Desktop or Disk Utility won't show External Hard Drives

The Desktop or Disk Utility won't show  2 of my old external hard drives and so they are currently unsusable. My computer however recognise other external drives.
320GB Western Digital MyBook Premium model number: WD3200D032-000
500 GB Western Digital MyBook Premium model number: WD5000E032
I have same issues both of these external drives.
The blue circle lights come on so power is getting to it.
Tried 2 USB cables, one I know for sure is working - Nothing.
I am using Lion 10.7.4 on a mid 2009 13" MacBook Pro
All efforts to help much appreciated

No they haven't worked on this computer before. I using them on my old MacBook Pro (a computer which is no longer working)  which ran Snow Leopard.
The 500GB drive  "stopped working" with that old MBP too
But the 320GB drive was always working with old MBP if I remember correctly.
Cheers

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