My Passport Could not be Recognized by My HP Laptop with Window 7

WD External and Portable SSD Portable SSD
1

HI,

I have passport essential, It was working fine with my old Toshiba Satellite laptop with Window Vista. When, I bought a new HP laptop with window 7, then my problem starts. My passport could not be recognized by my laptop. Do any body have an idea how to fix this issue?

2

I am experiencing a similar problem, although my computer is not an OEM system.  I recieved my WD Passport harddrive today, and plugged it into the USB port.  Windows 7 (64 bit) did not even twitch.  No device found notification or anything.  There are no derogatory entries in the Device Manager either.

The connection LED on the drive is on continuously, no blinking beyond the first initial blink or two.  The drive feels like it is spinning up and back down over and over.

I tested this on my wifes XP computer (SP3) and it installed without problem.  I tested the USB ports with a couple of flash drives and all are functioning properly.  Any help would be appreciated.

CoryB

3

Hi Cory B,

The Passport drive is not getting enough power.

You can try using Power Boost cable ( Y shape cable).

You can buy the cable from WD and that would cost you $9.99.

Merry Christmas.

4

Hi Shendy,

Step 1 : Connect the drive to the computer and check if there are any lights on the drive. {If Yes, follow Step 2}.

Step 2 : Right click computer icon —> Left click ‘Manage’ (Should bring up computer management) —> Click Device manager on the  left pane —> Expand Disk Drives on the right pane and check if the drive is seen or not ( to Expand click the + sign). {If NO, follow Step 3} {If Yes, follow Step 4).

Step 3 : Check if you see an ! or  ? mark on  the right pane, If yes right click on the device and try updating the driver.

Step 4 : Click Disk management on the Left pane and on the Right hand side at the bottom search for the passport based on the capacity of the drive.

To determine the capacity

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=615&p_created=1034613413&p_sid=bQMaGXPj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_srch=1&p_lva=3865&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MiwyJnBfcHJvZHM9MCZwX2NhdHM9MCZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX2ZubCZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PTYxNQ!!&p_li=&p_topview=1

Step 5 : if drive says unallocated please format the drive, Formatting the drive will erase all the data from the drive.

To Format the drive :

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=3865&p_created=1258601352&p_sid=bQMaGXPj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_srch=1&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MjYzLDI2MyZwX3Byb2RzPTAmcF9jYXRzPTAmcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9mbmwmcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1mb3JtYXQ!&p_li=&p_topview=1

If the drive is seen under device manager and doesn’t show up in disk management, Plesae purchase a Power boost cable.

For Power boost cable you can contact 8002754932, It will cost you $9.99

1 Like
5

Thanks for your valuable advise. It was the issue of not have enough  power. The Y calble solved the problem.

Again appreciated your support & have a happy new year…

A.Shendy

6

hey there, I have a WD Passport 80GB. It won’t recognize in windows 7. When I plug in the external hard drive, windows 7 said it installing the hard drive. After 1-2 minutes, it says the device is ready to use. However,  in my computer, there is no external hdd letter. However, in the bottom right of windows, I  can click on safely remove hardware. What’s the problem with this?? Is it power issue problem? (However, I just bought wd my passport 320 GB and use it’s usb cable to connect the 80GB to my computer) 

Is it because the software/file of WD deleted in the external drive?? (I am not sure about it, but I might deleted it)

Could you give me a solution??