XP refuses to see 300GB hard drive

Hi,

I have put my Maxor 300GB IDE Hard drive I use to store my data onto into my newly built PC running XP SP2

For whatever reason XP refuses to let me access this drive and it doesnt show up under my Computer.

If I right click My computer - Manage - Disk management

I can then see the drive however it is in black for unallocated.

How do I rectify this?

Mickey

 

If there's already data on the drive, try putting it back into the PC from which it came and see if it's detected again there. Otherwise, right click the unallocated space in the disk management panel and create a primary NTFS partition on it; it should then show up in My Computer.

 

Hi Hitman,

The PC it came from has been fromated so can't do that.

I need the Data on this drive, Im taking it creating a primary NTFS partition on it won't destroy the data??

 

If it was created as a dynamic disk you may have problems reading it on different hardware.

 

Formatting it and creating a partition will erase everything on the disk, so make sure you don't do anything like that until you've been able to recover the data.

It seems odd that it'd suddenly be unrecognised, though - was it a Windows system that the disk came from? Were you using dynamic disks/RAID? If that's not the case, it might be worth scanning it with the drive manufacturer's diagnostic tool to see if there are any errors.

 

No nothing like that. It has always only been used as a second disk to store data on. Its never had an OS or anything other than data on it.

Will I be able to scan it with a diag tool if XP cant see it?

Im taking it with service pack 2 XP should have no bother seeing a disk this big??

Not sure if it was a dynamic disk or other

 

What OS did you last use it on?

 

Doug, Its never had anything other than data on it. No programs and no OS's.

Just MP3's Jpegs, Word docs , etc etc

 

Let's rephrase. What operating system was used on the computer that it was previously installed on?

 

Dload BartPE and try and access it from that.

 

Oh right, it has always been used by Win XP.

Scouse - Ill give it a try

 

The 1st step is to go into BIOS setup and see if the drive is recognized there. If the BIOS doesn't see the drive, the OS is surely not going to see it.

It sounds like you have conflicting jumpers on your drives. Inspect how your jumpers are configured (when you say IDE I assume you mean PATA not SATA).

If you have the drives on different controllers, then you should check to make sure both controllers are turned on (again something to do in BIOS Setup).

Are you familiar with setting the master/slave/cable select jumpers?

 

Hello Riluve

The Bios sees this drive and also XP does too, only not in my computer, but it is there under disk management as an 'unallocated' drive

I do mean PATA but my XP drive is a SATA so I have both if that could be the problem.

I have tried both master and slave on the IDE cable and still nothing. I have removed the jumper all together as it is the only device on the cable. My DVD is on another IDE cable as the secondry master.

I have just upgraded Nividia chipset drivers and still no joy.

Im not so sure about scouses suggestion above. I have no clue how to use BartPE.

Im thinking, can you get and IDE to USB converter so my PC thinks its an external drive just till I copy the data?????

Mickey

 

Oh, I see now where you had said it shows as unallocated, my bad.

Well thats perplexing alright.

Yeah I would think you could get a PATA USB enclosure for about $20US - how much that translates for you I have no idea (hehe). But seriously, that is probably going to be you quickest/dirty solution and not too expensive either.

 

Riluve - What it translates to in british money is easy

Whatever anything is in Dollers it will be in Pounds - In other words $20 = 20 Pounds.
IE twice as much.

Well, this is rip off britain you know. It may suprise you that we pay 2 dollers for a litre of petrol- Serious!!!!

Rant rant rant


Anyhow - Thanks for the advice fella. I'll let you know if the USB thing works and update accoridinly this thread.

Until then, anyone if anyone else has any clue, please let me know

Mickey

 

Sorted!!!

Found this cracking utility called GetDataBack

It has copied al data from the lost drive over to my working drive. After this I will reformat the PATA (problem) drive and re transfer back.

The software has set me back 30 quid ish but re the value of the data Id of paid 5 times that!! Worth every penny.

Get it here http://www.runtime.org/

Thanks to all for advice

Mickey