I cannot find my new HDDs

[ztockholm]

Just tried to install 2 extra HDDs on my Win7-computer but does not see anything anywhere. No disks to be partitionated in the Disk management, nothing. Of some reason, my computer does not allow me to get into BIOS mode, but I have both DVD and the main HDD connected as SATA, so there should not be any problems there anyway.
Installed correctly. Have shifted cables between excisting units and the new with same results. have shifted SATA connector just because someone told me to, but nothing. I still cannot see the disks in Diskmanager at all.

Please. Someone have a good clue? Anything?The producer wants to sell some drivers via some kind of programme, but... I cannot see that a couple of hundreds of dollars will help me to see the disks in the system.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Welcome to Tom's Hardware, ztockholm!

It would be pretty helpful if you could share more details about your system configuration. You could try some of the keyboard commands to access BIOS, depending on the motherboard manufacturer. I'd also suggest you reset BIOS and see if it will help your newly acquired drives to get properly detected. This would get your BIOS settings back to factory defaults, so you'd need to reconfigure them if you have a primary SSD for example (switch the SATA mode).
I'd also suggest you go to the mobo manufacturer's website and make sure you have the latest hardware drivers for the SATA controllers and chipset.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Good luck!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[ztockholm]

I managed to reach BIOS yesterday evening and all seems to be allright there. SATA is enabled but then the raid is set on IDE. Somewhere I read that it should be set to ACHi (blame language difficulties) but then the computer cannot find a primary disk, even if I am working in Win7 and all disks are connected SATA.

I have tried to reset but nothing. If it was just one disk, I would have sent it back, but now it is two (!) so it doesn't feel like a hardware problem. All connectors have been changed. Have also been downloading updates for the motherboard (7 items to update9 with updated BIOS and more. Nothing.

- Carl

Welcome to Tom's Hardware, ztockholm!

It would be pretty helpful if you could share more details about your system configuration. You could try some of the keyboard commands to access BIOS, depending on the motherboard manufacturer. I'd also suggest you reset BIOS and see if it will help your newly acquired drives to get properly detected. This would get your BIOS settings back to factory defaults, so you'd need to reconfigure them if you have a primary SSD for example (switch the SATA mode).
I'd also suggest you go to the mobo manufacturer's website and make sure you have the latest hardware drivers for the SATA controllers and chipset.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Good luck!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there again, Carl!

If BIOS recognizes them, I also doubt that it's a hardware failure on both of them. What is your motherboard model? If you have one SATA controller, you won't be able to have your booting drive in IDE and your other drives configured differently. Everything on the same controller will go with the same SATA mode. As I mentioned in my previous post, it's probably best to check the mobo/computer manufacturer's website and find your model there. Make sure you have the latest SATA and chipset drivers.
I'd also suggest you go to Disk Management when you boot into Windows and try 'Rescan Disks'. Hopefully, that will make your new HDDs pop up in the system, so you'd be able to Initialize them and then Partition & Format them.

Keep me posted!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[ztockholm]

I cannot see the disks in BIOS... Not choose them as start disks - only the old ones both partitions and the CD and then two more of the system partition (weird).

The motherboars is a MSI N1996. I have 4 SATA blugs on my board and, as far as I can tell, at least 2 controllers.

The drivers have been updated with MSI and the rescan has been made a number of times...

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

This seems rather unfortunate! 🙁
I checked the specs of your motherboard, though, it seems like you have only one SATA controller, unfortunately. I'd suggest you try your new HDDs on another computer if you have access to one, and check how they will appear there. If your primary/booting drive is plugged in the first available SATA port and gets recognized, I'd suggest you try it in the other 3 SATA connectors as well, just to make sure the issue is not with the ports where you are attempting to plug the secondary drives.

SuperSoph_WD

 

[ztockholm]

Hi again.

have tried to move around both DVD-reader and the OS-HDD with the same result. Finds the OS-disk and the DVD but not the WD-disks.

If I check the IDE ATA controllers in computer management window, I have got 4x ATA channel and 2x Standard Dual Channel IDE controllers installed.
The ATA are ATA channel0 x2 and ATA channel1 x2

 

[ztockholm]

And. the MB on my computer is a 760GM-E51 (MS-7596) -board.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

I'm sorry to hear about that, Carl! 🙁
I'd advise you to take the HDDs out and using the serial number (S/N) on the label to check their warranty status on our website. However, I'd still check how and IF they will get recognized on another computer. Since they are brand new, they should still be covered. In case they don't get picked up by the other system's BIOS as well, you should definitely get in touch with our customer support and send your RMA request.

Let me know how it goes! Best of luck!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[ztockholm]

OK. I will try and continue. Was in touch with the resellers support but they didn't manage either so I guess I am not "all out there" 🙂