XP does not recognize secondary hard drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter tko69
  • Start date Start date
T

tko69

Hello,

I recently installed a new version of X2 SP2 on the primary drive. When the
install was complete, I was not able to see the secondary drive in the My
Computer window. From the BIOS and Device Manager, the drive does exist.

A little history, I had an older version of Windows installed with the same
setup (primary and secondary drives) and I was able to use both drives - no
problem. I have data on the second drive that cannot be deleted. How can I
get Windows to recognize the secondary drive?

Please help.
Thanks in advance,
Danny
 
Well, there is no exception to the rule that the BIOS has to see the drive
before anything else will see it, Windows or any other operating system.
You either have a setting wrong in the BIOS, or some physical connection
problem with the hard drive or controller card. I would test the drive in
another system first, to be sure it works (or switch connectors.) The bios
should report it if it is ok.
Once you know the drive works, look at the cables, power, and so on.
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tko69 said:
Hello,

I recently installed a new version of X2 SP2 on the primary drive. When
the
install was complete, I was not able to see the secondary drive in the My
Computer window. From the BIOS and Device Manager, the drive does exist.

A little history, I had an older version of Windows installed with the
same
setup (primary and secondary drives) and I was able to use both drives -
no
problem. I have data on the second drive that cannot be deleted. How can I
get Windows to recognize the secondary drive?

Please help.
Thanks in advance,
Danny
Click to expand...


Danny:
We'll assume that secondary HDD is non-defective since it was apparently
working OK just prior to the time you reinstalled the OS onto your primary
HDD. That's right, isn't it? And you didn't make any changes in its
connection/configuration, right?

And we'll further assume that when the secondary HDD is *disconnected* from
your system your primary HDD with the new OS boots without incident and
functions properly. That's also right, isn't it?

So when you reconnect the secondary HDD to your system, is it now detected
by the system? Or still the same problem?

If that HDD is detected in Device Manager, but still cannot be accessed,
have you gone into Disk Management to see if the drive is listed there?
Possibly without a drive letter assignment? If so, can you assign it a drive
letter in DM?
Anna
 
Hi Anna,

Thanks for the reply. All your assumptions are correct. Nothing was changed
in the config of the hard drives, etc...
In the DM, the second HD was detected, but I am unable to allocated a letter
to the drive. What can I do now?

Thanks in advance,
Danny
 
tko69 said:
Hi Anna,

Thanks for the reply. All your assumptions are correct. Nothing was
changed
in the config of the hard drives, etc...
In the DM, the second HD was detected, but I am unable to allocated a
letter
to the drive. What can I do now?

Thanks in advance,
Danny
Click to expand...


Danny:
Assuming you haven't done this already...

1. Shut down the machine and disconnect that secondary HDD.
2. Boot just to your primary HDD.
3. Shut down the machine and reconnect the secondary HDD. Again, make
certain you've correctly/securely connected/jumpered it.
4. Boot
5. See if the drive is now recognized in the system.

If still no go, after shutting down the PC reconnect the secondary HDD to
the other IDE channel. (Although you didn't say, I'm assuming you're working
with a PATA (not a SATA) HDD. Presumably it's connected as a slave to your
Primary Master (boot) drive. So connect it on the secondary IDE channel -
either Master or Slave - it doesn't matter. See if that works out.

If you're working with a SATA HDD, just reconnect it to another SATA
connector.

If still no go, it might be best to check out the disk with the HDD
diagnostic utility available from the disk's manufacturer.
Anna
 
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