Can't initialize my HDD ''The system cannot find the file specified"

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Joeri_

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Sep 14, 2016
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Hi!

I just bought a new HDD to add in my system for storage. I have an SSD with the OS on it. When i plugged in the HDD it at first it didnt recognise the HDD. After changing SATA-slots and some EUFI settings, device manager picked it up. So i went ahead and pressed Win+R and opened diskmgmt.msc. When it opens i get prompted to initialize it. But neither MBR or GPT works. MBR says ''The system cannot find the file specified'' and GPT says that my HDD is too small too use that option (its 1TB). When i then close and right click Disk 0 (what its called) i can no longer initialize as the option is grayed out. So in conclusion i have to restart diskmgmt.msc to get prompted for initialization but when i do try initialize (with MBR) it gives me the "The system cannot find the file specified'' message.

Please help i've been trynna find out the problem for hours and i really need it to work.

Kind regards,
Joeri
 
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A

ArtPog

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Sep 17, 2014
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As the first step when you encounter a problem with a drive and you know it's been correctly installed in the system...
Check out the health of the drive to determine you're not working with a defective disk. It's best to use the HDD diagnostic tool that's usually available from the drive's manufacturer.

If the disk checks out OK, we go on to other troubleshooting steps.
 
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J

Joeri_

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Sep 14, 2016
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Hi there!

Thanks for your reply.

I've been trying to find software to check on the HDD's status, but remember, it hasn't been initialized yet. And in diskmgmt it does not display the amount of available storage either. So if you know a program that can check for the health of an HDD when it is in the state mine is, then please.
 
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J

Joeri_

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Sep 14, 2016
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I should probably also note that the HDD isnt detected in my EUFI BIOS. It displays my SSD and Optic Dvd drive, but not the HDD. I haven't tried every slot yet, only a few. So that's what i'll do now, i'll keep this thread updated.
 
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A

ArtPog

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Sep 17, 2014
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1. BTW, advise the make/model of the problem HDD.

2. What's the OS?

3. Can we assume the system boots & functions problem-free whether or not the "problem" HDD is connected?

4. Any chance of connecting the HDD as a USB external HDD?

5. Or to another PC that may be available?

6. In your initial query you indicated that the system returned messages of one sort or another re the problem HDD, an indication that the disk had been detected by the system so I thought that being the case, hopefully a HDD diagnostic program will do the same and return a report on the health of the HDD after the diagnostic program is installed on your boot drive.

Try the Hard Disk Sentinel 4.71.10 program which you can download from http://www.hdsentinel.com/

It probably would be best if you download the "Hard Disk Sentinel DOS v1.21" version so that you would install the program on a bootable CD created from a bootable CD ISO image.
See http://www.hdsentinel.com/hard_disk_sentinel_dos.php for that download.
(Over the years we've found that the Hard Disk Sentinel DOS version seemed to be able to detect problematic HDDs when the Windows OS wasn't able to.)

 
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J

Joeri_

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Sep 14, 2016
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Hi there!

Thanks for your reply once again.

1. SeaGate Barracuda 1TB 7200.14 SATAIII
2. Windows 10
3. System boots and functions flawless, both with and without the HDD installed.
4. External connection wont happen.
5. Other PC can be done i'll have a look.
6. I've tried numerous programs to detect and check up on the HDD's health. None worked, not even SeaTools, but i'll try. Thanks for the tip!

Joeri

Edit: I have gone trough my post to check for spelling mistakes and i came across 4. I do actually have a sata port located in the DIM-board of my motherboard. I dont know if that counts as external, but i havent given it a try yet. I'll keep you informed.

EDIT: I also want to note that Windows does actually detect the drive as a disk. It's displayed in diskmanagement.msc. I just can initialize it. Device manager also see's it as ''Unknown Hardware'' or something like that (My windows is Dutch)
 
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ArtPog

Admirable
Sep 17, 2014
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(Well, we've given you a B- in view of the misspellings ("trough" should be "through"). I only wish I could speak/write Dutch as well as you write English! Don't give it another thought).

As long as you have another PC available it would be most desirable to install the Seagate HDD either internally in the system or as a USB external device and see what happens.

We'll assume (at least for the moment that the disk is non-defective) and that when the HDD is installed in your system and you access Diskpart and list the disks with that utility, the disk is listed. If it is, select the disk and use Diskpart's clean command and then return to Disk Management to see if the disk is listed and you're able to initialize, partition, and format the disk in DM.
(I'm assuming you're familiar with the Diskpart utility. If you're not, do a Google search on "using Diskpart". It's a valuable "tool" in your arsenal and you should be familiar with it).
 
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J

Joeri_

Commendable
Sep 14, 2016
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Haha thanks for the compliment :)

OK, i downloaded both the programs you linked. Hard Disk Sentinel was actually able to pick up the drive, but then that's it. It had absolutely zero info about it. And either i couldn't find it or the option just wasn't there, but, i haven't been able to use it's ''clean command''. I should note that i downloaded the .exe that you can run in windows.

This one: http://imgur.com/a/m2kqX

The other one i downloaded is the DOS version that install's the needed file's on a USB drive, and then make's that drive into a bootable one.

This one: http://imgur.com/a/1KmyP

As if right now i'm formatting that USB drive and i'm about to boot from it. Once again thanks for helping me out and i'll keep you posted.
 
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J

Joeri_

Commendable
Sep 14, 2016
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I tried SeaTools but it only picked up my SSD.

Right now i'm gonna put the HDD in the other desktop and see what that does. I also just finished booting from the USB. And well, it didn't find anything but my SSD again. Which is weird because it does show up in Device Manager under the ''DiskDrives'' tab, as ''Unknown device''. Before i test the other desktop i'll try plugging it in the external SATA, and then boot from the USB. If neither of these options work, then i think it's RMA time. Unless you know of something but i think we've tried everything now, right?

edit: Wanted to test with the SATA-port on my motherboard's DIM=board. But that didn't work out. The SATA cable didn't fit since it was an eSATA-port instead of a normal one. Instead i swapped the SSD's slot out with the HDD. No luck there either. Last shot is initializing, partitioning and formatting via the other desktop, and installing it back on mine. But the other desktop isn't quite as fast as mine and remember it's 1TB to be formatted. But i'll see if it works out and if it doesn't... RMA shall be the saviour.

EDIT: Just tried the other desktop, and yet again, no luck. It's defected, we can't do anything about it. I'm sending it back to get a new one. Thank you so much for your help. Too bad it didn't work out. Have a nice day :) :)

SuperEdit: RMA has been requested package is being sent out today.
 
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