Unable to access 1.5TB Western Digital SATA drive

[healer]

I opened my external drive case and took the 3.5" hard drive out so that I could connect to the computer internally with a SATA cable because I don't have an external SATA cable and internal SATA interface. I started the Windows 7 Ultimate system. The computer screen remained on "Starting Windows" forever.

If my memory serves me right, I remember I did manage to access it with another computer before. That computer has been out of service. At present I can access it while the drive is in the case connected with a USB cable. The Windows explorer shows all the partitions in the drive.

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Go into the Bios and change the boot settings..its trying to boot off that drive instead of its own drive...

All the best Brett

 

[healer]

There is no operating system installed on the 1.5TB drive. I only use it as backup or file storage.

And I can see which drive or partition I boot up with. The main hard drive in the computer has multiple operating systems installed and I can select which operating system to boot up and by default the Windows 7 Ultimate system should start.

 

[specopspc]

Try using "Esc" when bios starts to boot choose drive. Then when in windows go to manage hard drive and see if the hard drive is initiated if not might have to format and choose a drive letter for it.

Cheers good luck!

 

[healer]

The drive had been initiated. I have been using it as a backup drive. Windows explorer would access it without problem via a USB connection.

The Windows system just wouldn't complete the booting process while such drive is directly attached with an internal SATA cable. If such drive is attached with a USB cable, the Windows system would boot without any problem.

I have tried to boot with ubuntu (Linux) system while this drive is connected with a SATA cable, the ubuntu would boot completely though takes somewhat longer time. All the files in the drive are still accessible.

By the way I have just attached an Apple drive to the same Windows system, The Windows system just boots all right. It hs only advised the drive is not initiated after boot-up. So an unitiated drive should not hold up the Windows booting process.