Error Code 10 - "this device cannot start"

[Xiv]

I have tried seemingly everything and cannot get my external hdd to work. My HDD is a 200gb WD EIED drive in a NexStar external enclosure attached via USB2.0

I didnt have any problems with the drive previous to this, it had been working perfectly for about 2 years.

I have 2 external hard drives connected to my PC usually, and plug in/unplug them 2-4 times daily.

The problem I believe was caused when I accidentally was setting up the drives for use at my parents house, and used the cable from the one drive on the one that is now having problems. However the cable which I plugged into it is made by the same company, uses the same voltages, and has .2 amperes lower than the cable i am supposed to use. It was only plugged in and turned on for a short while before i realzed my mistake and tried to correct it. The drive has not worked properly since. I dont care about losing the information on the drive at this point, I just want use of the drive back.

The drive does not start up anymore, and in the enclosure it was originally in the light would turn on, but the drive would not start up. Eventually, after trying the incorrect power cable again, the light would flicker on for a second then turn off. I switched the hard drive out into the other enclosure, and now the light will come on, and it will make the noise on my computer letting me know new hardware is plugged in, however I get the error code "this device cannot start" when looking in the device manager at it. In the device manager it has a yellow exclamation mark beside it. I have tried driver updates and the suggested free tool (USBMD) but nothing has worked. The same problem occurs when the drive is plugged into other computers, and my other external hard drive is still working on all computers.

Is my hard drive a goner? I really -really- hope I haven't fried it and there is SOME way for me to salvage it. The warranty is up on the hard drive by the way, I already checked.

[NooNoo]

Welcome to Windrivers Xiv

Have you tried the enclosure/drive on another computer? Have you tried using it as a normal ide drive?

[Xiv]

I have tried connecting it to another computer, in two different external enclosures, and though both enclosures work perfectly, the hard drive did not show up, though it did make the noise telling me it was connected.

[NooNoo]

Right, next stage is to connect it directly to an IDE connection inside the computer...

[Xiv]

The problem is that the computer is a laptop and I dont have a currently running desktop, nor access to one to test it.

[NooNoo]

Then you cannot go any further with this until you prove whether the hard drive is good or not.

[Xiv]

I tested it in a friends computer - it didnt even show up or start spinning

[NooNoo]

Then sorry, it's toast.