Author Topic: Hard Disk Problems... Can't find it?! potmonkey
posted 02-11-2001 05:42 AM
When I start Windows, i can see (in explorer) one of my HDs, but not the other... The BIOS detects them both! What could be the problem?

Here are my current settings:
C=20gig disk (the one I can see)
D=4gig disk (the one I can't)

Primary master = CDROMdrive
Primary Slave = 20 gig
Secondary master = 4gig

This is my boot sequence: A,C,SCSI

I have found that if I change my boot sequence to D,A,CDROM - It will boot off the 4gig drive and I CAN see the 20gig. (but I want to boot off the 20gig).

These are the only options I have for "Boot Sequece" - none of which contain C AND D:

C only
LS/Zip, C
A,C,SCSI
C,A,SCSI
C,CDROM,A
CDROM, C,A
D,A,CDROM - works for both drives, but boots off wrong disk.
E,A,CDROM
F,A,CDROM
SCSI,A,C
SCSI,C,A

BIG JIM SLATE
posted 02-11-2001 07:11 AM
Okay, I need a bit more info. Is this a newly installed drive (the 4 gig one)? If so, has it been formatted and partitioned? Are the jumpers set correctly?

Also, try switching their positions on the ide cables, seeing if that'll work. If you're running 2 hard drives, you should have one as the Primary Master, and another as the Secondary Master. If your cd drive (or whatever) is taking the Secondary Master spot, move it over to Primary Slave or Secondary Slave. Also note that you may need to change jumper settings on the drive when you move its position.

cdolsen
posted 02-11-2001 10:21 AM
Check the 'strapping' or physical settings on the drive. If the 4 gig came out of another machine it might be set for slave. if it's in the first connector in the ribbon it will be known to the bios as master. set the strapping on the drive to 'determined by cable'.

Tn
posted 02-11-2001 07:25 PM
My guess is that the C and D are both set to Master, and the D one needs to be set to Slave.

potmonkey
posted 02-12-2001 09:54 AM
Okay, here are my settings:

Primary Master: 20gig disk
Primary Slave: CD ROM
Secondary Master: 4gig disk

(The strange thing is, I have tried replacin the SecMaster with a 500meg (tiny) disk - and it works fine!!)

Most annoying.
I know it's not an incompatibility problem, because the 4gig used to be my only HD.

RapierSFX
posted 02-12-2001 11:49 AM
If the jumper settings are the same from the SecMaster with the 500 meger, I hate to say this, but I seems you may have a faulty drive. It's clearly not the IDE controllers if the other works, the only thing left would be the drive itself. SOrry.

Suspiria
posted 02-12-2001 05:11 PM
Like Big Jim said, have you partitioned, and formatted the drive yet?

Because if you haven't thats exactly what will happen. Your BIOS will see it fine but your OS won't.

Its possible that it might be fried but more likely the drive is not yet active. Go into FDISK and set the partition then format. Should work then.

Tn
posted 02-12-2001 05:31 PM
Just remember that FDisk and partitioning deletes everything off the drive. Try taking out the new drive and leave the old one in by itself, what happens then?

Also I'd try setting the 4 gig as the Primary Slave and the CD-ROM by itself. Having the CD-ROM with an HD slows down the HD's transfer rate.

potmonkey
posted 02-13-2001 05:31 AM
Nice idea... I'll try that.

potmonkey
posted 02-20-2001 05:18 AM
I feel I'm getting closer. I have found the disk in System Properties, but it does not have a drive letter assigned. How do I assign a drive letter?


Here is the disk,


And see, it does not have a letter.

Tn
posted 02-20-2001 07:36 PM
Looks like it needs to be fdisked and then formated now. Remember this will delete everything on that drive. Also make sure you don't fdisk/format the wrong HD .

Fastlou
posted 02-23-2001 11:50 PM
Yeah. I think these guys are prolly right. If the bios sees it and the OS does not, it is normally not formatted.It sounds like you want to boot off the 20 gig. In order to do that, you need to install an OS on it. Whatever you are running now has its boot sector on the 4 gig one. Depending on the os you ahve a couple options.
win2k (my recommendation) - boot to the cd-rom with the drive in the position you want them on the IDE. It will allow you to format and partition drives in the setup. There you can say which one is which.
win98 - You have to fdisk the 20gig drive (make sure to enable lba) and then put them in the proper place and install the os to that drive. Then you can reinstall all your apps and delete the extraneous data off the other drive.
Sorry if I assumed you were suing windows and you aren't but it's all I know. - Jym

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