Unable to read data on external USB connected laptop drive.

[Zapper]

I have a laptop which needs to be 'restored' to initial conditions and I want to recover the data from it's hard drive first and transfer it to my desktop PC.  Both the laptop and the desktop use Windows 7 and are approximately one year old.

Using the youtube video (thanks a bunch Roger!) and the Vantec SATA/IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter, I successfully connected the (now removed) laptop hard drive to the PC.

At first, it seemed that the driver self-installed but I am unable to access the drive.  I followed some advice to change the drive letter (Manage > Storage > Disk Management) which did change the drive letter successfully.
I do see the drive letter in the computer folder where it is called "Removable disk P".  I don't know why it says removable disk, maybe this is normal.

Here's the problem:  When I try to open drive P, I am instructed to please insert a disk into Removable disk P.

Back in the computer management screen, it also calls this "removable (P:) and says No Media"  When I right-click and ask for general properties, it refers to the drive as a "Generic MicroSD USB Device" which  does not sound right to me.


I am stuck.  Is the problem perhaps related to the drive being called a Generic MicroSD USB device when it's really a hard drive?

Thanks in advance.

[Roger]

I would try:

All the different USB ports on the working PC.

Powering everything completely down.

Try the Vantec adapter & hard drive on another PC if you have one available.

Normally, we just plug it in and it works; although occasionally we do have to assign or change a drive letter.

Are you sure the Micro SD device really is where the hard drive is? Because, no, that does not sound right.

Is the laptop hard drive getting power and spinning up?

Roger.

[Zapper]

I would try:

All the different USB ports on the working PC.
> No luck.  USB ports are working with other devices.


Powering everything completely down.
> No luck.

Try the Vantec adapter & hard drive on another PC if you have one available.
> Borrowed another Laptop running Windows 7 this weekend and that didn't work either.

Normally, we just plug it in and it works; although occasionally we do have to assign or change a drive letter.

Are you sure the Micro SD device really is where the hard drive is? Because, no, that does not sound right.
> No, i guess I can't be sure about that.

Is the laptop hard drive getting power and spinning up?
>Yes.

> Another point which may help, when I go to Computer Management>Storage>Disk Management, I am prompted to "Initialize Disk.  You must initialize a disk before Logical Disk Manager can access it"  It then shows "Disk 6 and a checkbox.  I am further asked to specify a partition style MBR or GPT.  This might be my hard drive but will initializing my disk wipe out my data (like formatting)?  FYI, this disk 6 is not the one called MicroSD, it is simply called "Unknown, Not Initialized".  I can send you a screen cap if that helps. 

Thanks again!
Ken


Roger.

[Roger]

Initializing will wipe it out, so don't.

I don't know if you are comfortable with this, but if it were me I would think about taking the drive and hooking it up inside a desktop PC.

There is always the possibility the drive is going bad; what made you want to restore to initial setup?

[Zapper]

Initializing will wipe it out, so don't.

I don't know if you are comfortable with this, but if it were me I would think about taking the drive and hooking it up inside a desktop PC.

There is always the possibility the drive is going bad; what made you want to restore to initial setup?

Update:  By following the specific startup/connection sequence found on the Vantec FAQ, I am now able to see the laptop drive!!  The key for me, was to shut it all down, restart the PC.  Power up the USB connected drive before connecting it, and then connnecting the USB cable from the adapter to the desktop computer after a minute. 

Thanks for all the advice!

[Roger]

Glad you got it going. I've never seen that FAQ, but it makes sense.

The only time I have seen a situation similar to that was with older IDE drives, but in those situations the drive didn't show up at all in the PC.