Drive Not Recognised in Disk Management

[FriendlyFace]

(I thought needed to post this again as I did not understand where it said 'Thread' that is where a title should go in the last post I started)


Hello everyone.

I have three internal hdd installed. Two ide and one sata. The first ide (maxtor) is working fine and is the master. The second ide (western digital) although configured correctly does not show up in 'disk management' or 'my computer'.

They all show up in the bios and 'device manager'.


The 2nd ide hdd use to show up everwhere until I installed the new sata (seagate) drive. Is that the problem?

I am running winxphome on an asrock mainboard.

 

[g-paw]

Does the drive show up when you disconnect the SATA? Double check the connections, one could have loosened.

 

[FriendlyFace]

Hello g-paw. No it doesn't. When I was trying to sort out the second ide drive (by re-connecting it), I acidentally took out the sata drive cable but only the primary drive showed up then so I know it doesn't work.

I don't understand how it can show up in bios and device manager and if I re-install it the 'found new hardware' balloon would come up but it still would not show up in 'disk management'.

 

[g-paw]

Try running the diagnostic/repair software from the hdd mfg website. Double, triple, quadruple check it is set to Slave if on the same data cable as the Master. If you have two ATA connectors on the mobo, try the 2nd one. Finally, check the BIOS for all hdd settings, there is generally more than one area, e.g., check the boot sequense. There have been occasions in the best where I had to change a BIOS setting. Sorry, been a while and can't remember what I did. Try clearing the CMOS

 

[FriendlyFace]

Thank you for your reply g-paw. I'll try the diagnostic suggestion. I'm not sure if it makes a difference but the drive is about seven years old.

Yes the drive is on the same ribbon as the primary disk and yes it most definately is configured correctly to slave. It's mysterious why the 2nd ide doesn't show up in 'disk management' yet the primary one does.

There are two ide connectors and one is currently occupied with an optical drive that is working fine. I tried swapping them around earlier but it came back with the same problem.

With your bios idea - you're saying I should look at all my hdd configurations there and change things if necessary? Thanks I'll try that.


Can you tell me how to 'clear' the cmos please? Thank you.

 

[FriendlyFace]

Ok just did the diagnostic test and it came back with:

"Raw Read Error Rate 1"

That is suppose to be the worse condition! It did not give any idea if there is a fix. Is there?

 

[g-paw]

Ok just did the diagnostic test and it came back with:

"Raw Read Error Rate 1"

That is suppose to be the worse condition! It did not give any idea if there is a fix. Is there?

The instructions for clearing the CMOS will be in your mobo manual. Basically you unplug the computer and move a little plastic cap from the 2 pins it's connected to to one pin over for a minute or so and then move the plastic cover back where it was. These pins are usually some where around the battery. Some instructions say to take out the battery, which I've never done and still have been able to clear it. The CMOS is just BIOS memory.

Usually the hdd diagnostic software includes repair as well although some mfg have two programs. Check the hdd mfg website. Before you do go into the Command Prompt. Start, Programs, Accessories. Once it's up type chkdsk (space, don't type space) /f. It will say it has to reboot and let it. Sounds like the drive may have gone to the great computer in the sky. From Microsoft explains this chkdsk
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/chkdsk.mspx?mfr=true

 

[FriendlyFace]

Do hdd die just like that? One minute it's 'healthy' the next it's dead?

I tried the chkdsk but it just 'checked' the 'c:\' (the main) drive.

What would clearing the CMOS do?

 

[g-paw]

Check the above link under EXAMPLES to check other drive, e.g., chkdsk d: /f, to chekc and try to fix the D drive, etc. Clearing the CMOS clears the BIOS (mobo) memory, e.g., any settings in the BIOS you did. If doesn't affect Windows or any other programs. In this case, it might correct any BIOS hdd changes. Usually drives just don't die but go bad over time. chkcsk /f and the repair software from the hdd mfg can correct problems, which gives you an opportunity to recover data but if the drive is going bad, will not be a permanent fix. Sometimes the drive just gets corrupt and repairing it is a permanent fix. But I'd still back up any data even if it's fixed. What do you have on the problem drive, OS and or programs, data? Run the hdd repair software from the mfg from a Floppy. If you haven't done so, read the link I posted. Be sure to include /f after chkdsk and you'll get a message if it can't be fixed but again, the hdd mfg software might fix it even if chkdsk can't

 

[FriendlyFace]

You're so helpful. Thank you so much. I have to go somewhere but I'll be back in about a week with an update. Thanks again.

 

[g-paw]

Glad to help. Hope you have a good trip