The drives that we uses in todays PC's is "plug and play". That means that the OS reads it easily and sets it up. On the Hitachi edms the stiffy drive is not dedicated as the A drive, this is why the machine will not "pick" it up. You need a stiffy drive that you can dedicate as a B or a D drive. I know that TEAC makes drives with "jumpers" you can dedicate as you need. I know these drives are very scarce these days to come by. Phone all the Computer shops maybe there is one lying around that needs you as the owner. In South Africa a new stiffy costs around R100-00, to replace the stiffy drive on my Hitachi, bying from the agents would be around R4800-00 !!!!!
I do have sympathy for you
Klox