Spare drive is now "RAW" after XP Pro Clean Install

punktdawg · 09-18-2004, 09:31 PM

I have two hard drives, one I use for my operating system and programs/games that are installed(an 80gb), and another I use to store my music, game updates, software installs, ebooks etc(a 200gb). After doing a clean install of Windows XP Pro on the 80gb HDD, I found that my spare hard drive was no longer readable, as if it didn't have a file system(RAW). My previous file system that I was using was NTFS. I've done previous re-installs with no problem. Any suggestions on what I can do? I've tried to view the files with PC Inspector File Recovery but can't see the root, I can only see deleted files, which are useless to me. I know the data is still there because I haven't written over it and haven't formatted the drive. I don't want to give up on all the files on there(close to 150gb).

Marshall

GingrichHomeSys · 09-19-2004, 04:41 PM

Did you re-install WinXP with both hard drives connected? If so, it's possible that you accidentally deleted the partition. It doesn't sound like you formatted it, because data has been recovered. If you deleted the partition, then the cache may be lost too, therefore Windows can't find anything to display as its contents. A data recovery program or professional may be your only way out.

I am not sure what else could cause this, unless it is a rare case of hard drive incompatability with the motherboard. I doubt this is the case, because you mentioned that you have done previous installs successfully. Check your jumper settings on the back of the drives if there is a possibility they may have been tampered with between o.s. installs. Not sure why they would have been, but who knows?

Good Luck!

cyclic · 09-20-2004, 05:17 AM

Was your spare drive partitioned as a purely extended partition of the primary on drive one?

lanesra · 10-04-2004, 11:16 PM

i've had this problem before but i solved the problem by doing a low level format using one of the programs that i got from my hdd manufacturer's website.
i suspect the problem is that the boot sector is corrupted
try putting your hard drive into someone else's computer and back up everything on there, format, and see if windows can read your drive

other than that i wouldnt know what to do to help you

09-18-2004, 09:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
punktdawg Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Riverside, CA USA Posts: 1 OS: Windows XP Pro	Spare drive is now "RAW" after XP Pro Clean Install I have two hard drives, one I use for my operating system and programs/games that are installed(an 80gb), and another I use to store my music, game updates, software installs, ebooks etc(a 200gb). After doing a clean install of Windows XP Pro on the 80gb HDD, I found that my spare hard drive was no longer readable, as if it didn't have a file system(RAW). My previous file system that I was using was NTFS. I've done previous re-installs with no problem. Any suggestions on what I can do? I've tried to view the files with PC Inspector File Recovery but can't see the root, I can only see deleted files, which are useless to me. I know the data is still there because I haven't written over it and haven't formatted the drive. I don't want to give up on all the files on there(close to 150gb). Marshall

09-19-2004, 04:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
GingrichHomeSys Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Collins, MS Posts: 86 OS: WinXP Pro	Did you re-install WinXP with both hard drives connected? If so, it's possible that you accidentally deleted the partition. It doesn't sound like you formatted it, because data has been recovered. If you deleted the partition, then the cache may be lost too, therefore Windows can't find anything to display as its contents. A data recovery program or professional may be your only way out. I am not sure what else could cause this, unless it is a rare case of hard drive incompatability with the motherboard. I doubt this is the case, because you mentioned that you have done previous installs successfully. Check your jumper settings on the back of the drives if there is a possibility they may have been tampered with between o.s. installs. Not sure why they would have been, but who knows? Good Luck!

09-20-2004, 05:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
cyclic Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chester Posts: 193 OS: XP PRO	Was your spare drive partitioned as a purely extended partition of the primary on drive one?

10-04-2004, 11:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
lanesra Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17 OS: WinXP Pro SP1	i've had this problem before but i solved the problem by doing a low level format using one of the programs that i got from my hdd manufacturer's website. i suspect the problem is that the boot sector is corrupted try putting your hard drive into someone else's computer and back up everything on there, format, and see if windows can read your drive other than that i wouldnt know what to do to help you