Just got a cracker of a deal from Staples -

This doesn't help you Mike really, as it's just a workround. But I always start a system without any USB drive media inserted, just makes things simpler really. Seeing as all the USB kit is hot-pluggable, it doesn't make a difference. Is there an actual power switch on the back of the drive. I would just flick that off when you turn the PC off. It's only consuming power sitting there idle anyway.

If you still want to just have it powered on all the time, I may look to a BIOS update for your machine. Failing that, I would have a look round the BIOS for a USB drive boot support option. I would say this needs to be disabled.

It may help googling the laptop model, plus USB hard drive, to see if anyone on another website/forum has come across a concrete solution to the issue.

Steve

Look around the bios for "USB Legacy support" and disable it, that should solve your problem.

If thats no good, then look for "boot usb first" option and disable that.

Look around the bios for "USB Legacy support" and disable it, that should solve your problem.

If thats no good, then look for "boot usb first" option and disable that.

Pretty sure I spotted "legacy" in the bios before so I will try that. What does disabling it actually do though, will it bugger anything up?

it will disable access to your hd from MS-DOS but since you are using XP wil make no difference.

it will disable access to your hd from MS-DOS but since you are using XP wil make no difference.

Ill give that a bash then, cheers:thumbup: