Problem with two FreeAgent external drives

[selizabeth]

Background info: I'm using a Dell Inspiron 1520 running Windows 7 (64 Bit)

I have two external harddrives. One is a 250GB FreeAgent, the other a 320GB FreeAgent GO. I've had the 250GB for quite some time and it runs with no issues; yesterday I bought the 320GB and I'm having some issues running both at once.

The new one will work if I plug it in first... but if it's plugged in second I can't access it, and vice versa. Both will start up, both show in the device manager, both can be ejected, but only one will be visible along with my C: drive.

I've tried plugging them into different ports on my laptop to see if it was an issue there, but no dice. I really want both to work at once so I don't have to plug and unplug every time I want to switch drives D: Help!

 

[VirusType2]

You could try this

http://www.freewaregenius.com/2008/...en-you-plug-in-your-usb-drive-or-other-media/

GET:
http://www.ianandmonica.com/desktopmedia/

It supports XP and Vista, so it should work for Win7, no problem.

 

[Asus]

Make sure you plug in both USB for the 320GB. One is for data and the other is for extra power. Are you doing it with the laptop plugged into the wall or off battery power? Maybe it would make a difference.

If none of that applies then maybe there is software you installed for the drives and it is only wanting to see one? I don't really know if it isn't the USB issue above.

 

[selizabeth]

Thanks for the links VirusType2. I'm keeping those to reference back to as a last resort.

Asus - I've checked the power supplies and I don't think those are the issues. The 250gb drive is plugged to the wall and 320gb uses the usb (it's a short cord) for power. Both are running (the lights are on and I can hear them when they start up).

On some other forums people suggested reformatting or mapping one to a different drive letter - I realized both drives come up as F:
the problem is that I can't seem to come up with a way to do this... I see a "map network drive" option that allows me to choose a different letter, but it asks for a folder and isn't doing what I think I'm being told to do.

 

[VirusType2]

If you formatted one of them, then you can change the drive letter for sure, though I'm really not sure if you have to.

EDIT:

Map Network drive is for drives over the Network. Wireless or Ethernet. It's for filesharing between computers in a network.

I haven't used Win7 yet, you may find an appropriate option by right clicking the drive icon

another option is the disk manager. It should be in control panel or something.. I'm only familiar with XP at this point.

 

[selizabeth]

yup just found the correct options. problem is is that now that I change the letter for one of them, it still doesn't see the other... when I unplug the changed drive and plug in the other, it applies the new letter to the second drive so they still have the same letter.

this is getting so freakin old

 

[selizabeth]

Alright new update: I managed to get both to be assigned different drives. I didn't realize that on the Disk Management window there was a more detailed list of all the drives and what they were doing. One external was showing as on and healthy, the other as offline due to a conflicting signature. I changed the letter of the drive that was one, then right clicked and chose "online" for the drive that was off. It turned on and was auto assigned another letter.

Both are now running happily side by side Thanks guys!

 

[VirusType2]

np, cheers

 

[Asus]

Alright new update: I managed to get both to be assigned different drives. I didn't realize that on the Disk Management window there was a more detailed list of all the drives and what they were doing. One external was showing as on and healthy, the other as offline due to a conflicting signature. I changed the letter of the drive that was one, then right clicked and chose "online" for the drive that was off. It turned on and was auto assigned another letter.

Both are now running happily side by side Thanks guys!

Nice troubleshooting.