I recently tried to install my external hard drive in through a USB 2.0 slot. My problem is this; the device manager says the HD is working properly and the computer prompts say it is installed but I don't have a shortcut in "My Computer" or the hard drive? How do I get the computer to recognize the drive or create a shortcut for me?

I recently tried to install my external hard drive in through a USB 2.0 slot. My problem is this; the device manager says the HD is working properly and the computer prompts say it is installed but I don't have a shortcut in "My Computer" or the hard drive? How do I get the computer to recognize the drive or create a shortcut for me?

You need to format the drive.

Right click it under Disk Management

Start/Run/ diskmgmt.msc

& choose Format.

Thanks jephree but I still have one problem, I don't have a shortcut or icon or the hard drive to select it for disc management format. How do I select that drive when there is nothing to select?

OK ... sorry ... I am not clear on where it is or is not being detected.

1st: what is your Operating System?

2nd: You say it is seen by the Device Manager?
"and the computer prompts say it is installed"?
What do you mean by "the computer prompts"?

3rd: are you saying that it is not listed under Disk Management?

4th: are you saying that it is not listed under My Computer?

In other words: it is only seen under the Device Manager & "the computer prompts"?

Sorry Jephree, my operating system is Windows XP professional. When I plug the external Hard drive into the USB 2.0 port there is a prompt on the lower right of the screen that say that "windows has detected a new device" then seconds later it is followed by "windows is installing your mass storage device", then followed seconds later by "your device is installed and ready for use". When I go into "MY COMPUTER" though there is no shortcut or hard drive icon. Disc management doesn't work for me because I would have to choose the drive and I don't have any icons to work with. I can't even format the drive because of that. I hope you can help me. Thanks for your help so far.

But you do see the drive under Device Manager?

Is it given a letter?

In general the drive would show yet be non-operable untill partitioned & or formatted.

Do you have a full version XP CD? If so: Try to see if you can find the drive with the Recovery Console & partition & or format there.

Instructions here:

How To Access the Recovery Console

How To Format using the Recovery Console

How Partition using the Recovery Console

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repa...very%20Console