How to get Windows 10 to recognise my 2.5" SATA HDD connected by USB cable

MarkBargain

I took the hard drive (1TB, WB10JPVX) out of my Acer laptop, bought a 2.5" SATA USB cable, and plugged it into my other Acer laptop. There are two lights on the cable, 'access' and 'power' and both come on, and the HDD makes a clicking sound like it is working. However, it does not pop up in Windows 10 or appear at all in 'This PC'. Does anyone know a possible solution to this? I would just like to access the files and use it as a backup drive.

grumpycrab

MarkBargain wrote: »

the HDD makes a clicking sound like it is working.

A "clicking" sound implies either it doesn't have enough power (have you been able to check that the USB cable is working?) or the drive is faulty. Was the drive working ok in the Acer it came from?

System

Ones that use single USB cables usually require USB 3.0 ports which can provide more power than USB 2.x or 1.x ports or when using with USB 2 ports to use an external power supply. Did you check whether the adapter is a USB 3 or USB 2 and if it is a USB 3 are you plugging it into a USB 3 port?

MarkBargain

grumpycrab wrote: »

A "clicking" sound implies either it doesn't have enough power (have you been able to check that the USB cable is working?) or the drive is faulty. Was the drive working ok in the Acer it came from?

I suspect it is a power issue. The drive was working in the laptop I took it of, yes.

MarkBargain

Tarambor wrote: »

Ones that use single USB cables usually require USB 3.0 ports which can provide more power than USB 2.x or 1.x ports or when using with USB 2 ports to use an external power supply. Did you check whether the adapter is a USB 3 or USB 2 and if it is a USB 3 are you plugging it into a USB 3 port?

Good point, looking back at the Ebay listing (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-5-HDD-USB-to-SATA-Serial-15-7-Adapter-Cable-Lead-for-Hard-Drive-PC-Laptop/292009561523) it is USB2. The picture in the listing is the hard drive I have though, I would expect it to work. Perhaps it is not fit for purpose?

molerat

I assume you have both USBs plugged into the laptop. I have used several caddies - this is just caddy electronics without the box - on many different laptops and most will work with one plug but some do require both plugged in.

MarkBargain

molerat wrote: »

I assume you have both USBs plugged into the laptop. I have used several caddies - this is just caddy electronics without the box - on many different laptops and most will work with one plug but some do require both plugged in.

Yes, both USBs are plugged in. Holding the HDD I can hear/feel the disc spinning around when I first plug it it, a few clicks, then it goes quiet.

grumpycrab

MarkBargain wrote: »

Yes, both USBs are plugged in. Holding the HDD I can hear/feel the disc spinning around when I first plug it it, a few clicks, then it goes quiet.

Put back in your Acer and check your £2.89 Ebay purchase hasn't killed your disk.

MarkBargain

I wrote to the seller who replied that it is not compatible with Windows 10. The listing does list OSs in the detail but could have made this clearer in my opinion.

So, what would be a good replacement? A USB3 one perhaps, but my laptop has one USB3 port one side and two USB2s the other side.

Head_The_Ball

MarkBargain wrote: »

I wrote to the seller who replied that it is not compatible with Windows 10. The listing does list OSs in the detail but could have made this clearer in my opinion.

So, what would be a good replacement? A USB3 one perhaps, but my laptop has one USB3 port one side and two USB2s the other side.

That sounds strange to me.

USB standards and Windows 10 are completely different things.

I've used various USB2 and USB3 caddies on many different flavours of Windows without problems.

molerat

Strange one. All the caddies I use, some are quite old, are fine on W10 and were previously used with XP and W7. Have you actually tried it in another laptop or another OS ? I wonder if you laptop is not putting out enough power for some reason.