Vista - WD 320GB Passport woes...

So I got a WD 320GB passport at a very good price. The thing comes with some programs that I have not wanted to install since I would only be using it as a regular jump drive.

It works extremly well on all my XP machines but, it does not want to work on my Vista x64 rig at home, which is primarily, why I bought it.

When I plugged the usb cable to my Vista PC it told me that it was installing the drivers for it, to which I didn't understand why installing drivers if this is just a regular thumb drive but I let it do so, all of a sudden I got the error that drivers for it were not found and it might not work well.

Sure enough it didn't since it doesn't find it and no matter what USB port I use, it does not want to make it work. I thought it could be that the USB ports I was using didn't have enough juice to make it work but, if my old XP laptop can find it and it works perfect, how can my potent Vista x64 rig not have the juice capable of finding the passport?

I went looking for drivers for it but to no avail. Is anybody else having issues with this? Google didn't give me anything positive either.

That Passport will install drivers; even my SanDisk thumb drive installs drivers. It's probably something you never noticed before.

At any rate, check that the Drive or USB cable is servicable, also try switching USB ports.

I have a WD 160GB Passport and it has no issues under Vista Ultimate x64.

Well, I tried on both my front USB ports to no avail. The front USB ports are connected to the motherboard so I know they have enough juice (power) to make this work.

The WD320 passport works on all my XP machines except on the Vista PC at home... Wierd.

You are right about the installation of drivers, it is just that XP does it so fast that you don't even noticed it, Vista on the other hand, takes its sweet ole time doing so.

I'll try it from the back USB ports to see if that changes.

Thanks Sygnus21

Not sure which one you have but:
WD Support > Downloads > My Passport

I have 2 IDE WD HDD 120gb/80gb and both click so much you think they are trying to talk to me via morse code

Now I only use Maxtor/Seagate
I have three of these:Maxtor - 320GB External USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive - Cobalt Blue/Silver - STM903203EBA101-RK

Its a WD Passport 320GB and there are drivers there to download. He also doesn't want the sync program.

We’re only talking USB here, which is what the Passports are.

Well, the model number on the back of the passport is # WD3200MEB-00 so I assume that going with the WD3200MEB is the way to go, problem there is that all the options are for the software and none for the drivers. Another problem I saw there is that for me to be able to download the Sync software (which I don't need or want), I have to register the thing. I hate registering, more so when I am not going to need their software but, something tells me that I am going to have to do it.

Well, I have downloaded the new Sync software and installed it on the passport using my Office XP PC, I am hoping that somehow, it also installed the new Vista x64 drivers. ONly time will tell.

Hi, go to diskmgmt.msc and see if the external hard drive is detected. If yes, then right click on the external hard drive and click INITIALIZE.

That didn't work either... or so it seemed.

OK, this is weird, if I plug the passport on the front USB ports of the case, which by the way, are hooked up to the mobo, the passport is not recognized... any other usb device is though.

If I plug it into the back USB ports, then inmediately after, Vista recognizes the device as a Passport... freaky.

Is there a logical reason for this? As far as I know, the front usb ports are getting the same juice as the rear ones... or am I missing something here?

The reason why I did not test this before is because the case is placed in a way that, getting to the back of it, is a major pain in the butt.

Also, if I am going to have to do this everytime I want to use the passport, it is going to be a drag. I would think that being able to utilize this on the front usb ports is the way to go.

Could be the said USB port is not powered?

I did fix the issue but I am still not happy with the solution so I'll respond.

I am using the front USB ports that comes with the case and they plugged into the Motherboard. Seeing as to how the back USB ports are also plugged into the motherboard, I would have to assumed that YES, they both have to be powered by the Mobo.

Only thing I can think of is that I am using to many plugs for 1 rail and I don't have enough juice for it, other than that... I am stumped.

What I did was I used a usb extension that I use every time I want to use the passport, this way, I don't have to bother having to go to the back of the case every time but, it pains me not knowing what is causing this issue as any other USB device works perfect with the front port. Heck, even my old 160GB external drive works a treat.