Win 8 no longer detecting EXT3 drive

I have a strange problem. Up until recently my EXT3 HDD was running fine and detectable in WIN 8 using EXT2FSD and Paragon EXTFS for Windows. But now its no longer picking up the drive.

The drive and its contents detect fine on the Win XP laptop which doesnt help me much. Ive tried almost everything, removing EXT2FSD which I doubt was the problem anyway. My guess is some malware has corrupted some subsystem setting in Win 8 and caused it to no longer show. Its annoying as hell but I want to avoid doing a full Windows reinstall to get it back working again. The last system restore backup was a few days ago so I doubt thats gonna help me. The drive doesnt even show under Disk Management (its connected to an external USB dock which is confirmed working as I transferred it across to the lappie and it detects fine)

Any suggestions folks....

 

Please check if USB device entry for EXTFS external drive exists in Device Manager. If it is - please try to completely remove device and reinstall it back
Then external drive should be shown in Disk management

If no device listed - please try to connect another external media to the same port and check if it works. Maybe the issue is related to USB-port

 

Still no luck. NTFS hdd detects fine in the cradle but the EXT3 volume wont pickup neither in device manager or via Paragon. Its like its blocked somehow within windows. I dunno if some windows update has blocked its visibility or whats going its annoying the hell out of me.

 

try this
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2830154

 

Says this update is not applicable to my system. Im running Win 8 Pro. maybe I already have the hotfix via windows update

 

Well, let's try the last my guess

Open Device Manager
Find HID devices , expand it
Delete all listed USB devices (right-click Uninstall) and confirm driver removal
Delete all HID devices
Then delete the main USB entry
Then try to run Actions - Rescan

It will install back all required devices.

While your external drive is not visible for Windows 8 at all we can't check if driver for ExtFS works.

 

removed all the HID ones (including the USB Mouse and Keyboard) then hit the reset button and windows reinstalled all the drivers manually and still no joy. Im about to put my fist through the monitor. My only option is to get myself a spare drive format it as NTFS and manually copy it all across on the laptop as that at least is detecting the EXT drive and its contents. Its damn annoying.

Update: took it out of the cradle and plugged it directly off a SATA connector inside the case and Intel Rapid Storage Manager picked it up. NFI why it wont do the same in the docking cradle when that same drive in the cradle on the xp machine detects it fine. Im copying files to it regular so need it running in the docking cradle. Dont wanna have to open the PC everytime I need to copy files to it and transfer it back out 8(

 

Not sure if this will help, but,

In the beginning I could insert a drive into the docking station built into the case at anytime, and the drive would be recognized automatically.

Then I installed a new version of Intel Rapid Storage Manager (and some other Intel updates) and drives inserted into the docking station are no longer automatically recognized when inserted after W7-64 has started. (If the drive is inserted before cold booting, it is recognized)

If I insert the drive into an external docking station connected by e-Sata, it's automatically recognized.

So, I open Computer Management > Disk Management and under Action click Rescan Disks.

Hope this helps,

J

 

I havent xferred it back into the docking cradle to see if it detects again but will give it another try seeing it worked fine running straight of the internal SATA cable. Will give it a go on the weekend and report back with the results

 

Nah no luck. Will only detect now running directly off the internal SATA connectors. Refuses to pickup off the external USB dock (NTFS works fine on the external USB dock) so Im at a loss whats blocking it.

 

Let's try the following:
1) Uninstall all drivers for ExtFS
2) Restart
3) Connect ExFS drive and check if its' visible in Device Manager and Disk Manager (not mountable)

If drive is visible then:
Then install one driver - check if it still works.
If not - uninstall and install another one/ Check if it works.

 

I just bought another docking cradle with an e-sata connector and plugged it in and it popped up. So all working again, no idea why it didnt work via the USB method. But all working again

Any windows utils to run a filesystem check on a Linux partition or drive to check for errors etc??