External HD is a WD MyBook WD-5000H1U-00 on a windows 7 System.

Windows will identify it under device manager, but I can't access it in Explorer. I also can't seem to initialize it under Disk Management. I couldn't find a helpful forum where the disk was recognized but unable to initialize.

Thoughts on how I can access this external HD?

I'll try to upload a picture later. My home has DSL slower than 56k *sigh*

5/27/2013 2:09:37 PM

http://www.techspot.com/community/topics/cant-access-external-hard-drive-it-wont-initialize.189277/

sorta like that?

5/27/2013 2:23:15 PM

I skimmed through that link.

I connected the HD to another PC and I was able to select initialize disk (MBR) under Disk Manager. However, doing so results in an immediate error; " Incorrect Function"

So if I read that link right, the HD is damaged?

5/27/2013 2:55:06 PM

The drive is a total loss.

5/28/2013 2:08:07 PM

remove drive. plug in direct.

5/28/2013 2:26:25 PM

already did that. the HD doesn't want to spool. it sounds like it wants to "boot up", but it doesn't sound like it did before.

When I try to initialize, the request could not be performed because of an I/O device error.

[Edited on May 28, 2013 at 3:23 PM. Reason : .]

5/28/2013 3:23:11 PM