Question New HDD Shows Up in Bios but not when logged into Windows

[Cyprianophobia]

Hi,

CPU: Pentium Q9500 2.83 Quad LGA775
Motherboard: Wibtek G41-M A02
Ram: 4 GB total (2 x Kingston 2GB ddr3)
HDD: Seagate st1000dm003 3.5 1 TB
SSD: SanDisk SSD PLUS 120GB
GPU: GeForce GT 730 2GB
PSU: Fortress YD-3CM12F 700 W
OS: Windows 10 10.0.18363 Build 18363

I am helping a friend install a new hard drive. When installed, the hard drive didn't show up in This PC or Disk Manager. It did show up in BIOS and Device Manager. I had him update the drivers in Device Manager and it didn't work. I then had him try switching SATA ports. This seemed to work and he was able to format it and use it to download games.

He is now saying it has gone back to being only accessible via BIOS and not Disk Manager or This PC. I told him to try buying a new SATA cable for the hard drive. However, he said he already tried switching the cables between the SSD with his system on it and the new HDD. The SSD works properly but the HDD still doesn't with the SATA cables switched. So the problem doesn't seem to be with the SATA cable.

This is a brand new hard drive. The operating system is Windows 10. I can't remember the motherboard but the CPU is Pentium E6800 3.3 LGA775 .

Any ideas to try would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

When posting a thread of troublesthooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please include/list your specs like so:
CPU:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
GPU:
PSU:
OS: include version since you're on Windows 10

Given how old the system is, ideally you shouldn't be on Windows 10 due to the number of random issues plaguing system's of that age and era. I'm also leaning towards the PSU being unable to power all your components when taxed, which is why it goes missing after BIOS. How old is the PSU(as old as the processor)?

 

[Cyprianophobia]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

When posting a thread of troublesthooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please include/list your specs like so:
CPU:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
GPU:
PSU:
OS: include version since you're on Windows 10

Given how old the system is, ideally you shouldn't be on Windows 10 due to the number of random issues plaguing system's of that age and era. I'm also leaning towards the PSU being unable to power all your components when taxed, which is why it goes missing after BIOS. How old is the PSU(as old as the processor)?

Hi,

Thank you for your response. I will update with the correct format when he gets back to me on the parts he has. But I can respond to the two issues you raised.

I bought a new PC for myself and gave him the old parts that were still working that I didn't need because he didn't have a PC. The reason it has Windows 10 is because it was the only free authentic version of Windows we had access to.

The PSU is two to three years old. It is one of the parts he got himself. It came with the computer case he bought.

But he was originally running two hard drives and an external before this. The external was like 250 GB and the internal was an old internal HDD that I had that was like 40GB. This new internal was supposed to replace both.

Thanks again.

 

[Cyprianophobia]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

When posting a thread of troublesthooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please include/list your specs like so:
CPU:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
GPU:
PSU:
OS: include version since you're on Windows 10

Given how old the system is, ideally you shouldn't be on Windows 10 due to the number of random issues plaguing system's of that age and era. I'm also leaning towards the PSU being unable to power all your components when taxed, which is why it goes missing after BIOS. How old is the PSU(as old as the processor)?

CPU: Pentium Q9500 2.83 Quad LGA775
Motherboard: Wibtek G41-M A02
Ram: 4 GB total (2 x Kingston 2GB ddr3)
HDD: Seagate st1000dm003 3.5 1 TB
SSD: SanDisk SSD PLUS 120GB
GPU: GeForce GT 730 2GB
PSU: Fortress YD-3CM12F 700 W
OS: Windows 10 10.0.18363 Build 18363

 

[Juan_Bijero]

In order for Windows 10 to see your SSD hard disk, you will need to partition it first. To do this type "disk management" in the search menu found next to your Windows start button. There you should see a list of drives. right click on the SSD then click on "new partition." Click "next" then select "Primary Partition" and again click "next." If making only one partition, click on the default setting, if multiple partitions, then you will need to choose the size of each partition and assign drive letters. Choose the file system for each partition - usually NTFS - then click "finish" to finish the partitioning and format the partitions.

 

[Cyprianophobia]

In order for Windows 10 to see your SSD hard disk, you will need to partition it first. To do this type "disk management" in the search menu found next to your Windows start button. There you should see a list of drives. right click on the SSD then click on "new partition." Click "next" then select "Primary Partition" and again click "next." If making only one partition, click on the default setting, if multiple partitions, then you will need to choose the size of each partition and assign drive letters. Choose the file system for each partition - usually NTFS - then click "finish" to finish the partitioning and format the partitions.

Oh, sorry for the confusion. The issue is it doesn't show up in both disk management or the file explore, but it does show up in BIOS.

We were able to get it to show up once in disk management, we made the partition. But it randomly disconnects and is no longer in disk management or file explorer.

 

[Juan_Bijero]

Oh, sorry for the confusion. The issue is it doesn't show up in both disk management or the file explore, but it does show up in BIOS.

We were able to get it to show up once in disk management, we made the partition. But it randomly disconnects and is no longer in disk management or file explorer.

Once you partitioned the drive were you able to format it?

 

[manofmerr]

It sounds like the hdd itself may be the issue, it may make more sense to get a new one, or maybe try it on another computer to see if the issues persist. While I've never seen it happen, it's possible the sata port on the drive itself is damaged (just throwing that out there, can't hurt to check).