Question Brand New Internal HDD not being recognised by BIOS

[DemonHouseMaid]

I've got a predicament. I bought a brand new Seagate ST2000DM008 internal 2TB hard drive for my PC that isn't being recognised by the BIOS and therefore anything else. I have already tried a lot of obvious things so please read what I have done before replying.

I already have an extra 1TB SSD that I use for storage as well as my OS SSD. This works so what I did was unplugged both the power connector and SATA connector from it, plugged it into the HDD, rebooted computer and still not working. Reconnected SSD to those two exact connectors and rebooted- works beautifully. This is a brand new HDD, the only reason I got it was because I connected my old one in (new PC build. the old HDD worked with my old computer but I don't have it anymore to do tests) and it didn't work, so I thought it was broken but neither of them work, only the OS SSD and the storage SSD.

So then I tried the known to work stroage SSD on the SATA and power connector that I would intend to use with my new HDD and it works just fine there, indicating that the power and SATA is working there as well. Only the new and old HDD that I have doesn't like whatever SATA or power that I give it, even if the two connectors are proven to be working.

I'm confused as heck. Any suggestions? I know it was a bit tedious to read, so feel free to ask any questions on my methods.

 

[white.a.drew]

I've got a predicament. I bought a brand new Seagate ST2000DM008 internal 2TB hard drive for my PC that isn't being recognised by the BIOS and therefore anything else. I have already tried a lot of obvious things so please read what I have done before replying.

I already have an extra 1TB SSD that I use for storage as well as my OS SSD. This works so what I did was unplugged both the power connector and SATA connector from it, plugged it into the HDD, rebooted computer and still not working. Reconnected SSD to those two exact connectors and rebooted- works beautifully. This is a brand new HDD, the only reason I got it was because I connected my old one in (new PC build. the old HDD worked with my old computer but I don't have it anymore to do tests) and it didn't work, so I thought it was broken but neither of them work, only the OS SSD and the storage SSD.

So then I tried the known to work stroage SSD on the SATA and power connector that I would intend to use with my new HDD and it works just fine there, indicating that the power and SATA is working there as well. Only the new and old HDD that I have doesn't like whatever SATA or power that I give it, even if the two connectors are proven to be working.

I'm confused as heck. Any suggestions? I know it was a bit tedious to read, so feel free to ask any questions on my methods.

If it's a newer system you are pluggimg it in to the express ports probably whoch dont work for hdd most the time only ssd

 

[DemonHouseMaid]

If it's a newer system you are pluggimg it in to the express ports probably whoch dont work for hdd most the time only ssd

Can you elaborate on this? I've got a Gigabyte Z490 UD motherboard. Would it have ports that would work for HDD?

 

[Paperdoc]

I suspect the problem is NOT a faulty drive - you simply have not prepared the new drive for use.

Normally when you get a brand new HDD, it has NOTHING on it at all. Hence Windows can NOT use it for anything, and cannot even show you it exists, until you use the right tools. So, if you just plugged it in, booted, and looked for it in Windows Explorer, you will NOT see it at all, even though the HDD is perfectly good. It just has NO info Windows can recognize.

What you DO need to do is called Partitioning a drive. This is actually two steps, but integrated into one smooth operation for you. You MAY have a simple tool to do this provided with your new HDD in its instructions, or with a tool on a CD if you got one. But you can do this all in Windows. First you must Install the HDD (i.e., connect it to mobo ports) - see below for suggestions on how. Boot into Win 10. Click on the icon at bottom left, and choose Settings. In the search box at the top, look for Disk Management and you'll get a new window. The upper part of this will show you details of all the current storage devices your system has, and how they are divided up into different use areas called Partitions. A few smaller Partitions are reserved for system use and have no letter names. The main larger Partitions each have a letter name (C: or D: or whatever) as well as a name you have given it like SYSTEM or HARRY1, or some such. Those are the drives you use all the time, for booting up and storing applications and data, etc.

Lower down you will see a block for some unknown device that has no Partitions or anything. That is your new empty drive. RIGHT-click on it (do this ONLY with the new empty unit!) and choose to create a new simple drive. You may have options, but I assume you will want all of its space used in one block or "volume", and that you will want it to use the new UEFI or GUI Partition type, NOT the older MBR type. Assuming that this is for data only and NOT a drive you will ever want to boot from into an OS, you can have it as NOT a Bootable drive. Likely you won't have an option for the type of File System, but you will want the NTFS system. When it is set as you wish, tell it to go ahead. What this does in its first step is to write a small amount of information at the very beginning of the HDD that tells Windows that this unit is non-bootable and exactly where all the spaces on it are to be allocated. In the second step it then uses those spaces to create all the hidden file management records it needs for normal use. When the job is finished you can back out and reboot, and Windows WILL then "see" that drive and show you it has no info in it yet.

Now, to the matter of where to connect. You already have two SSD's, and I am guessing one is in one of the mobo special sockets for NVMe units, and another is mounted just like a thin hard drive and connected to one of the mobo's six standard SATA ports (see your mobo manual p. 12, item 7) with two cables. I also assume you want to continue using BOTH of those as they always were. So, do NOT disconnect those - leave them attached to the same places they always had. Now for the data cable (the thinner one) for the new HDD, simply plug it into an unused SATA port. Special NOTE: on your mobo, in certain sets of hardware you cannot use SATA Port #1 for a HDD, so just to be cautious, do not use that one for this new drive. Also connect to the new drive a SATA power connector from the PSU. Then close up, and proceed as above to boot and Partition, etc.

 

[DemonHouseMaid]

I suspect the problem is NOT a faulty drive - you simply have not prepared the new drive for use.

Normally when you get a brand new HDD, it has NOTHING on it at all. Hence Windows can NOT use it for anything, and cannot even show you it exists, until you use the right tools. So, if you just plugged it in, booted, and looked for it in Windows Explorer, you will NOT see it at all, even though the HDD is perfectly good. It just has NO info Windows can recognize.

What you DO need to do is called Partitioning a drive. This is actually two steps, but integrated into one smooth operation for you. You MAY have a simple tool to do this provided with your new HDD in its instructions, or with a tool on a CD if you got one. But you can do this all in Windows. First you must Install the HDD (i.e., connect it to mobo ports) - see below for suggestions on how. Boot into Win 10. Click on the icon at bottom left, and choose Settings. In the search box at the top, look for Disk Management and you'll get a new window. The upper part of this will show you details of all the current storage devices your system has, and how they are divided up into different use areas called Partitions. A few smaller Partitions are reserved for system use and have no letter names. The main larger Partitions each have a letter name (C: or D: or whatever) as well as a name you have given it like SYSTEM or HARRY1, or some such. Those are the drives you use all the time, for booting up and storing applications and data, etc.

Lower down you will see a block for some unknown device that has no Partitions or anything. That is your new empty drive. RIGHT-click on it (do this ONLY with the new empty unit!) and choose to create a new simple drive. You may have options, but I assume you will want all of its space used in one block or "volume", and that you will want it to use the new UEFI or GUI Partition type, NOT the older MBR type. Assuming that this is for data only and NOT a drive you will ever want to boot from into an OS, you can have it as NOT a Bootable drive. Likely you won't have an option for the type of File System, but you will want the NTFS system. When it is set as you wish, tell it to go ahead. What this does in its first step is to write a small amount of information at the very beginning of the HDD that tells Windows that this unit is non-bootable and exactly where all the spaces on it are to be allocated. In the second step it then uses those spaces to create all the hidden file management records it needs for normal use. When the job is finished you can back out and reboot, and Windows WILL then "see" that drive and show you it has no info in it yet.

Now, to the matter of where to connect. You already have two SSD's, and I am guessing one is in one of the mobo special sockets for NVMe units, and another is mounted just like a thin hard drive and connected to one of the mobo's six standard SATA ports (see your mobo manual p. 12, item 7) with two cables. I also assume you want to continue using BOTH of those as they always were. So, do NOT disconnect those - leave them attached to the same places they always had. Now for the data cable (the thinner one) for the new HDD, simply plug it into an unused SATA port. Special NOTE: on your mobo, in certain sets of hardware you cannot use SATA Port #1 for a HDD, so just to be cautious, do not use that one for this new drive. Also connect to the new drive a SATA power connector from the PSU. Then close up, and proceed as above to boot and Partition, etc.

Thank you for you reply, but there is a reason I did say read carefully. I stated that the new HDD isn't even visible in the BIOS, let alone being visible in disk management to partition it properly (which it isn't, first place I checked). I've installed harddrives before, this is just the first time I've actually had an issue with it. For the reference, my OS SSD is NOT an NVMe, it is just a regular SATA one. Is SATA port 1 the only one that I can't use for a HDD? I've tried a couple, but it would be good to know.

 

[Paperdoc]

Sorry, you're right, I did miss important details. So neither the old HDD nor the new one can be detected in BIOS, even though the SATA ports and cables are known to work just fine. To me that says BOTH HDD's are faulty. IF you bought the new one locally, take it back to them for a quick check. If not, can you try connecting them temporarily in a friend's computer to see if the can be detected there? Although the power requirements for an HDD are higher than for an SSD, the power supply and data transfer systems for both types of SATA units are identical, and always should be more than enough for any standard HDD.

Ignore my comment about not using SATA port #1. That applies ONLY if you are using an NVMe unit in ONE of the SSD special sockets on your mobo - specifically the upper on nearest the battery holder. IF you use that socket for that type of SSD, it shares resources with the SATA Port #1 so you cannot use BOTH at the same time.

 

[refillable]

I've came across something like this and it turns out that the HDD is faulty. As @Paperdoc sugested, try the HDD in a different system and see if it makes any difference.

 

[DemonHouseMaid]

I've came across something like this and it turns out that the HDD is faulty. As @Paperdoc sugested, try the HDD in a different system and see if it makes any difference.

I literally had the HDD returned and got a new one. Still the same issue!! Windows just will not recognise it at all, not in the bios or anywhere. It likes any SSDs I throw at it but not any HDDs I throw at it. Why do such <Mod Edit> problems happen to me?

 

[Ds_Tech]

which system you have full specs with psu details.
Do you have enabled AHCI mode.
clear cmos remove cmos battery and install it again and load default settings in bios.

 

[Paperdoc]

Just to clarify, you have said, "Windows just will not recognize it at all, not in the bios or anywhere." Windows does not do ANYTHING in BIOS Setup. Do you mean that these two HDDs BOTH are not visible in BIOS Setup BEFORE you actually boot into Windows? Or, do you mean that Windows cannot show one to you even using the Disk Management tool?

I suggest you download and use Seagate's SeaTools for Windows from here

SeaTools | Seagate Deutschland

SeaTools – Schnelldiagnose-Tool zur Überprüfung des Zustands Ihrer Festplatte

www.seagate.com

After installing on your machine, first read the manual included as a .pdf file. When you run it under Windows, this utility certainly CAN detect any Seagate drive that is working, whether Windows can detect it or not. And then you can use simple diagnostic tests like the Short Test to verify quickly that the unit functions. IF the drive can be detected that way and is "good", you now the problem is NOT a bad drive. In that case you may need to use normal Windows tools like Disk Management to prepare your drive properly for use. The Seatools utility has handy links to those Windows tools if you want to use them - see the Manual file on p. 14.

 

[DemonHouseMaid]

Just to clarify, you have said, "Windows just will not recognize it at all, not in the bios or anywhere." Windows does not do ANYTHING in BIOS Setup. Do you mean that these two HDDs BOTH are not visible in BIOS Setup BEFORE you actually boot into Windows? Or, do you mean that Windows cannot show one to you even using the Disk Management tool?

I suggest you download and use Seagate's SeaTools for Windows from here

SeaTools | Seagate Deutschland

SeaTools – Schnelldiagnose-Tool zur Überprüfung des Zustands Ihrer Festplatte

www.seagate.com

After installing on your machine, first read the manual included as a .pdf file. When you run it under Windows, this utility certainly CAN detect any Seagate drive that is working, whether Windows can detect it or not. And then you can use simple diagnostic tests like the Short Test to verify quickly that the unit functions. IF the drive can be detected that way and is "good", you now the problem is NOT a bad drive. In that case you may need to use normal Windows tools like Disk Management to prepare your drive properly for use. The Seatools utility has handy links to those Windows tools if you want to use them - see the Manual file on p. 14.

Hello, I will try your SeaTools in a second. Excuse my improper wording. It is not visible in the BIOS before entering Windows and as such, not visible in disk management (I've installed HDDs before and never had this much grief).

 

[Paperdoc]

Thanks for that update. What you descibe does sound like a faulty HDD. But SeaTools will tell you for sure. IF it does say the drive fails its tests, it also will show you an error code. Write that down! When you contact Seagate for a warranty replacement unit, they will want to know what SeaTools said.

 

[MonsterMaxx]

It should absolutely show up in bios. If it's not, windoze will never see it.

Have you updated your bios to the latest?

You didn't by chance get a SAS drive did you?

Also, check which ports you are plugged into on the Motherboard. Pull up your manual online and confirm you are using the right ones. Do not share two ports in a stack with a DVD.

 

[Paperdoc]

That last post made me remember something. On SOME mobos if you have a SSD of a certain type plugged into an SSD socket on the mobo, that DISables one of the normal SATA ports used for HDD's, so you have you use a different SATA port. Whether this is involved in your problem we don't know yet. Tell us your mobo maker and exact model number. Then tell us where your SSD's are, and what models they are.

 

[DemonHouseMaid]

It should absolutely show up in bios. If it's not, windoze will never see it.

Have you updated your bios to the latest?

You didn't by chance get a SAS drive did you?

Also, check which ports you are plugged into on the Motherboard. Pull up your manual online and confirm you are using the right ones. Do not share two ports in a stack with a DVD.

Hi, I updated the BIOS successfully to latest and still to no avail.

I don't think I got a SAS drive, but you can check here just to be double sure. https://www.mwave.com.au/product/se...top-hard-drive-ac20161#detailTabs=tabOverview

My motherboard has 6 x 6GBps SATA ports, I am not using any M2 SSDs, only SATA one even for OS. I can't seem to find anything in its manual about specific ports other than the M2 concern which doesn't apply to me- but perhaps double check for me here. https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_z490-ud-ac_e.pdf

 

[DemonHouseMaid]

Thanks for that update. What you descibe does sound like a faulty HDD. But SeaTools will tell you for sure. IF it does say the drive fails its tests, it also will show you an error code. Write that down! When you contact Seagate for a warranty replacement unit, they will want to know what SeaTools said.

I downloaded SeaTools for Windows and much like everything else in the system, it simply doesn't recognise that the drive exists. Of course at some point I had the drive changed over (they never confirmed if the old one was faulty, just only if I wanted a replacement or a refund) and still ran into the same issues after receiving a new one.

 

[DemonHouseMaid]

That last post made me remember something. On SOME mobos if you have a SSD of a certain type plugged into an SSD socket on the mobo, that DISables one of the normal SATA ports used for HDD's, so you have you use a different SATA port. Whether this is involved in your problem we don't know yet. Tell us your mobo maker and exact model number. Then tell us where your SSD's are, and what models they are.

Just on an unrelated note. Now that I think about it, unless it is just very quiet even with my ear to it- I can't actually hear the HDD spinning up. This is strange as my power supply seems to be working okay with everything else, including a fan controller/hub which connects to the SATA/Peripheral socket on my Thermaltake 850W Toughpower GF1 power supply.

 

[MonsterMaxx]

No, not SAS, it's SATA and downsamples to slower standards.

if it's spinning it will feel like a gyroscope in your hand (take the drive out of the case)- maybe you got a bad drive, unusual, but not impossible

A pic is worth 1000 words, snap one of how you have it plugged in, maybe we'll see something.