I have had this happen a number of times and it can be truly annoying.
Have you tried to 'see' it in Device Manager > View > Show Hidden
Devices? If so and you can see the drive try updating or rolling back
the driver. If that does not work try the following,
1) reboot with your USB Drive connected.
2)Start > Right-click on Computer (My Computer or whatever you may have
changed it's original name to) > Manage
3) When the snap-in sends you to Computer Management screen choose
ACTION> RESCAN DISKS.
4.)Double-click on DISK MANAGEMENT and see if your lost USB drive shows
up. If it does leave that window open and scoot back to START and
double-click on COMPUTER. If your disc is still not visible from that
window you could be in real trouble - especially if you have data on
that drive...
5) Go back into the COMPUTER MANAGEMENT screen and click on
DEVICES>VIEW>SHOW HIDDEN DEVICES (just to be sure) check out DISK DRIVES
& PORTABLE DEVICES to see if it shows up in either area. If so
right-click to update the driver to se if that brings it back to life..
IF THAT DOES NOT WORK EITHER AND YOU CAN TRY RESTORING THE SYSTEM TO A
DATE THAT YOU COULD SEE IT. I hope you set System Restore Points
regularly...
If that does not work either - choose a few and try to stick it out as
pokey as this function can be. If that stiil does not help, restore it
back to the most recent SRP.
Tough decisions ahead...
1) If you can see the USB drive in the DISK MANAGEMENT window and
2) you have no data or do not care if you lose the data on it and just
want your external hard drive back RIGHT-CLICK ON THE CORRECT DRIVE and
select FORMAT>Quick Format and type in a distinctive name for it. Press
OK and keep doing so regardless of the warnings from UAC.
For whatever reason these things happen in Vista, this final option has
not failed to bring back the USB to life.
Good luck and be slow and methodical.
Jeffrey B
JUST BE VERY GOOD AND CERTAIN THAT YOU DON NOT NEED THE DATA AND THAT
YOU ARE DOING THIS TO THE CORRECT DRIVE OR YOU COULD FORMAT THE ONE WITH
YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM AND FILES. BE SURE.
As drastic as this is it has not failed me.
