External Drive not seen in Device/USB Lists

i have an issue with the Parallels Desktop app itself.
i have been using Parallels since version 5 and have never run into this problem before.
i have also searched all the forums and have found similar sounding issues, but none that address this particular problem. (i'm not saying i read every single thread in the world, but enough that i felt it was worth posting a new one. so please no one jump down my throat if this answer really is already out there somewhere lol)
i am currently running Windows 8 Pro x64 on OSX Mountain Lion, with the latest build Parallels Desktop 8.

i have a suite of audio programs on an external hard drive (Samsung 320GB, NTFS formatted) that do not seem to want to install when connected to windows as a parallels shared network drive. so i think, ok no problem, i'll just use the Device Menu to connect it directly to Windows. at this point i notice that the drive doesn't show up on the list of USB devices. i then open Parallels' preferences panel and try to add it via the USB tab. still no joy. i have various other USB drives and devices that all show up fine, but this particular drive seems to be invisible to Parallels. i have tried mounting, unmounting, different settings and everything else i can think of, but no matter what i do, Parallels says this drive just doesn't exist.

OSX sees it fine, and when mounted in OSX, Windows 8 sees it as a network drive, but to reiterate, i NEED this drive connected directly to Windows or the installation of those programs will fail. (and no, before anyone asks, i cannot transfer the files to another location or drive. they are massive and there is no room for them anywhere else, hence them already being on an external drive.)

any thoughts, ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

Did you have enabled USB 3.0? Look it up in configuration --> Hardware --> USB

 

YanaYana,

I have the same issue. My drive doesn't show. I have a WD essential USB 3.0 1To drive on windows 8 virtual machine NTFS formatted. I updated drivers, latest Parallels updated, checked if USB 3.0 enabled in configuration... Nothing. The drive shows in disk management console but no letter mounted. All drivers Ok in hardware manager... The drive works great on windows 8 through bootcamp. Any ideas ? Thank you in advance for your help.

 

does it show if you connect it to Mac first? do you need USB connection or network connection will work for you as well?

 

"does it show if you connect it to Mac first? do you need USB connection or network connection will work for you as well?"

YanaYana,

Yes it shows but mac os x mountain lion says (translating from FRench OS) : "reset, ignore or eject". I don't know if it's a NTFS issue or a western digital issue. Coz In finder I can browse windows boot camp NTFS partition.

It's a USB 3.O external disk drive. Network is working, if you mean i have web connection. Of course I am having this problem in Windows 8 under parallels desktop 8 not in windows 8 through boot camp. (in boot camp all OK).

I got a call from PD support today, it wasn't successful but they will call back for another try.

BTW, I am able to manually mount the drive through Minitool Partition Wizard Home edition. I can give it a letter and the drive shows and works. but if I unplug the drive or restart windows have to do it all over manually.

(Another USB issue I don't know if related, my canon cameras won't show when asking to acquire image through canon software.)

Thank you.

 

hi,

Is there any progress in your problem ?

Thank you.

 

After help from hotline, it seems to be a NTFS format issue (Windows 8 newer NTFS ?). Anyways, reformatting the drive from within parallels/mac os solved the problem. Thank you.