External Hard Drive problems

Hi,

I just bought a Seagate 120 GB internal desktop hard drive and put it
in a CompUSA case with USB 2.0. When I turn on the drive it spins
constantly even when not connected to a computer. It does this when
connected to a computer running Windows or Knoppix Linux.

Is this normal?

---

Also, my main problem is that my Toshiba laptop won't boot into Windows
anymore. One thing I am
trying to do is repair it with Knoppix Linux (a boot-from-CD version on
Linux that allows you to read and copy Windows files).

I can write to this new hard drive from a desktop computer running
Windows XP, but I can't write to it from my laptop. I've tried to
install Windows XP to my new external drive through my laptop but it
won't write to it. I've tried writing files to it from Knoppix and it
won't work. Anyone have any ideas what is wrong?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.

Josh

Maybe the laptop doesn't support USB boot devices? or you need to set the
bios to do so if it does. Also, if it's not running XP already, you'll need
USB drivers for DOS or Knoppix, whichever you try. As far as the constant
spinning...that could just be because of the cheap CompuUSA case. It's not
so high-tech to be smart enough to spin down when not in use.

"J-miami" <> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I just bought a Seagate 120 GB internal desktop hard drive and put it
> in a CompUSA case with USB 2.0. When I turn on the drive it spins
> constantly even when not connected to a computer. It does this when
> connected to a computer running Windows or Knoppix Linux.
>
> Is this normal?
>
> ---
>
> Also, my main problem is that my Toshiba laptop won't boot into Windows
> anymore. One thing I am
> trying to do is repair it with Knoppix Linux (a boot-from-CD version on
> Linux that allows you to read and copy Windows files).
>
> I can write to this new hard drive from a desktop computer running
> Windows XP, but I can't write to it from my laptop. I've tried to
> install Windows XP to my new external drive through my laptop but it
> won't write to it. I've tried writing files to it from Knoppix and it
> won't work. Anyone have any ideas what is wrong?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.
>
> Josh
>

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Do you think if I buy another more expensive
case it will stop my disk from spinning all the time?


ThirdDegreeBurn wrote:
> Maybe the laptop doesn't support USB boot devices? or you need to set
the
> bios to do so if it does. Also, if it's not running XP already,
you'll need
> USB drivers for DOS or Knoppix, whichever you try. As far as the
constant
> spinning...that could just be because of the cheap CompuUSA case.
It's not
> so high-tech to be smart enough to spin down when not in use.
>
> "J-miami" <> wrote in message
> news: oups.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I just bought a Seagate 120 GB internal desktop hard drive and put
it
> > in a CompUSA case with USB 2.0. When I turn on the drive it spins
> > constantly even when not connected to a computer. It does this
when
> > connected to a computer running Windows or Knoppix Linux.
> >
> > Is this normal?
> >
> > ---
> >
> > Also, my main problem is that my Toshiba laptop won't boot into
Windows
> > anymore. One thing I am
> > trying to do is repair it with Knoppix Linux (a boot-from-CD
version on
> > Linux that allows you to read and copy Windows files).
> >
> > I can write to this new hard drive from a desktop computer running
> > Windows XP, but I can't write to it from my laptop. I've tried to
> > install Windows XP to my new external drive through my laptop but
it
> > won't write to it. I've tried writing files to it from Knoppix and
it
> > won't work. Anyone have any ideas what is wrong?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.
> >
> > Josh
> >

Just make sure it has that "smart" feature.

"J-miami" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for your reply. Do you think if I buy another more expensive
> case it will stop my disk from spinning all the time?
>
>
> ThirdDegreeBurn wrote:
>> Maybe the laptop doesn't support USB boot devices? or you need to set
> the
>> bios to do so if it does. Also, if it's not running XP already,
> you'll need
>> USB drivers for DOS or Knoppix, whichever you try. As far as the
> constant
>> spinning...that could just be because of the cheap CompuUSA case.
> It's not
>> so high-tech to be smart enough to spin down when not in use.
>>
>> "J-miami" <> wrote in message
>> news: oups.com...
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > I just bought a Seagate 120 GB internal desktop hard drive and put
> it
>> > in a CompUSA case with USB 2.0. When I turn on the drive it spins
>> > constantly even when not connected to a computer. It does this
> when
>> > connected to a computer running Windows or Knoppix Linux.
>> >
>> > Is this normal?
>> >
>> > ---
>> >
>> > Also, my main problem is that my Toshiba laptop won't boot into
> Windows
>> > anymore. One thing I am
>> > trying to do is repair it with Knoppix Linux (a boot-from-CD
> version on
>> > Linux that allows you to read and copy Windows files).
>> >
>> > I can write to this new hard drive from a desktop computer running
>> > Windows XP, but I can't write to it from my laptop. I've tried to
>> > install Windows XP to my new external drive through my laptop but
> it
>> > won't write to it. I've tried writing files to it from Knoppix and
> it
>> > won't work. Anyone have any ideas what is wrong?
>> >
>> > Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.
>> >
>> > Josh
>> >
>