can't read hd in enclosure

Very OT

I cannot read the files from a hard drive in a HD Enclosure connected to a 
windows xp computer. The hard drive is able to boot to windows 98se so is 
viable.

This problem occurs with several enclosures, several windows xp computers 
and several hard drives (all boot to windows 98se - so all are viable.)

The windows xp computers find the 'new hardware', and progress through the 
new hardware routine and say that the hardware is now usable.

The enclosure does not appear in the explorer but is listed in the device 
manager. Device manager says the drive is functional.

Any ideas as to how to read the files from the external hard drive??