Can't use 2 usb connected hard drives simultaneously - Windows 7.

[bigdog]

I have a ACER laptop with Windows 7

I have two western digital 1.5 TB hard drives connected by USB and when both are connected I can only see one of the HDD's. I can connect and see each provided I only attach one at a time.

They came from the factory with the same unique ID. Windows thinks it's the same disk.

If the disk status is Offline and the disk's name changes to Missing, the disk was recently available on the system but can no longer be located or identified.

The fix:
>Control Panel
>Administrative Tools
>Computer Management
>Storage
>Disk Management

disk 1 should be status "online"

disk 2 is status is "offline" and right click "Online" should get you back in business until the drives are disconnected.

The attachment shows disk 2 is now "Online"

windows 7 with 2 hdd.jpg