Cannot Access HHD

[kradkovich]

So i decided to do a clean install of windows 10 on my PC. When i got to the setup screen to select the partition i want to install windows on, first i fully cleaned my disk 0 (ssd) but then accidentally formatted either my recovery partition or EFI system partition for my HHD. Now i cannot assign a drive letter, it gives me an option to format but i cant do that since i have around 300GB of data that is very important. Please help.

 

[Colif]

The partitions you see on disk management aren't related to the missing 300gb as its associated with a 930gb drive that isn't showing on the list. Is it an external hdd? Disk management should show all drives attached, i don't know how storage drives aren't showing??

does the storage drive show up in the bios?

If you had deleted the efi partition, PC wouldn't boot. I can see it on your picture unless that is from before? If you delete partitions at install time that you shouldn't, win 10 just goes with the flow. Its meant to make 4 partitions at boot but if you over ride it, it can be forced to only have one - I did it myself. I don't have an EFI partiton but Windows 10 still boots every day. It was only after the anniversary update I even got a recovery partition.

So what drive is the 930gb on? I can't see it showing in disk management? I assume disk management is showing a 250gb ssd.

 

[Colif]

The recovery & EFI partitions aren't meant to have drive letters. Can you access the data is storage? Might want to click change settings and see if drive is still available. All drives, even blank ones, should show in disk management. In disk management, click Action - rescan for disks

this might help: https://community.wd.com/t/faq-external-hard-drive-no-longer-shows-up-in-my-computer-and-data-can-no-longer-be-accessed/1574

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there, @kradkovich!

I hope you didn't have any important data on your secondary WD Blue drive, because you might have lost it.
If you had both the secondary HDD and your SSD plugged to the motherboard when you were clean installing Windows 10 onto the SSD, I believe that the issue you are facing is an OS confusion. This basically scatters the system files across all the drives connected during the installation.

The easiest way to fix this would be to unplug your secondary HDD and re-install Windows 10 onto the SSD. After the OS is up and running, plug back the WD Blue and re-format it through Disk Management.
I'd also suggest taking a look at this step-by-step Windows Install & Optimization guide for SSDs & HDDs. It will definitely shed some light on how to configure your storage properly.

Hope it helps. Keep us posted if you have more questions or concerns.
SuperSoph_WD

 

[SkyNetRising]

When you reinstalled OS, you have basically moved Dynamic disk to another system. There is a proper procedure, that must be followed when you do that.
Your Dynamic Disk is considered Foreign now and must be imported first.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753750(v=ws.11).aspx

 

[kradkovich]

When you reinstalled OS, you have basically moved Dynamic disk to another system. There is a proper procedure, that must be followed when you do that.
Your Dynamic Disk is considered Foreign now and must be imported first.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753750(v=ws.11).aspx

Thankyou so much, you saved my life! 😀