Hdd not detected by bios or Windows

[M2frowning]

I downloaded windows 8 onto an ssd which works fine but when I tried plugging in my secondary hard drive it was not detected by bios or by windows.When I give power to the drive I can hear it spin but I have heard that still means there can be a problem with it. I have not connected the computer to the internet yet so is there a possibility that it could be something with needing newer drivers. I have also tried connecting the sata connecter to another connection on the mobo but still no luck. Any ideas?

 

[albertotron]

Have you used the secondary hard drive before without problems? If this is the first plugging it in it usually means that you have to assign it a letter.

I downloaded windows 8 onto an ssd which works fine but when I tried plugging in my secondary hard drive it was not detected by bios or by windows.When I give power to the drive I can hear it spin but I have heard that still means there can be a problem with it. I have not connected the computer to the internet yet so is there a possibility that it could be something with needing newer drivers. I have also tried connecting the sata connecter to another connection on the mobo but still no luck. Any ideas?

 

[M2frowning]

Have you used the secondary hard drive before without problems? If this is the first plugging it in it usually means that you have to assign it a letter.

I downloaded windows 8 onto an ssd which works fine but when I tried plugging in my secondary hard drive it was not detected by bios or by windows.When I give power to the drive I can hear it spin but I have heard that still means there can be a problem with it. I have not connected the computer to the internet yet so is there a possibility that it could be something with needing newer drivers. I have also tried connecting the sata connecter to another connection on the mobo but still no luck. Any ideas?

I have no used it before and the drive does not even apprear in disk managment for me to assign it a letter

 

[albertotron]

By downloading Windows 8, do you mean that you got it illegally? Cause it might be that. Does the hdd have anything that you care about? Try looking in the Bios and see if you can format it but I don't know if it wipes everything from the drive if you do that. I forget what types of formats there are.

Have you used the secondary hard drive before without problems? If this is the first plugging it in it usually means that you have to assign it a letter.

I downloaded windows 8 onto an ssd which works fine but when I tried plugging in my secondary hard drive it was not detected by bios or by windows.When I give power to the drive I can hear it spin but I have heard that still means there can be a problem with it. I have not connected the computer to the internet yet so is there a possibility that it could be something with needing newer drivers. I have also tried connecting the sata connecter to another connection on the mobo but still no luck. Any ideas?

I have no used it before and the drive does not even apprear in disk managment for me to assign it a letter

 

[Paperdoc]

If this is a brand new HDD and it really cannot be detected by your BIOS, it is very likely faulty and needs to be replaced under warranty. Don't bother trying to do stuff to it in Windows. If BIOS cannot detect it, Windows will never deal with it at all.

 

[Shaun o]

Ok how big in size is the hard drive.
Was it used in another system as a boot drive prior to getting the SSD drive, or used as extra storage.
If you go into the bios and it is detected there with the right size make and model it`s working.
If not it means looking in the bios to see how many Sata ports are enabled.
Also check that both Sata chip sets are enabled in the bios.
If a new board you should have an option of an Intel, Sata chip set and a ASmedia.
The board can have mixed types of Sata ports, and half are divided between the two Sata controlers in the bios.
So if the Intel or Asmedia chipset is not enabled it will not show in the bios or when booting in windows at my computer.
Some sata ports can be mixed in speed also 2.0 devices and 3.0 device HD`s.
If you plug a 2.0 into a sata port that is 3.0 and does not have fall back to 2.0 the drive will not show till it is connected to a 2.0.

If the second hard drive is new, run windows setup with it connected to your system and format it first.
The drive will not be seen in windows till you format it to NTFS or GPT.

After that abort the windows 8 installation restart the machine, booting off the ssd and the second HD will show in windows.
You need to format every drive if new, because it comes in raw data mode, formatting enables it to be seen in windows.

BTW if you added the drive and used Disk man.
You need to re scan for disks from the pull down menu to see it to refresh the virtual drive list. Once it shows up in the window simply right click and format it.

 

[M2frowning]

If this is a brand new HDD and it really cannot be detected by your BIOS, it is very likely faulty and needs to be replaced under warranty. Don't bother trying to do stuff to it in Windows. If BIOS cannot detect it, Windows will never deal with it at all.

Is there any way to check if it is faulty besides it just not being detected. I just put this build together and it would be a pretty big annoyance to have to get another

 

[Shaun o]

If the drive is new and you have just put it in the system.
Go into the bios and see if the drive is read its make and size.

If it is, it needs to be formatted for windows to see the drive. the drive is in factory raw mode.
Either use the windows setup disk to format the drive, with drive options.
Exit the windows setup installation without clicking next to install windows.
The drive will show in windows.

Or connect the drive.
Load windows off the ssd or where ever.
Open disk manager in windows , Action, rescan for disks from the pull down menu.
Drive should show, right click and format that way.
Drive appears in windows as D:

 

[M2frowning]

If the drive is new and you have just put it in the system.
Go into the bios and see if the drive is read its make and size.

If it is, it needs to be formatted for windows to see the drive. the drive is in factory raw mode.
Either use the windows setup disk to format the drive, with drive options.
Exit the windows setup installation without clicking next to install windows.
The drive will show in windows.

Or connect the drive.
Open disk manager, rescan for drives or devices from the pull donwn menu.
Drive should show, right click and format that way.
Drive appears in windows as D:

The drive is not appearing in bios

 

[albertotron]

Do you have another computer you can test it on? It's most likely that the drive is dead.

If the drive is new and you have just put it in the system.
Go into the bios and see if the drive is read its make and size.

If it is, it needs to be formatted for windows to see the drive. the drive is in factory raw mode.
Either use the windows setup disk to format the drive, with drive options.
Exit the windows setup installation without clicking next to install windows.
The drive will show in windows.

Or connect the drive.
Open disk manager, rescan for drives or devices from the pull donwn menu.
Drive should show, right click and format that way.
Drive appears in windows as D:

The drive is not appearing in bios

 

[Shaun o]

Then you need to check what sata port it is connected to.
Making sure you have connected power to it from the Psu.
Go into the bios.
Check what interface mode is selected.
Sata, or Achi mode.
If the sata port is enabled in the Sata list.
And if you have two Sata chip sets in the bios both are enabled or the right Sata chip set is selected in the Sata list for the port it is connected to.

Go through the manual and in the bios section it will tell you what to do and how it works and what sata ports are used with either the two Sata chip sets of the board.

I don`t mean to be cheeky but you have read the bios setup options of the sata ports in the manual provided.
It`s no good throwing it in a corner. If you have lost the manual, simply do a google search for the brand of board and its model number.
Go to the support page website. Drivers and manuals and download the PDF version of the manual.

 

[M2frowning]

I could possibly check it on another computer but it is late where I am so it would have to wait till morning

 

[albertotron]

Good luck.

I could possibly check it on another computer but it is late where I am so it would have to wait till morning

 

[M2frowning]

I have read the manual and I have got an ssd connected with no problem it can't be that

 

[Paperdoc]

If the unit really cannot be "seen" (properly detected) in BIOS Setup screens, there is no way to test it. Even to use a set of HDD diagnostic testing utilities, first you have to be able to detect the unit in BIOS.

Three steps before you contact the supplier for replacement:

1. Check that you have both data and power cables connected to the unit (and to a mobo data port), and that they are securely plugged in. Some early SATA cables could come loose.
2. Make sure in BIOS Setup that the mobo port you connect to is Enabled. Many mobos have a group of 4 main ports operated by the Southbridge, and then additional ports operated by another chip. Those latter ports often are NOT Enabled by default.
3. As albertotron has suggested, can you try the HDD in another machine just temporarily? This is a way to check whether the problem is with your mobo's SATA ports, rather than the HDD itself.

 

[M2frowning]

Sorry I can't reply directly as I am on mobile now but paper I will have to try option 2 because I believe my ssd is plugged into the 4th sata connected and I have only tried the HDD on the 5th and 6th