# I think that I broke my hd. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912 "2005-08-20T19:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/1 "2005-08-20T19:46:00Z")
Ok, I’ve done all the steps that you guys are gonna tell me to do. Restarted. Checked cables. Unplugged and replugged every damn cable. Checked device manager. USB Mass storage device has an error. Device cannot start (code 10). What happened to my external hd? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/2 "2005-08-20T19:51:12Z")
Is the drive powered only by the USB cable? If not: Turn off computer. Unplug power cable from drive. Turn on computer. Plug power cable into drive. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/3 "2005-08-20T19:54:37Z")
Nope, there’s a power cord. I just moved for school, but the hd wasn’t crushed or anything. It was right on top of everything, and didn’t have much space to move, as it was packed in a bag with some clothes. Would that matter? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/4 "2005-08-20T19:56:27Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > Ok, I’ve done all the steps that you guys are gonna tell me to do. > > Restarted. > Checked cables. > Unplugged and replugged every damn cable. > Checked device manager. > USB Mass storage device has an error. > Device cannot start (code 10). > > What happened to my external hd? Code 10’s are a pain, most likely they point to a hardware conflict or failure. Try to connect in a different USB port, if that fails, reinstall the drivers of the USB port of your computer, and then the drivers for your external USB device. It is also a good idea to first get to a different computer to see if the external USB drive still works. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/5 "2005-08-20T20:00:48Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Code 10’s are a pain, most likely they point to a hardware conflict or failure. Try to connect in a different USB port, if that fails, reinstall the drivers of the USB port of your computer, and then the drivers for your external USB device. > > It is also a good idea to first get to a different computer to see if the external USB drive still works. Ok, WTF? I plugged it into a different port (WHICH I TRIED ALREADY!), and it is humming along swimmingly. Stupid people and their suggestions that work. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/6 "2005-08-20T20:04:14Z")
If you haven’t already, I’d get any important stuff off the drive ASAP while you can. It could be intermittently failing, and about to take a permanent dirt nap. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/7 "2005-08-20T20:10:42Z")
> [@chaoticdonkey](#): > > Ok, WTF? I plugged it into a different port (WHICH I TRIED ALREADY!), and it is humming along swimmingly. > > Stupid people and their suggestions that work. As long as we are clear who is the stupid… 🙂 Some times, the stupid computer makers have a combination of USB2 and USB1 ports in the motherboard. The manufacturers mention that USB2 devices will work on a USB1 port (at the slow speed) and vice versa, but in my experience, it is still plug and pray. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/8 "2005-08-20T20:47:32Z")
I seriously read that as “I think I broke my kid” at first. Did a double-take, I did… ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-that-i-broke-my-hd/317912/9 "2005-08-20T21:45:43Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > If you haven’t already, I’d get any important stuff off the drive ASAP while you can. It could be intermittently failing, and about to take a permanent dirt nap. I really, really hope not, since I bought it a couple of months ago.