My HDD wont show up in Windows 8.1

robertwetherall

Reputable
Dec 2, 2014
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0
4,520
I just installed my OS on my SSD, and I can't find my HHD on windows file manager. I checked it, and it's enabled in BIOS. What do I have to do to get windows to recognize it?
 
Solution
I'm going to assume that this is a new machine, and the HDD you're talking about is a empty and new. It does not have data on it already that you need to save, right? But you already have Windows installed on the SSD and it is running as your C: drive.

You probably need to look in the right place. You need the Windows built-in utility called Disk Management. Click on Start ... then RIGHT-click on My Computer and from the mini-menu choose Manage. In the left menu click on Disk Management. The right part will show upper and lower panes. Concentrate on the LOWER RIGHT pane where you can see all valid storage devices, including even ones that Windows can't use yet. Each storage device is represented as a horizontal block with a label on...

atmos929

Distinguished
Apr 21, 2010
517
0
19,160
is the HDD partitioned?...

start -> right click on computer -> manage -> disk management

It might show up there, if it says unllaocated, you need to create a new partition in it. Primary if you plan to install an OS in it (unlikely), logical if only want to use it for storage.


 

TheTechDude

Reputable
Dec 4, 2014
87
0
4,660
You have to Partition you Hard Drive.
How to do is:

Search Computer:
Right Click on it and click Manage.
Disk managememt:
Right click on the Hard Drive and Click Partition to a new Drive and name your drive (Ex. Drive (f))
You are done!

You can go to google and search how to partition a new Hard drive..

Good Luck!

If it was helpful, please choose it as the answer.
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
Ambassador
I'm going to assume that this is a new machine, and the HDD you're talking about is a empty and new. It does not have data on it already that you need to save, right? But you already have Windows installed on the SSD and it is running as your C: drive.

You probably need to look in the right place. You need the Windows built-in utility called Disk Management. Click on Start ... then RIGHT-click on My Computer and from the mini-menu choose Manage. In the left menu click on Disk Management. The right part will show upper and lower panes. Concentrate on the LOWER RIGHT pane where you can see all valid storage devices, including even ones that Windows can't use yet. Each storage device is represented as a horizontal block with a label on its left end. The entire pane SCROLLS so you can find all your storage units. Look for the HDD. It probably is shown all as Unallocated Space. RIGHT-click on that and choose to Create a New Simple Volume. Since you are not using it to boot from, it does not need to be bootable. You can set up more than one Partition in it if you want to have separate "drives", but maybe you want this one Partition to take up all of the space, and that's OK too. You should use the NTFS File system (default setting) and probably let it do a Full Format which will take HOURS, so be patient. When it's finished, back out and reboot so Windows can update its Registry, and the HDD will show up ready to use in My Computer.
 
Solution