FW HD and Toshiba laptop

Toshiba 1805 Satellite 1GHz 512MB RAM, SIIG PCMCIA FW card, 20GB FW HD (IBM Deskstar, OXford 911 bridge), Windows XP home.

All up-to-date drivers, software, patches.

XP sees the PCMCIA Card, lists it as installed and working.

The FW drive is set as Master.

XP sees the FW HD, shows 19.x GB available, but does not list it as a drive.

Trouble-shooting shows no problem, both card and drive are working fine.

It is shown as a Network device.

Is this due to the type of PCMCIA Card?

The goal was to copy files from the laptop C drive to the FW HD as a backup, so I can install XP Pro (arriving this week).

It doesn't have a burner, just DVD & CD Read only.

What does it take to get this FW HD recognized as an additional drive?

Please keep in mind that I know nothing about DOS. I'm not familiar with the PC or Windows methods of filing, file names, and find things only after a struggle. I can follow explicit directions. I've spent about 40 hours poking
around, and have changed ONLY those settings that DIRECTLY involve the FW Card
functions. That is how I got this far. I still struggle to remember how to find the Device Manager.

What other info do you need to help me get this drive to be recognized as a hard drive, and not a Network device?

Thanks for your consideration.

 

Found my own solution. Searched some other forums and got some clues, which eventually led me to the answers.

 

Glad you found a fix. And sorry I seem to have missed this thread when you first put it up.

Would you mind sharing your solution? These threads are often read from the archives by folks with similar problems and someone, someday might be very grateful.

 

I'll try, but I'm very familiar with Macs and very unfamiliar with Windows.

The computer belongs to my wife. I get to maintain it, update it, and solve problems.
Fortunately, there are few of those.

The solution was right in front of me. The troubleshooting "Wizard" indicated that both the FW PCMCIA & FW HD were functioning properly.
XP Home was calling it a Network device by DEFAULT, because it had not been formatted.

I didn't know how to get that done. It took a lot of probing, opening this and that, checking properties, File options, Edit options, Tool options on everything I opened.

The wife has the laptop with her, so I can't go back and trace my steps for you right now.

I can't remember the final path from the Start button to the solution, but the solution came about while in My Computer, and either Admin. Tools or System something. Finding the way to format the drive was the key.

I really feel dumb right now, because I just realized I didn't even search Help for formatting guidance. Duh !!

It was 2 days ago that I achieved success. If you handed me another FW HD today, and asked me to do it again, it may take me only half as long, but I would still struggle.

I'm really frustrated with XP. That kind of basic set-up stuff is buried fairly deeply into folder after folder after folder. The frustration is due to lack of familiarity, and is not a criticism of the OS.

I know that with regular use, I would get to the point where I could do almost everything necessary to make using it a pleasant experience. I would also have a couple of Desktop folders stuffed with Shortcuts until I found a better solution.

BTW, the reason for all of this was to make a backup of everything on the laptop C drive so I could install XP Pro. The backup works, Pro is installed without changing the settings, all prior apps and files are intact and functioning.

I updated the system, tested for problems, cleaned house, defragmented, re-tested apps.

It's like a new computer again.

 

Thanks. Good information.

And FWIW, part of it is the XP learning curve but part is that the Mac just makes it easier to do some things.