Problems connecting 2 My Book 1TB Drive to Windows 7

[jules]

This is also formally registered with the support team  Incident - 100122-005671 - but after a week I am still awaiting the promised callback - so, all help really appreciated.

I bought 2 * 1tb 'my book' external USB Drives. Windows 7 mounts and assigns a drive letter to whichever one it finds first. It does not mount the 2nd.... If you look in WD Smartware, the second drive found always says "no WD Smartdrive writable partition found".

If I only connect one drive (either one), it mounts and a drive letter is assigned, so I am proposing that there is no hardware problem....

Note: I do see 2 * ?Virtual CD drives mounted....

Additionally, I saw (but can't remember where) a signature conflict error somewhere..

WD Support tell me I am not the only person with this problem....

At the moment I cannot recommend anyone buying two such drives for windows 7...unless they want to use one as half of a smart bookend...

Thank you

Julian

[cae02]

1.  Are you connected via USB or 1394?  I don't know which model of My Book you have.

2.  

I bought 2 * 1tb 'my book' external USB Drives. Windows 7 mounts and assigns a drive letter to whichever one it finds first. It does not mount the 2nd.... If you look in WD Smartware, the second drive found always says "no WD Smartdrive writable partition found".

>> Go to Disk Manager and see if both are partitioned and formatted properly to NTFS and has Drive letter.

>> Also, go to Device Manager and see if any devices having problem.

If I only connect one drive (either one), it mounts and a drive letter is assigned, so I am proposing that there is no hardware problem....

>>I agree. 

Note: I do see 2 * ?Virtual CD drives mounted....

>> This is normal.  1 each for each My Book with WD SmartWare Virtual CD.

[jules]

Hi, I am connecting via USB.  The Drives are "my book essential".

Thank you for your help.

Jules

[jules]

Both are formatted and partitioned - i can see this as I connect each device individually.

In Device Manager, I can see both devices - neither is errored.

However, as I said previously, only the first device receives a device letter, the second does not.

[cae02]

Do you see both devices are getting drive letters on Disk Management?

I am thinking one of them maybe not getting drive letter (conflict) when both are connected.

[jules]

you are correct, only the first gets a drive letter

Note: Both Virtual CD drives get a letter...

Not sure what these means or what to do....

Thank you.

[cae02]

Looks like conflict of Drive letter.

Right click on the volume that doesn't have a drive letter and select Drive Letter option.

Assign a different drive letter than one recognized.

Good luck.

[jules]

Hi - unfortunately because the 2nd drive does mount, it doesn't appear on a list of disks to allow it to be reassigned.... only the virtual CD drive gets mounted....  so, I cannot use the second drive

[jules]

Just spoken to wd support, to someone who knew the answer....

I right-clicked" computer"; selected "disk management"; located the offline drive (in the second half of the screen); floating the mouse of the offline drives shows that there is a signature collision; if you when right-click over the word "offline" you can bring the disk on-line.... problem solved.

Thank you to everyone who helped..... my "dead book-end" has reverted back to being a backup-drive!

[cae02]

Good job!  Glad fixed your problem.