Hi,
I read most of the posts about external HDD not being detected but my problem is different. It's a 3.5" SATA HDD in an ext. casing which have USB 2.0 & SATA connectivity and comes with its own power supply adapter.

My problem that it doesn't get detected while connected by USB but gets detected when connected through SATA but then I've to open my casing since I don't have an external SATA connector which is troublesome.

How can i get it to be detected in Windows XP Pro through USB? btw it's not empty, it got some files in it..

Someone plzz help

Have you tried booting with it connected?

Have you tried hot plugging it?

Do you know that your USB ports are working?

Do you know whether all your USB ports are 2.0?

Tried booting with it connected didn't work.
Wats hot plugging??
yup 100% working.
All of them is 2.0 (new MOBO)

Wats hot plugging??

Plug it in while Windows is running.

oh ok, ya did that too, not detected

When you "hot plug" do you get a signal that a USB device has been found?

Is it seen under Disk Management?

right click My Computer then click Manage then Disk Management

no, the "bing" sound doesn't come up & its not there in Disk Management

Sounds like a mechanical problem with the USB connector.

You can get a PCI slot cover with a SATA port as one alternative.

I had the same trouble with and external HDD. it was a dodgy connection during the conversion between IDE to USB (Mine was IDE ) I just took it apart and stuck the hdd in my tower as a regular HDD and it worked fine!