How to Recognize an External Hard Drive on WinME
- 1). Insert the included software disc into the computer's CD tray. If you no longer have the CD, most manufacturers provide the necessary software on their Web pages. Download the software from the manufacturer's site.
- 2). Double-click the CD within Windows Explorer. If you have downloaded the software, double-click the downloaded file. This launches the installer.
- 3). Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software and drivers. The installer may instruct you to connect (or disconnect) the hard drive throughout the process.
- 4). Restart the computer to complete the installation of the proper drivers. Drivers allow Windows to properly interact with new hardware. Modern versions of Windows support a basic "plug-n-play" technology that includes basic driver support baked into the OS, so installing the manufacturer's drivers is not always a necessity. On older versions of Windows, such as Windows ME, without the proper drivers installed the system will not recognize the new hardware, preventing the user from interacting with it.
- 5). Connect the external hard drive to the computer after it reboots. Upon connecting the drive, Windows ME will recognize the drive and display the drive within "My Computer." You will know Windows ME has recognized the drive by a "Removable Storage" or "USB Mass Storage Device" designation displayed within "My Computer."
