External IDE->USB HDD won't work on 64 bit systems

[Kabob]

I've got an older 500 GB Western Digital IDE hard drive inside of a Maxtor enclosure. It works fine on my wife's and my father in law's computers (with 32 bit Vista and 32 bit Win7 respectively) but it will not work on my nor my brother in law's 64 bit Win7 machines.

Any idea why? Any way around this?

 

[C1]

Not enough information. What happens when it is plugged in?

If the drive is bus powered, the issue could be because the 64 bit machine's MB is not supplying sufficient current. Have you tried using a Y-adapter or an external power source for additional current to the drive?

Also, there may be a compatibility issue with the MB and the controller of the Maxtor. See if the drive shows up in the "Manage Drive Storage" section of Administrative Tools.

 

[Kabob]

When it is plugged in it pops up the bubble "installing drivers" and then gives me an error message that they could not be installed.

The enclosure has it's own power supply.

It doesn't show up in my disk management.

 

[C1]

Go out to the Maxtor's website and see if they have provided a suitable driver for their enclosure needed to operate with 64 bit systems.

http://www.ifmdb.com/windows_7-maxtor-3200-usb-hard-drive-driver-ipHN6MUr.html

 

[Kabob]

I looked for said drivers a while ago and found Windows 98 drivers only, which do me no good.

 

[corkyg]

Assume it is a 3.5-in HDD. Your best bet is to try a more modern external case, like a Vantec NexStar, whic h has its own power brick. How is the Maxtor case connected? If USB 2,the 64 bit should make no difference at all. If it is USB 1, then you need to insure that your system BIOS is set to accept legacy USB devices. There are many variable unknowns here.

 

[Kabob]

It's a 3.5" drive, the case is from a Maxtor Personal Storage 3100 external unit that used to house an 80GB Maxtor drive, a year or so ago I popped the old drive out and put the WD drive in. The enclosure does have it's own power brick so that's not the issue, but considering the age of the thing it very well may be USB 1.