Question BIOS can see the harddisk but windows 11 cannot

[Wing901]

The harddisk is existed on the SATA device field but isn't existed on the boot menu and the windows 11 pro fails to detect it. Crystal Diskinfo couldn't see it either.

I unpluged the harddisk cables before installing windows 11 pro on an unsupported computer. After the installation completed and activated. I plugged the cables back but it isn't detected by the system.

 

[Aeacus]

I see conflicting info here. Namely;

BIOS can see the harddisk

and

but isn't existed on the boot menu

When BIOS can see the HDD, it is also listed as one of the drives in boot menu (regardless if there is OS on it or not).

If BIOS doesn't see the HDD, then it isn't listed as one of the drives in boot menu.

It is not one way or another.

and the windows 11 pro fails to detect it. Crystal Diskinfo couldn't see it either.

What Device Manager says? Can it see the drive? Could be that Device Manager sees the drive as "unallocated".
If so, then "This PC" (file explorer) and CrystalDiskInfo will not see unallocated drives.

Also, try plugging the drive into different SATA port on MoBo.
While making sure that all cables are connected firmly, both the SATA data and power cables.

Another option is plugging the drive behind 2nd PC and look if it shows up there. Also look into Device Manager, since it may show up as unallocated drive.

installing windows 11 pro on an unsupported computer

This effectively means that you, yourself, are customer support for your PC.

I won't touch the OS part of it, since you have unofficial install on it. All i've suggested thus far, are possible hardware issues (e.g failed drive).

 

[ötzi]

Is the disk MBR? Then you might want to convert it to GPT before it gets detected within Windows.

 

[Wing901]

Is the disk MBR? Then you might want to convert it to GPT before it gets detected within Windows.

The harddisk(WD Green 2TB) was formatted a dozen years ago in a XP system. Does Windows 11 can only see GPT?

 

[Aeacus]

Does Windows 11 can only see GPT?

For the OS drive, Windows 11 requires GPT as its disk partition style. While for the data drive, you can either set it as GPT or MBR according to the disk storage size. E.g for larger than 2TB use GPT, for smaller than 2TB use MBR. (MBR supports up to 2TB drives.)

Officially, Win11 only supports GPT. MBR should also work but isn't a guarantee.

 

[Wing901]

I see conflicting info here. Namely;

and

When BIOS can see the HDD, it is also listed as one of the drives in boot menu (regardless if there is OS on it or not).

If BIOS doesn't see the HDD, then it isn't listed as one of the drives in boot menu.

It is not one way or another.


What Device Manager says? Can it see the drive? Could be that Device Manager sees the drive as "unallocated".
If so, then "This PC" (file explorer) and CrystalDiskInfo will not see unallocated drives.

Also, try plugging the drive into different SATA port on MoBo.
While making sure that all cables are connected firmly, both the SATA data and power cables.

Another option is plugging the drive behind 2nd PC and look if it shows up there. Also look into Device Manager, since it may show up as unallocated drive.


This effectively means that you, yourself, are customer support for your PC.

I won't touch the OS part of it, since you have unofficial install on it. All i've suggested thus far, are possible hardware issues (e.g failed drive).

That's the case. The harddisk existed/detected on SATA device field(AMI BIOS) but is not existed on boot menu. The boot menu only shown 3 options: NVMe, DVD and USB drive.

The File Explorer, Device Manager and Disk Management cannot see it.

Even though it is an unofficial install, it is official activated with a windows 10 pro license on the computer.

I tried different power cables from the power supply but the results are the same. I will take out the harddisk and check it with another computer.

 

[Wing901]

I unplugged the cables because Windows 11 was not allowed to be installed with the harddisk existed. Probably because of MBR format.