My hard disk is always invisible

[lagvier]

I am using windows xp professional with 2.0GHZ, 256, and a 10GB hard drive for the operating system and some essential software.
I have been using a 80GB hard drive to install other programs accessible through the 10GB.
About a month ago, the 80GB drive started disappearing after sometime until I decided to take to a tech, to solder a new power cord extension, and the hard drive became visible allowing me to use the two hard disks and a CD drive. But whenever I changed the CD by DVD drive the DVD became visible and the hard drive disappeared, and forced me to use only the CD.
Last week my 80GB hard disk disappeared. Even when I removed the CD drive it was still not there. However, whenever, I start the computer I keeps instructing me to accept (F1) the new configuration showing that there was a CD, 10GB and 80GB drive, but when the computer has boot completely and I check in the Computer drives it is not there. I scanned for hard drives and it did not show up. I changed the drive and it shows the new drive. I took it to a different computer and notifies I have a new 80GB drive and I accept but when up. It is not the computer.
I do not understand this. Help.
abraham.lagat.k@gmail.com

 

[fzabkar]

IIUC, your 80GB HDD is an IDE (PATA) drive, and is installed on the same cable as a CD drive. If so, then how have you jumpered each device, ie Master, Slave, Cable Select?

 

[lagvier]

I realised my problem but i dont know how to go about it. my problem is not the jumper neither the visibility of the disk. the disk is there. but the problem is that it is not recognized.
sometime in the course of last last week part 1, my friend (who is not computer guru) tampered with some folders. in the disk drive, he clicked the tools changed to check the invisible folders of my system and deleted some of the system folders for the particular disk thinking they were just taking space for nothing coz we were using the other disk for system os.
since then, though the system recognizes the disk in the bios and even in disk manager, no one can access it. how will i install the disk folders as i cannot access the disk in any way?
thanks

 

[hang-the-9]

If you see it in disk manager, but windows does not see it, try to assign a drive letter to the disk from there. How is the drive seen in disk manager? Is there a partition on it?

 

[lagvier]

If you see it in disk manager, but windows does not see it, try to assign a drive letter to the disk from there. How is the drive seen in disk manager? Is there a partition on it?

I cannot be able to assign any letter, the disk was partitioned but according to the manager, it says it is not partitioned.
i tried to scan and it reveals that it is health. so i know the problem was the deleted disk files (system files) that enable is to be recognized by the operating system.

 

[hang-the-9]

A brand new disk does not have any files on it, and will be seen by the system. If you don't need anything on it, or have no other choice now, delete the drive partition, create a new one, and see what happens.

 

[lagvier]

as i said this is not a new disk, i have been using. in fact my computer is useless without the disk as it contain all my files. i cannot use the computer as the disk i have is only 10GB and nothing in it except the usual office programs all my files are in the other.

 

[hang-the-9]

as i said this is not a new disk, i have been using. in fact my computer is useless without the disk as it contain all my files. i cannot use the computer as the disk i have is only 10GB and nothing in it except the usual office programs all my files are in the other.

Try this software and see if you can recover the partition http://www.ptdd.com/datarecovery/partition-recovery-and-partition-repair.htm