Error sayin, "the device is not ready"

[dunit2]

I am trying to recover data from an external USB drive from windows XP (I know, I know, but I refused to go to Windows Vista, or 8 and just couldn't pull the trigger on 7).  I am using the free version of Recuva and everything ssems to show up fine.  When I use the restore on a file, the window comes up with the status bar moving across is for a bit like it is doing it's recovery, but then I get the message, "the device is not ready".  Anyone no what this means?

[hazelnut]

Some bits of info here which may give you some ideas

 

http://forum.piriform.com/?showtopic=37942

[gfm]

I confirm the same malfunction, despite having installed windows 7. The hard disk to be recovered is about 3 terabytes. No help from the link you posted, hazelnut, but thanks anyway...

[BND]

Hi, I'm having  the same problem  I have been through all of the suggested solutions. The destination drive is working & not sleeping the files say they are recoverable but after clicking recover. Error message comes up Device is not ready. I have ensured the external hard drive from which I am trying to recover having accidentally formatted it & my file on my laptop that I have created to try & put the recovered files into are both working...but no success. I am simply a user so don't understand complicated instructions, they need to be spelled out       I cant even get the screen copy to post here!