With the ZIP connected, go to the Windows Device Manager, uninstall the Zip drive in the Device Manager.  Restart Windows and the ZIP drive will be detected and reinstalled.  See if that corrects it.

Ok I did what you said, I went into Device Mgr. and uninstalled my zip then restarted windows and then put my zip disk in and an autoplay box comes up with a flashlight inside the box looks like it searching for something then the box goes away then nothing.  When I DC on the zip drive icon a box still comes up and says to insert a disk and there is already one in there.  Also the disk that's in there I cannot eject.  Any other ideas as to why this is happening or what I can do?

When I check the properties for this Zip, it says that this device is working properly.  Also the light on the external drive just keeps blinking on and off all the time with the disk still in there cause I can't eject it out now.

If the Zip cartridge won't eject, it sounds like there may be a problem iwth the zip drive, itself, rather than an interface or PC problem. 

Check the IOMEGA site as there is probably an "emergency" eject method.  It's been a long time since I worked with a ZIP drive (at least 10 years) and can't remember too much about it. 

Once you get it ejected and straightened out (sometimes getting the cartridge ejected will reset whatever was wrong and it may work), you should consider whether you want to use the "old technology" ZIP drive instead of "current technology" CD's.

Make sure you disconnect the Zip before reloading the IomegaWare tools. Otherwise, XP may refuse to assign a drive letter. And go to Iomega website for the latest version of IomegaWare (free). If that doesn't fix it, and if you haven't already done it, try a different USB port.

And if none of that helps, maybe the Zip drive has failed. Eject the disk manually and reboot. Then go to www.grc.com and download their free trouble in paradise utility (tip.exe). grc wrote tip.exe independently of Iomega so it will give you an assessment of the drive's condition that doesn't rely on any Iomega software or drivers.

Note: If tip.exe doesn't recognize your drive or doesn't see the disk, email grc via their website and ask them to send you aspi.me (also free). Install that and then try tip.exe again.

A new Zip 250 can be bought for less than $100 these days and reads old 100 MB disks and the newer 250 MB ones too. A Zip 750 can't read 100 MB disks so that limits your choices. You might be able to pick up a used Zip on ebay for less.

Ron

One more thing, my computer does recognize my zip drive and does assign it a drive letter and when I click on properties it does say that this device is working properly.  This is why I don't understand why it's not working.  I didn't unplug my zip before installing the new software so that could be it too and will try that also.

Ok thanks, will try that.  You said that the 250 zips can read old 100 disk, what do you mean by old?  Will it read all my 100's?  I have some 250 disk also from before when I use to have it in my computer but it is disconnected now.  If I were to buy a 250 external zip drive, can I use all my 100's in it? 

Yes, Zip 250 drive is backwardly compatible with 100 MB Zip disks. I have 100 MB Zip disks dating back to my Win 95 machine and use them regularly on internal Zip 250 in Dimension 8400. But Zip disks do fail eventually so they're not permanent storage. I run tip.exe on the disks regularly to assess their health. Sometimes tip tells me the disk is failing (most/all spare sectors are used) and that's time to copy the files elsewhere and toss it. I use Zip disks for quick backup of current projects, just in case my HD should fail. When the project is finalized, I burn the files to CD-R for permanent storage.

If XP is assigning a drive letter, then I don't think that's the issue. Device Manager only knows that the drive is attached and sending the proper signals down the interface. It probably won't know if the sensor that detects a disk is not working or if the head can't read/write any longer.

Ron