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How-To Geek Forums / Windows 7

make external hard drive compat w/ Windows7

(5 posts)
  • Started 3 years ago by hi2us
  • Latest reply from ITDave
  • Topic Viewed 772 times

hi2us
Posts: 1

Just bought new Sony Vaio laptop with Windows7 because our Dell with Windows XP took a dive. We transferred our family photos/files to a Toshiba external hard drive...which we now understand is only compatible w/ Windows Vista and XP. We are freaking out, all our children's photos are seemingly stuck on the hard drive, we can't get them into our new laptop. Is there a patch or something we can download online that will allow the new Windows 7 laptop to read this XP/Vista external hard drive? We have already spent an arm and a leg between the laptop, new virus software, this external hard drive.

Please help! Mom and Dad in distress!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
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ITDave
ITDave
Posts: 17

what was the drive letter on the xp/vista laptop? it might be the drive letter as something on windows 7 laptop.

to fix this plug the hard drive in.
go start run > type mmc > file > add snap in > computer management > Storage > Disk Management > click on the name of the external hard drive > right click > change drive letters and paths > change it to a different one that is not being used.

Dave

Posted 3 years ago #
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LH
LH
Posts: 20002

Enter "diskmgmt.msc" (without quotes) into a Run box, is an easier way to get there.

Posted 3 years ago #
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ispalten
ispalten
Posts: 6259

Just OPEN Explorer and see if a new drive has been added. If the drive was formatted under XP or Vista, W7 can read it.

Another thing to check, it is possible USB is turned off in the laptop in BIOS to save energy. Check this please.

With the computer on, normally when you plug in a USB device you would hear a 'bing' and on the Systray a 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon would appear. Not getting either of these would mean USB is not enabled (I assume the drive is USB).

Irv S.

Posted 3 years ago #
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ITDave
ITDave
Posts: 17

thanks LH for the tip.

Posted 3 years ago #
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