Motherboard not detecting hard drives

ktb123 · 06-25-2009, 11:21 AM

Hello, all.

I installed a new SATA hard drive in my computer. I connected the old one that came with the computer to the motherboard via a SATA cable but it's not showing up. When connected the new one to the motherboard it also wasn't detected. What could be the problem?

Dogg · 06-26-2009, 01:33 PM

To verify the drives, you can test them in another PC.

For you current PC, try new cables, ensure the drives have power, and verify you are using the correct SATA ports. You may also need to verify the ports are setup correctly. Most likely RAID will be disabled, and the ports will be set for IDE mode or something similar.

ktb123 · 06-27-2009, 08:17 AM

I tried the drive in a second PC (exact same model) and still it didn't work. I bought new SATA cables and that didn't work either. How do I verify the ports?

Amd_Man · 06-27-2009, 08:25 AM

Did you plug the drives into sata connectors 1+2. Also, make sure that the cables didn't come loose from the drives. They can become dislodged very easily.

ktb123 · 06-28-2009, 12:26 PM

I have a dell dimension e520. There are two ports on the motherboard that I assume are for the sata cables. I've tried both ports with both hard drives and neither worked. I even tried buying a new cable and it still didn't work.

Amd_Man · 06-28-2009, 02:46 PM

Where you using a IDE hard drive prior to installing the sata drive? If so, you would have to enable Sata in the Bios.

ktb123 · 06-29-2009, 08:33 AM

No, I was using a sata drive; the computer came with one and a second port for an additional hard drive. I've been connecting the second hard drive to the port on the motherboard just like in this picture here (where the red wire is):
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0xPnZbi2Qt...allation_4.jpg

ktb123 · 07-04-2009, 07:13 AM

Bump for help. I still have no clue what's wrong.

**raptor_pa** · 07-04-2009, 07:27 AM

Might sound like a silly question, but did you connect the power to the drive also? Did you verify the port is enabled in BIOS? Is the drive identified in BIOS? If the disk was not recognized in BIOS it might be a bad out of box drive. Can you feel the drive spin up when the PC is powered on?

ktb123 · 07-04-2009, 06:25 PM

It's not the drive or the power chords. I've tried two drives in the port and neither of them worked.

**raptor_pa** · 07-04-2009, 09:08 PM

Can you feel the drive spin up?

ktb123 · 07-05-2009, 10:38 AM

No. Whenever I connect it to the motherboard it does nothing. I have two models of the same computer and when I tried connecting it to the motherboard of the other computer it didn't work either.

delly · 07-05-2009, 03:14 PM

hello can i get some help pls i have a gatway mx6214 laptop
When i try to install Windows XP, i got the problem of not able to find any hard drive ( hard drive not found )

**raptor_pa** · 07-05-2009, 08:17 PM

@delly, please start a new thread so we can provide individual assistance. What is the make and model of your Hard Drive ( you should be able to check BIOS for the model number)

06-25-2009, 11:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
ktb123 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Vista	Motherboard not detecting hard drives Hello, all. I installed a new SATA hard drive in my computer. I connected the old one that came with the computer to the motherboard via a SATA cable but it's not showing up. When connected the new one to the motherboard it also wasn't detected. What could be the problem?

06-26-2009, 01:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dogg Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: St Louis, MO Posts: 1,965 OS: XP sp3	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives To verify the drives, you can test them in another PC. For you current PC, try new cables, ensure the drives have power, and verify you are using the correct SATA ports. You may also need to verify the ports are setup correctly. Most likely RAID will be disabled, and the ports will be set for IDE mode or something similar.

06-27-2009, 08:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
ktb123 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Vista	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives I tried the drive in a second PC (exact same model) and still it didn't work. I bought new SATA cables and that didn't work either. How do I verify the ports?

06-27-2009, 08:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
Amd_Man Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 502 OS: Dual Boot Windows Xp Pro Sp3/Vista Ultimate 64 Bit Sp1 My System	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives Did you plug the drives into sata connectors 1+2. Also, make sure that the cables didn't come loose from the drives. They can become dislodged very easily. __________________

06-28-2009, 12:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
ktb123 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Vista	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives I have a dell dimension e520. There are two ports on the motherboard that I assume are for the sata cables. I've tried both ports with both hard drives and neither worked. I even tried buying a new cable and it still didn't work.

06-28-2009, 02:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
Amd_Man Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 502 OS: Dual Boot Windows Xp Pro Sp3/Vista Ultimate 64 Bit Sp1 My System	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives Where you using a IDE hard drive prior to installing the sata drive? If so, you would have to enable Sata in the Bios. __________________

06-29-2009, 08:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
ktb123 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Vista	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives No, I was using a sata drive; the computer came with one and a second port for an additional hard drive. I've been connecting the second hard drive to the port on the motherboard just like in this picture here (where the red wire is): http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0xPnZbi2Qt...allation_4.jpg

07-04-2009, 07:13 AM	#8 (permalink)
ktb123 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Vista	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives Bump for help. I still have no clue what's wrong.

07-04-2009, 07:27 AM	#9 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,769 OS: XP	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives Might sound like a silly question, but did you connect the power to the drive also? Did you verify the port is enabled in BIOS? Is the drive identified in BIOS? If the disk was not recognized in BIOS it might be a bad out of box drive. Can you feel the drive spin up when the PC is powered on? __________________

07-04-2009, 06:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
ktb123 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Vista	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives It's not the drive or the power chords. I've tried two drives in the port and neither of them worked.

07-04-2009, 09:08 PM	#11 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,769 OS: XP	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives Can you feel the drive spin up? __________________

07-05-2009, 10:38 AM	#12 (permalink)
ktb123 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Vista	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives No. Whenever I connect it to the motherboard it does nothing. I have two models of the same computer and when I tried connecting it to the motherboard of the other computer it didn't work either. Last edited by ktb123; 07-05-2009 at 10:39 AM.

07-05-2009, 03:14 PM	#13 (permalink)
delly Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1 OS: xp	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives hello can i get some help pls i have a gatway mx6214 laptop When i try to install Windows XP, i got the problem of not able to find any hard drive ( hard drive not found ) Last edited by delly; 07-05-2009 at 03:16 PM.

07-05-2009, 08:17 PM	#14 (permalink)
raptor_pa Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 4,769 OS: XP	Re: Motherboard not detecting hard drives @delly, please start a new thread so we can provide individual assistance. What is the make and model of your Hard Drive ( you should be able to check BIOS for the model number) __________________