Windows drivers for Lacie 1TB Thunderbolt external drive: Howdy friends. I purchased this orange-colored Thunderbolt device from B&H for express storage of my nature photos. I did...

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

Howdy friends. I purchased this orange-colored Thunderbolt device from B&H for express storage of my nature photos. I did follow the directions and visited the Lacie site to find the drivers needed for a windows 8.1 laptop.

However, I have not found them as I sifted through the site. Can Windows users assist me in this endeavor? I suspect it is a simple thing but the download link eludes me.

Leitz Loc: Solms

CanonShot wrote:

Howdy friends. I purchased this orange-colored Thunderbolt device from B&H for express storage of my nature photos. I did follow the directions and visited the Lacie site to find the drivers needed for a windows 8.1 laptop.

However, I have not found them as I sifted through the site. Can Windows users assist me in this endeavor? I suspect it is a simple thing but the download link eludes me.

I should think that when you connect it and power up, Windows will recognize it as a storage device. Not sure what a driver would do.

flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico

Leitz wrote:

I should think that when you connect it and power up, Windows will recognize it as a storage device. Not sure what a driver would do.

The "driver" is software that does the connecting up (interfacing)of a device and your particular operating system (OS) to the actual computer hardware that does the computing. Manufacturers are constantly upgrading the driver software to enable a device to work better with existing operating systems or newer systems and that's why you need to check that you have and install the latest driver.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Most Windows PCs have USB ports, not Thunderbolt ports. Thunderbolt has been an Apple thing. Recently I've seen a few Windows laptops with Thunderbolt ports, but not many.

What laptop do you have and does it have a Thunderbolt port? If not, I think the LaCie external drives do have USB ports.

Leitz Loc: Solms

flyguy wrote:

The "driver" is software that does the connecting up (interfacing)of a device and your particular operating system (OS) to the actual computer hardware that does the computing. Manufacturers are constantly upgrading the driver software to enable a device to work better with existing operating systems or newer systems and that's why you need to check that you have and install the latest driver.

Perhaps the drivers are in the operating system, or on the drive? Every storage device I've used were recognized by the computer - never needed a CD or download (unless a download was done automatically?). I might add that I reformat the drive to get rid of the backup options.

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

bsprague wrote:

Most Windows PCs have USB ports, not Thunderbolt ports. Thunderbolt has been an Apple thing. Recently I've seen a few Windows laptops with Thunderbolt ports, but not many.

What laptop do you have and does it have a Thunderbolt port? If not, I think the LaCie external drives do have USB ports.

The 1 TB Thunderbolt package did include a separate USB 3.0 cord that connects directly to my computer 3.0 USB port. I haven't try to connect the Thunderbolt to my Dell Inspiron 17 5000 series computer (about a year old) because of a "Thunderbolt for Windows Users" note that mentioned the need to go online to the Lacie site to get the drivers before connecting to the device.

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

flyguy wrote:

The "driver" is software that does the connecting up (interfacing)of a device and your particular operating system (OS) to the actual computer hardware that does the computing. Manufacturers are constantly upgrading the driver software to enable a device to work better with existing operating systems or newer systems and that's why you need to check that you have and install the latest driver.

So, since the company did include a separate USB 3.0 cord that hooks to the device and one of my USB 3.0 computer ports, is it likely that the "Thunderbolt for Windows Users" note that says to go the Lacie website before connecting to the Thunderbolt device to get the drivers is just meant in case my computer (DELL 5000 series a year old) didn't have a 3.0 port?

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I googled for a Dell Inspiron 17 5000. Four models showed up here: http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/inspiron-17-5758-laptop/pd

Each had a single faster USB 3.0 port and a couple lower speed USB 2.0. There is no reference to a Thunderbolt port.

(A USB 3.0 is about 10 times faster than a 2.0 and a Thunderbolt is about twice faster than a USB 3.0)

Based on the Dell website, you will never be able to use your new LaCie on a Thunderbolt connection because you don't have one. You can use it on any of the USB connections. USB is very generic and all that is necessary is to plug it in. Windows will take care of the rest.

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

CanonShot wrote:

Howdy friends. I purchased this orange-colored Thunderbolt device from B&H for express storage of my nature photos. I did follow the directions and visited the Lacie site to find the drivers needed for a windows 8.1 laptop.

However, I have not found them as I sifted through the site. Can Windows users assist me in this endeavor? I suspect it is a simple thing but the download link eludes me.

Evidently you missed this page. I just clicked on the LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt drive and got this page from the downloads.

http://www.lacie.com/support/mobile-storage/rugged-thunderbolt/

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

You can get a Thunderbolt driver, but you still need a place to plug it in. The computer the OP has does not have a Thunderbolt port, it has USB ports.

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

bsprague wrote:

You can get a Thunderbolt driver, but you still need a place to plug it in. The computer the OP has does not have a Thunderbolt port, it has USB ports.

That page has the USB driver on it.

Her it is

http://www.lacie.com/support/mobile-storage/rugged-thunderbolt/

http://manuals.lacie.com/en/manuals/rugged-thunderbolt-usb3/drivers

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

jethro779 wrote:

That page has the USB driver on it.

Her it is

http://www.lacie.com/support/mobile-storage/rugged-thunderbolt/

http://manuals.lacie.com/en/manuals/rugged-thunderbolt-usb3/drivers

"Windows users must install drivers on their computer in order to use the Thunderbolt connection."

THUNDERBOLT CONNECTION

It is not there!

The OP has a relatively cheap laptop that does not have a Thunderbolt connection. He/she can get all the drivers offered, but if there is not a Thunderbolt hole on the side of their laptop, they get to use the USB holes.

That particular LaCie drive costs extra to provide the super fast Thunderbolt speeds, mostly for Apple owners. It does not work on PC laptops without the Thunderbolt connection. The OP should have saved money and bought the USB 3.0 version. That is all that will work, regardless of drivers.

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

bsprague wrote:

"Windows users must install drivers on their ... (show quote)

You are not reading. That drive is a dual. It is USB 3 and Thunderbolt

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

The drive has it, but not the laptop. The laptop does not have a Thunderbolt connection. It has a single USB 3.0 and a couple USB 2.0. It can't connect via a Thunderbolt connection.

Connect in a USB 3.0 will work well, but at half the speed of a Thunderbolt connection like on an Apple. The OP could have bought the USB only version and saved $80.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/813173-REG/LaCie_301558_Rugged_Mini_Portable_Hard.html

CanonShot Loc: Lancaster County, PA

Thank you to all who have contributed information and opinions. Your thoughts are quite helpful.