partinfo.zip

If the device is not being seen, that's a different matter.
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

Frog,
Please see Bill Blanton's reply. I'm going to wait till you have followed his
suggestions.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm



"Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
news:%23E3s4y5$HHA.1184@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> glee wrote:
snip
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

I do have one question though: If you cannot see the USB hard drive when starting
with the Acronis bootable CD, why not just install Acronis True Image to the C:
drive, then run it from Windows and see if the USB drive is visible from there?
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"glee" <glee29@spamindspring.com> wrote in message
news:erXD0d%23$HHA.5328@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Frog,
> Please see Bill Blanton's reply. I'm going to wait till you have followed his
> suggestions.
> --
> Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
> http://dts-l.org/
> http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>
>
>
> "Frog" <frog@pond.com> wrote in message
> news:%23E3s4y5$HHA.1184@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> glee wrote:
> snip
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive



"Don Phillipson" <d.phillipsonSPAMBLOCK@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:O3wQyh2$HHA.4836@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
| "MEB" <meb@not here@hotmail.com> wrote in message
| news:uX0wESx$HHA.3716@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
|
| > 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.
|
| It seems surprising that a Registry setting could cause
| either ROM coded chips to malfunction or IDE to fail.
| Can you be more specific?
|
| --
| Don Phillipson
| Carlsbad Springs
| (Ottawa, Canada)
|
|

I wish I had a concrete answer, but as indicated it really makes no sense
to me either... perhaps it just coincidence ... or perhaps something now
placed within the chips which, being designed more for XP and VISTA and
their different methods, is affected somehow.. perhaps the access routines
or something . . .

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.orgfree.com
________
 
Re: Assigning a Drive letter to External USB connected Hard Drive

glee wrote:
> I do have one question though: If you cannot see the USB hard drive
> when starting with the Acronis bootable CD, why not just install Acronis
> True Image to the C: drive, then run it from Windows and see if the USB
> drive is visible from there?

I did this one and still no luck. I installed the Acronis software on
my machine. I next clicked restore. I then got many windows (with many
different sector numbers) as follows "Error, failed to read from the
sector 538,989,519 of the hard disk 2." Once I got through all of the
sector problem windows (some 25 I would guess), I got to a normal window
that included a restore selection--I click restore. That action
resulted in the following error message: "Error - E000101F9: Cannot get
write access to the hard disk drive(s). OK" The details for this error
were: "Another Acronis application has write access to the hard disk
drive(s). Only one Acronis application can have write access to the
hard disk drive at a time." I am unable to proceed further with
restore. It appears it is seeing something when started but I am not
sure if it is the internal or external drive.

Frog
 
Back
Top