wanna buy external HDD in this PC fair... abt 160GB to store dramas. some1 recommend me SATA,but i oso wan noe which brand is better? any brand to recommend ???

My previous external HDD had some prob,all PC cant read tat HDD coz cant detect the USB. my dad said is sth to do vif de cable... he said tat HDD is not SATA. What shud i do so tat PC can read tat HDD again?