Initialize Legacy Hard Drive

[rf900]

Hi.

I have a Western Digital HDD (WD3200AAJB - WD Caviar SE). This is a previously used primay hard disc drive that is no longer a primary hard drive. I am wanting to access the files on this hard disc from my existing computer. I have an IDE/SATA to USB adaptor. I have plugged this into a USB drive in my PC. Power is running to this legacy disc as I can feel it vibrating and hear it wheering.

The system I have now is Windows 7, 64 bit. This legacy hard disc has Windows 2000 installed. How do I get my Windows 7 computer to access the files on the legacy hard drive? I have previously got it to be listed in Computer Management, but the Initialize option was greyed out (unavailable). I have also previously been able to execute the initalize but got a message advising the drive is not ready. I got a new IDE/SATA to USB adaptor thinking this may be the problem, but I am sitill unable to see the legacy hard drive in Computer Management when using the new adaptor.

[fzabkar]

Do not "initialise" your drive. Initialisation is data destructive. (Why did Microsoft choose this innocuous sounding word?)

Can you see the external drive using either of the following utilities?

HD Sentinel (DOS / Windows / Linux):
http://www.hdsentinel.com/

HDDScan for Windows:
http://hddscan.com/

[Alucardx23]

You can also try with DLG.

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/940/session/L3RpbWUvMTMzNzM3NzMzNy9zaWQvN3ZoZjNzWWs%...