SP2 missing hard disk everytime I boot up. Stay away from ..

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

<getting on soapbox>

Finally took the plunge last Sunday (against my better judgement from
reading all the problems with this wonderful new Micro$haft
"upgrade"), and after a Norton Ghost image to my second hard drive
(thank Gawd for that), installed SP2. Went like a charm. Took a while,
but all seemed dandy. Only one minor problem...My F:drive (2nd hard
drive; Seagate ST380013A) completely invisible to Windows explorer.
Jeesh, I said, I hope the drive isn't toast. Not visible even in
"right click My Computer-manage-disk management". nada. zippo. With
sweaty palms, I went to control panel and added new hardware. Clicked
on "yes" when prompted if I already had installed the hardware,
scrolled down the list to find my ST3800013A, and whoops it said "this
device is working properly", and now I could see the F: drive in
Explorer. Yippiekayee!!!
I could read and write to the drive, like nothing happened. OK, I
said, maybe one of those weird things that happened when "upgrading"
Bill Gates' products. Weirder stuff has happened before.
Then the next day, I booted up the PC, and....voila. F: drive gone
again. Had to go back in control panel and "re-install" the Seagate
again. And every day since. Again and again and again...
Everytime I boot the machine I have to re-install that Seagate 2nd HD.
This was getting very boring. So I went to the Windows update website
(hoping maybe there was already an update for this problem, since I
have seen here that I am not the only one missing a drive after the
SP2 install). Got there to find out there was already a "critical
update" to adress a security hole the Micro$haft crew apparently
overlooked when they rolled out this aclaimed Service Pack 2. Sigh...I
guess I wasn't all that surprised. Downloaded and installed all that.
Vaguely hoping the "patch" might bring a solution to this missing
drive phenomenon. Nope. After a reboot, F: was still in lala land.
I finally said the heck with it, uninstalled SP2 and now all is fine
again.

I had to experience for myself, I guess. Just had to try and install
that SP2. I guess I have nobody to blame for that but myself.
But I did want to warn others out there that are still contemplating
at "upgrading" XP home with SP2, to think again. And if they do, to
make sure to have backed up all their data.
I my case, 4 days later, I was back and happy with SP1. Can't wait to
see what SP3 is going to look like.
Here's to the boys in Redmond! Tripple cheers!

<stepping off soapbox>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Since you failed to do the obvious and use Disk Management to initialize the
disk, why is it a fault of SP2?

"VernMan@my.home" <wernergr@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1bdap0l1spip8k391aofr1i83uub57d097@4ax.com...
> <getting on soapbox>
>
> Finally took the plunge last Sunday (against my better judgement from
> reading all the problems with this wonderful new Micro$haft
> "upgrade"), and after a Norton Ghost image to my second hard drive
> (thank Gawd for that), installed SP2. Went like a charm. Took a while,
> but all seemed dandy. Only one minor problem...My F:drive (2nd hard
> drive; Seagate ST380013A) completely invisible to Windows explorer.
> Jeesh, I said, I hope the drive isn't toast. Not visible even in
> "right click My Computer-manage-disk management". nada. zippo. With
> sweaty palms, I went to control panel and added new hardware. Clicked
> on "yes" when prompted if I already had installed the hardware,
> scrolled down the list to find my ST3800013A, and whoops it said "this
> device is working properly", and now I could see the F: drive in
> Explorer. Yippiekayee!!!
> I could read and write to the drive, like nothing happened. OK, I
> said, maybe one of those weird things that happened when "upgrading"
> Bill Gates' products. Weirder stuff has happened before.
> Then the next day, I booted up the PC, and....voila. F: drive gone
> again. Had to go back in control panel and "re-install" the Seagate
> again. And every day since. Again and again and again...
> Everytime I boot the machine I have to re-install that Seagate 2nd HD.
> This was getting very boring. So I went to the Windows update website
> (hoping maybe there was already an update for this problem, since I
> have seen here that I am not the only one missing a drive after the
> SP2 install). Got there to find out there was already a "critical
> update" to adress a security hole the Micro$haft crew apparently
> overlooked when they rolled out this aclaimed Service Pack 2. Sigh...I
> guess I wasn't all that surprised. Downloaded and installed all that.
> Vaguely hoping the "patch" might bring a solution to this missing
> drive phenomenon. Nope. After a reboot, F: was still in lala land.
> I finally said the heck with it, uninstalled SP2 and now all is fine
> again.
>
> I had to experience for myself, I guess. Just had to try and install
> that SP2. I guess I have nobody to blame for that but myself.
> But I did want to warn others out there that are still contemplating
> at "upgrading" XP home with SP2, to think again. And if they do, to
> make sure to have backed up all their data.
> I my case, 4 days later, I was back and happy with SP1. Can't wait to
> see what SP3 is going to look like.
> Here's to the boys in Redmond! Tripple cheers!
>
> <stepping off soapbox>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

With your attitude, I would imagine that, had you not stepped off of the
soapbox at that point, the soapbox would have thrown you off..


"VernMan@my.home" <wernergr@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1bdap0l1spip8k391aofr1i83uub57d097@4ax.com...
> <getting on soapbox>
>
> Finally took the plunge last Sunday (against my better judgement from
> reading all the problems with this wonderful new Micro$haft
> "upgrade"), and after a Norton Ghost image to my second hard drive
> (thank Gawd for that), installed SP2. Went like a charm. Took a while,
> but all seemed dandy. Only one minor problem...My F:drive (2nd hard
> drive; Seagate ST380013A) completely invisible to Windows explorer.
> Jeesh, I said, I hope the drive isn't toast. Not visible even in
> "right click My Computer-manage-disk management". nada. zippo. With
> sweaty palms, I went to control panel and added new hardware. Clicked
> on "yes" when prompted if I already had installed the hardware,
> scrolled down the list to find my ST3800013A, and whoops it said "this
> device is working properly", and now I could see the F: drive in
> Explorer. Yippiekayee!!!
> I could read and write to the drive, like nothing happened. OK, I
> said, maybe one of those weird things that happened when "upgrading"
> Bill Gates' products. Weirder stuff has happened before.
> Then the next day, I booted up the PC, and....voila. F: drive gone
> again. Had to go back in control panel and "re-install" the Seagate
> again. And every day since. Again and again and again...
> Everytime I boot the machine I have to re-install that Seagate 2nd HD.
> This was getting very boring. So I went to the Windows update website
> (hoping maybe there was already an update for this problem, since I
> have seen here that I am not the only one missing a drive after the
> SP2 install). Got there to find out there was already a "critical
> update" to adress a security hole the Micro$haft crew apparently
> overlooked when they rolled out this aclaimed Service Pack 2. Sigh...I
> guess I wasn't all that surprised. Downloaded and installed all that.
> Vaguely hoping the "patch" might bring a solution to this missing
> drive phenomenon. Nope. After a reboot, F: was still in lala land.
> I finally said the heck with it, uninstalled SP2 and now all is fine
> again.
>
> I had to experience for myself, I guess. Just had to try and install
> that SP2. I guess I have nobody to blame for that but myself.
> But I did want to warn others out there that are still contemplating
> at "upgrading" XP home with SP2, to think again. And if they do, to
> make sure to have backed up all their data.
> I my case, 4 days later, I was back and happy with SP1. Can't wait to
> see what SP3 is going to look like.
> Here's to the boys in Redmond! Tripple cheers!
>
> <stepping off soapbox>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

NoNoBadDog! wrote:
> Since you failed to do the obvious and use Disk Management to initialize the
> disk, why is it a fault of SP2?
>

Well, if the drive went missing after SP2 was installed...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Yes, it did. But it was not the fault of SP2 that the OP did not know how
to intialize the drive. the fact that the drive disappeared indicates
either that there were pre-existing issues with Windows, or that some other
issue unique to the OP's situation occurred.

Bobby

"Phil McCracken" <Phil@McCracken.com> wrote in message
news:10paq8ke595m04e@corp.supernews.com...
> NoNoBadDog! wrote:
>> Since you failed to do the obvious and use Disk Management to initialize
>> the disk, why is it a fault of SP2?
>>
>
> Well, if the drive went missing after SP2 was installed...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

NoNoBadDog! wrote:
> Yes, it did. But it was not the fault of SP2 that the OP did not know how
> to intialize the drive. the fact that the drive disappeared indicates
> either that there were pre-existing issues with Windows, or that some other
> issue unique to the OP's situation occurred.
>
> Bobby

Sorry, but you make no sense. If the drive were properly initialized and
working prior to SP2, and there's nothing in evidence to suggest that it
wasn't, then it appears that SP2 caused something. Can you give an
example of some preexisting condition that would cause the phenomenon in
question, and what the OP might have done to prevent it? Not a guess,
but something you *know* could cause the phenomenon to occur.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:31:20 -1000, "NoNoBadDog!"
<mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote:

>Since you failed to do the obvious and use Disk Management to initialize the
>disk, why is it a fault of SP2?
>
Because, I did the "obvious", and Disk Management did not even list my
drive as an option to "initialize". The OS didn't know there was
another hard drive, until I went to "add new hardware" and
re-installed that drive each and every time I booted into windows.

You, obviously, don't know how to read what I posted.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 19:50:37 -0500, "Mike Hall"
<mike.hall.mail@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>With your attitude, I would imagine that, had you not stepped off of the
>soapbox at that point, the soapbox would have thrown you off..
>
>

You, obviously, have never been on one. A soapbox that is.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

VernMan@my.home wrote:

> On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 19:50:37 -0500, "Mike Hall"
> <mike.hall.mail@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>
>>With your attitude, I would imagine that, had you not stepped off of the
>>soapbox at that point, the soapbox would have thrown you off..
>>
>>
>
>
> You, obviously, have never been on one. A soapbox that is.

There are people here who firmly believe that every instance of SP2
screwing something up is the fault of a stupid and/or unprepared user.
There is ample evidence (my own experience included) that this is not
the case. There is also ample evidence that SP2 installs with no
problems for the majority of users. I installed it successfully on a
laptop, but my desktop suffered a severe meltdown. My advice is to have
a good working image of your system drive and then try it. Be aware,
though, that $hit might happen that is beyond your control.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 11:02:43 -0600, Phil McCracken
<Phil@McCracken.com> wrote:

>VernMan@my.home wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 19:50:37 -0500, "Mike Hall"
>> <mike.hall.mail@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>With your attitude, I would imagine that, had you not stepped off of the
>>>soapbox at that point, the soapbox would have thrown you off..
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> You, obviously, have never been on one. A soapbox that is.
>
>There are people here who firmly believe that every instance of SP2
>screwing something up is the fault of a stupid and/or unprepared user.
>There is ample evidence (my own experience included) that this is not
>the case. There is also ample evidence that SP2 installs with no
>problems for the majority of users. I installed it successfully on a
>laptop, but my desktop suffered a severe meltdown. My advice is to have
>a good working image of your system drive and then try it. Be aware,
>though, that $hit might happen that is beyond your control.

Thank you, good Sir, for acknowledging that. That's why I posted my
initial message.
My system is fine, thanks to a good working image (Norton Ghost). And,
as you state, I am neither a stupid nor unprepared user. In my case,
just as in the case of your desktop, the SP2 install itself caused the
mayhem. It wasn't a complete meltdown (I read about other people's PC
turning into a doorstop when "upgrading" to SP2), but I think it was
appropriate to post my experience, especially for those who are also
missing drives after SP2.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 10:58:13 -0600, Phil McCracken
<Phil@McCracken.com> wrote:

>NoNoBadDog! wrote:
>> Yes, it did. But it was not the fault of SP2 that the OP did not know how
>> to intialize the drive. the fact that the drive disappeared indicates
>> either that there were pre-existing issues with Windows, or that some other
>> issue unique to the OP's situation occurred.
>>
>> Bobby
>
>Sorry, but you make no sense. If the drive were properly initialized and
>working prior to SP2, and there's nothing in evidence to suggest that it
>wasn't, then it appears that SP2 caused something. Can you give an
>example of some preexisting condition that would cause the phenomenon in
>question, and what the OP might have done to prevent it? Not a guess,
>but something you *know* could cause the phenomenon to occur.

Indeed. With SP1 all was fine. Installed SP2 and the drive
disappeared. Needed to be re-installed through "add new hardware" upon
every boot. Uninstalled SP2 and all is fine again. It doesn't take a
Doctorate in Rocket Science to figure out that the SP2 install on this
system was the root of this problem.
NoNoMadDog! must have been asleep in class when they were teaching
Logic 101

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

VernMan@my.home wrote:
> On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 10:58:13 -0600, Phil McCracken
> <Phil@McCracken.com> wrote:
>
>
>>NoNoBadDog! wrote:
>>
>>>Yes, it did. But it was not the fault of SP2 that the OP did not know how
>>>to intialize the drive. the fact that the drive disappeared indicates
>>>either that there were pre-existing issues with Windows, or that some other
>>>issue unique to the OP's situation occurred.
>>>
>>>Bobby
>>
>>Sorry, but you make no sense. If the drive were properly initialized and
>>working prior to SP2, and there's nothing in evidence to suggest that it
>>wasn't, then it appears that SP2 caused something. Can you give an
>>example of some preexisting condition that would cause the phenomenon in
>>question, and what the OP might have done to prevent it? Not a guess,
>>but something you *know* could cause the phenomenon to occur.
>
>
> Indeed. With SP1 all was fine. Installed SP2 and the drive
> disappeared. Needed to be re-installed through "add new hardware" upon
> every boot. Uninstalled SP2 and all is fine again. It doesn't take a
> Doctorate in Rocket Science to figure out that the SP2 install on this
> system was the root of this problem.
> NoNoMadDog! must have been asleep in class when they were teaching
> Logic 101
>
>
I think you gove him too much credit. It doesn't appear that he was in
class at all.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Hundreds of thousands if not millions have installed SP2 on systems with
more than 1 drive and did not lose their 2nd drive. I still maintain that
there was an issue unique to the OP that caused the drive to disappear. If
whatever unique circumstance did not exist on his computer, then it would
have installed without issues. Therefore, it was the circumstance that
caused the problem, not SP2 itself. If you cannot understand this simple bit
of logic, then perhaps it was you who missed class.

Bobby

"Phil McCracken" <Phil@McCracken.com> wrote in message
news:10pd54p6aje30d9@corp.supernews.com...
> VernMan@my.home wrote:
>> On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 10:58:13 -0600, Phil McCracken
>> <Phil@McCracken.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>NoNoBadDog! wrote:
>>>
>>>>Yes, it did. But it was not the fault of SP2 that the OP did not know
>>>>how to intialize the drive. the fact that the drive disappeared
>>>>indicates either that there were pre-existing issues with Windows, or
>>>>that some other issue unique to the OP's situation occurred.
>>>>
>>>>Bobby
>>>
>>>Sorry, but you make no sense. If the drive were properly initialized and
>>>working prior to SP2, and there's nothing in evidence to suggest that it
>>>wasn't, then it appears that SP2 caused something. Can you give an
>>>example of some preexisting condition that would cause the phenomenon in
>>>question, and what the OP might have done to prevent it? Not a guess, but
>>>something you *know* could cause the phenomenon to occur.
>>
>>
>> Indeed. With SP1 all was fine. Installed SP2 and the drive
>> disappeared. Needed to be re-installed through "add new hardware" upon
>> every boot. Uninstalled SP2 and all is fine again. It doesn't take a
>> Doctorate in Rocket Science to figure out that the SP2 install on this
>> system was the root of this problem.
>> NoNoMadDog! must have been asleep in class when they were teaching
>> Logic 101
>>
>>
> I think you gove him too much credit. It doesn't appear that he was in
> class at all.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

NoNoBadDog! wrote:

> Hundreds of thousands if not millions have installed SP2 on systems with
> more than 1 drive and did not lose their 2nd drive. I still maintain that
> there was an issue unique to the OP that caused the drive to disappear. If
> whatever unique circumstance did not exist on his computer, then it would
> have installed without issues. Therefore, it was the circumstance that
> caused the problem, not SP2 itself. If you cannot understand this simple bit
> of logic, then perhaps it was you who missed class.
>
> Bobby
>

And I'm still waiting for something other than a guess. Please enlighten
us. What sort of circumstance could cause this, and what is it that SP2
didn't like? Your original accusation had to do with the OP failing to
properly initiate the drive, which obviously had nothing to do with the
problem, because, as I said before, and the OP has since confirmed, the
drive was working properly before SP2.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

There could have been any number of issues that caused this///since I do not
have the luxury of examining the OP's system, I cannot do more than guess.
The protocol that Windows uses to assign drive letters is fairly unforgiving
when an error occurs. Perhaps the OP had removable or external drives that
caused a conflict when windows initially tried to assign each drive a
letter. It happens. There could also have been entries in the registry on
the OP's system that was generated by burning software that caused a
conflict with drive letter assignment. That also happens. The drive might
not have spun up on reboot after SP2 was applied, therefore was not
recognized on that boot, but then did spin up on subsequent boots. The disk
itself could have encountered a problem...who knows? Your guess would be as
good as any at this point. If you have such a strong need to feel superior,
then by all means do feel superior. If you have better remote diagnostic
capabilities than the rest of us, then by all means use them. If you cannot
do more than post condescending drivel, please do me the favor of putting me
on your kill list.

Bobby



"Phil McCracken" <Phil@McCracken.com> wrote in message
news:10pdbbrkbn4d0e@corp.supernews.com...
> NoNoBadDog! wrote:
>
>> Hundreds of thousands if not millions have installed SP2 on systems with
>> more than 1 drive and did not lose their 2nd drive. I still maintain
>> that there was an issue unique to the OP that caused the drive to
>> disappear. If whatever unique circumstance did not exist on his
>> computer, then it would have installed without issues. Therefore, it was
>> the circumstance that caused the problem, not SP2 itself. If you cannot
>> understand this simple bit of logic, then perhaps it was you who missed
>> class.
>>
>> Bobby
>>
>
> And I'm still waiting for something other than a guess. Please enlighten
> us. What sort of circumstance could cause this, and what is it that SP2
> didn't like? Your original accusation had to do with the OP failing to
> properly initiate the drive, which obviously had nothing to do with the
> problem, because, as I said before, and the OP has since confirmed, the
> drive was working properly before SP2.