LaCie Hard Drive not recognized by Windows 7

Anonymous
2010-02-13T02:14:12+00:00

I have a LaCie external USB hard drive (formatted FAT32) that shows up as a device in the control panel but does not appear as a drive or other device in the Windows Explorer.

The drive contains my music library. Any advice on how to find/access this drive?

Thanks.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2010-02-13T23:17:38+00:00

Hi,

 Do you see any yellow\red exclamation mark in device manager?

 I would suggest you to open Disc management and check if the drive is detected there, here are the steps:

1.      1. Open Computer Management by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, clicking Administrative Tools, and then double-clicking Computer    Management. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

2.      2. In the left pane, click Disk Management.

If it the hard drive recognizes in the disc management and if there is no drive letter assigned, I would suggest you right click on the drive and assign a drive letter and check if it helps:

1.      1. Right-click the drive to change, and then click Change Drive Letter and Paths.

2.      2. Do one of the following:

·         To assign a drive letter if one has not already been assigned, click Add, click the letter that you want to use, and then click OK.

·         To change a drive letter, click Change, click Assign the following drive letter, click the letter that you want to use, and then click OK.

·         To remove a drive letter, click Remove, and then click Yes to confirm that you want to remove it.

Refer this link for more information:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Change-add-or-remove-a-drive-letter

Please respond back with the status of the issue and let us know if you have any issues.

Azam – Microsoft Support.

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-10-22T05:38:06+00:00

    For those that the Disk management does not recognize check to see if its windows 7 compatible, mine is vista or older and same issue needs driver for windows 7 and there is no driver well yet. Also for ( Disk management ) you can right click on start and select properties, in the start menu tab select custimize, find system administrative tools and click display, click ok and ok, now its in the start menu under administrative tools.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-10-30T21:47:13+00:00

    Same goes for me: Brand new Dell E6520 with Windows 7 x64, 300gb Lacie external hard disk not detected: 

    • It beeps when plugged in (or taken out).
    • It does not show up in Windows Explorer or Disk Management
    • It is visible in the device manager, working properly and no available update for the drivers.
    • It does work properly on another pc with windows 7 64x installed.

    Odd things:

    • When the computer is started, it shows up in Windows Explorer for a minute, right name and volume etc.. Then disappears
    • Windows keeps telling I should format the disk if I want to use it, if no option is selected it will tell me again after some minutes. When I select format disk it says " Windows can't format F", useful..

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-11-14T20:57:52+00:00

    Same goes for me: Brand new Dell E6520 with Windows 7 x64, 300gb Lacie external hard disk not detected: 

    • It beeps when plugged in (or taken out).
    • It does not show up in Windows Explorer or Disk Management
    • It is visible in the device manager, working properly and no available update for the drivers.
    • It does work properly on another pc with windows 7 64x installed.

    Odd things:

    • When the computer is started, it shows up in Windows Explorer for a minute, right name and volume etc.. Then disappears
    • Windows keeps telling I should format the disk if I want to use it, if no option is selected it will tell me again after some minutes. When I select format disk it says " Windows can't format F", useful..

    Did you solve your problem ?  How ?

    Because I have the same problem for a month... I've contact Lacie for help but they didn't find any solution available untill now !

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-11-15T19:01:41+00:00

    i have the same problem with LaCie Hard Drive not recognized by Windows 7

    My LaCie external USB hard drive( design neil poulton) part number 1278905066090QL when i connect to my computer is no recognized

    i have the exact same issue., I cannot see the external hard drive on the disc management screen, there are only the internal drive partitions.

    i there was any other information to help me

                                                             stamatakis konstantinos

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