External HDD

My computer won't recognise my external hard disc anymore.

The USB acknowledgment sound comes on when I activate it, but then Explorer crashes whenever I try and access it.

Is it borked forever, or can I format it somehow and save my precious gigabytes? Is it just the encoder that's broken?

Divide the problem into manageable pieces.  Take the ext hdd to another computer and plug it in to see if it's visible from the OS.  If so, then you've confirmed that the problem is with your OS.  If not, then the problem's with the ext hdd.  Is it under warranty?

>>2
pathetic. (still)

The problem is most probably Windows. Reinstall to get rid of your viruses and shit.

Check Event Viewer.  First clear all events, then plug in the drive and see what it says

It says "Error 0xFE001374000000". HALP.

DELETE YOUR MASS STORAGE DEVICE DRIVER FROM THE DEVICE MANAGER.

CALL ME IN THE MORNING.

If you cant use Windows to reformat the device, try using a Linux LiveCD such as Knoppix. TBH, I'd be tempted to reinstall the OS, though.

Try to reformat the external drive through Disk Management. This will, of course, nuke all information that may be on the drive.

Start -> Run -> mcc -> File -> Add/Remove Snap-In -> Add -> Disk Management -> Add -> Finish -> Close -> OK

Either click Disk Management in the left pane, or double-click it in the right pane.

Follow this for each partition listed beside the external drive, in the bottom pane.

Right-click the partition -> Format -> Check Perform a quick format -> OK.

>>9
Way to stretch out the very basics.

>>10

correct, they did it on Mythbusters

>>10
You are right. I've been dealing with some very basic computer users as of late, and it shows in my instructions.

OP here. It's actually the hard disc from my old computer inside one of them external enclosure things. Don't know why I wrote "encoder", must have been 4 AM or something when I wrote it.

Anyway, trying the Disk management thing now, although it looks like it's hanging on "Connecting to virtual disk service", unless it's supposed to take a long time; furthering my fears that I must have fucked it by turning it off and on while moving files between my computer and laptop.

Oh well.

By the way, I know that formatting wipes everything on a drive, by saving gigabytes I meant having the space available, in case anyone was wondering.