Hard drive has disappeared.

Morganati · 05-02-2008, 10:34 PM

My computer crashed one day and when I booted it back up my secondary hard drive had disappeared from My Computer but when I go into the bios it is recognized. I tried right clicking on My Computer and going to Manage because that is how I had to get Windows to see the HDD when I installed it but it doesn't show up there either. I ran two virus scans and found nothing. Any idea on how to get this HDD to show up again without formatting? I have a lot of files on that drive I don't want to lose. Thanks.

dai · 05-02-2008, 10:39 PM

check the plug has not come loose from the back of the drive
try a new cable you may have a broken wire
check disk management

Morganati · 05-03-2008, 07:09 AM

The cable is fine. And I did check disk management. Like I said, the HD shows up in the bios but not anywhere in Windows.

**Deleted090308** · 05-03-2008, 07:14 AM

Hi,

How are the drives hooked up?
IDE or SATA?
Adapters?

Morganati · 05-03-2008, 07:10 PM

the hard drive that went out is the slave drive on the primary IDE slot.

**Deleted090308** · 05-04-2008, 04:04 AM

Borrow the ribbon cable from the CD drive(s) and connect it to the "lost" drive.

Morganati · 05-04-2008, 11:55 AM

Yeah I tried a couple of different ribbon cables already but I think the HD is fried. It starting making a clicking noise so I'm just going to buy a new one. This is the third Western Digital in 2 years. Thanks for the help though!

**Deleted090308** · 05-04-2008, 12:04 PM

If your HDDs keep dying, maybe you should check the PSU.

05-02-2008, 10:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
Morganati Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 9 OS: xp pro sp2	Hard drive has disappeared. My computer crashed one day and when I booted it back up my secondary hard drive had disappeared from My Computer but when I go into the bios it is recognized. I tried right clicking on My Computer and going to Manage because that is how I had to get Windows to see the HDD when I installed it but it doesn't show up there either. I ran two virus scans and found nothing. Any idea on how to get this HDD to show up again without formatting? I have a lot of files on that drive I don't want to lose. Thanks.

05-02-2008, 10:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,260 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Hard drive has disappeared. check the plug has not come loose from the back of the drive try a new cable you may have a broken wire check disk management __________________

05-03-2008, 07:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
Morganati Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 9 OS: xp pro sp2	Re: Hard drive has disappeared. The cable is fine. And I did check disk management. Like I said, the HD shows up in the bios but not anywhere in Windows.

05-03-2008, 07:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Hard drive has disappeared. Hi, How are the drives hooked up? IDE or SATA? Adapters?

05-03-2008, 07:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
Morganati Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 9 OS: xp pro sp2	Re: Hard drive has disappeared. the hard drive that went out is the slave drive on the primary IDE slot.

05-04-2008, 04:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Hard drive has disappeared. Borrow the ribbon cable from the CD drive(s) and connect it to the "lost" drive.

05-04-2008, 11:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
Morganati Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 9 OS: xp pro sp2	Re: Hard drive has disappeared. Yeah I tried a couple of different ribbon cables already but I think the HD is fried. It starting making a clicking noise so I'm just going to buy a new one. This is the third Western Digital in 2 years. Thanks for the help though!

05-04-2008, 12:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Hard drive has disappeared. If your HDDs keep dying, maybe you should check the PSU.