- Nov 18, 2013
- 8
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- 10,510
I've had this VAIO VGC-RA840G desktop computer for a long time. It now serves primarily as a backup to my laptop, and I am not particularly concerned that it is slow. I've been using it with a 2 TB Seagate primary HDD running Windows XP. I am no longer using (or plan to use) the media center functions that originally came with the computer.
I decided to upgrade the system to Windows 7 Pro (64 bit), to maximize memory to 4 GB and to add a second HDD (4TB Seagate) to increase storage capacity. I figured that I could always transfer the 4TB drive to another computer if/when I opt to upgrade the entire system. The upgrade went smoothly. The system recognizes 4GB of ram with 3.37 GB as being usable. That's modest in today's world (I have 16 GB on my laptop), but, again, I'm not concerned about speed on this desktop.
My problem is that I am unable to see or access the second HDD from Windows. I'm not trying to boot from this GPT drive. I only want to use it as a secondary data drive. I can see the hard drive in BIOS, but it does not appear in either the device manager or when running disk management. There's nothing viewable to initialize or format when running disk management. When I remove the HHD and attach it via USB using a Startech docking station the drive shows up with all 4TB visible. BTW, my BIOS version is currently 101 05/18/05.
I found the very helpful "sticky thread" in this forum called "If you installed a new disk but the system can't see it"). Step ten says says "On some motherboards, there is more than one controller. Some SATA ports are controlled by the Southbridge, and disks attached to them should always show up in Disk Management. There may be more that are controlled by an additional controller chip on the motherboard. As of January of 2011, that includes any SATA 3 ports. Before the OS can see a drive attached to these ports, you have to load the driver for the controller chip. It was on the CD that came with the motherboard, or you can read your motherboard manual to find out what the controller chip is and download the most current version for whatever OS version you are using. Install that driver and reboot, and the drive will magically appear in the Disk Management pane (once you re-open that pane). You can go back to step five."
OK, so that's sound like my problem, and I found a link at http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=VGCRA840G&upd_id=1898&os_id=16 to install the original shipped version of the Intel® 945G/P Chipset driver for the VGC-RA840G computer motherboard. However, that installation did not "magically" solve the problem. I've run VAIO update a number of times, but there are no additional updates available. I've tried a couple driver diagnostic programs, but none identify a need to update or install a controller chip for the motherboard.
So now I'm at "step eleven" of the sticky thread where it says "If it did not appear in the Disk Management pane, sorry. Leave this checklist and post a question with details on the motherboard, drive, OS, and anything else you may have tried. One of our wonderful members will help you."
Thanks, in advance, for any advice that you can provide.
I decided to upgrade the system to Windows 7 Pro (64 bit), to maximize memory to 4 GB and to add a second HDD (4TB Seagate) to increase storage capacity. I figured that I could always transfer the 4TB drive to another computer if/when I opt to upgrade the entire system. The upgrade went smoothly. The system recognizes 4GB of ram with 3.37 GB as being usable. That's modest in today's world (I have 16 GB on my laptop), but, again, I'm not concerned about speed on this desktop.
My problem is that I am unable to see or access the second HDD from Windows. I'm not trying to boot from this GPT drive. I only want to use it as a secondary data drive. I can see the hard drive in BIOS, but it does not appear in either the device manager or when running disk management. There's nothing viewable to initialize or format when running disk management. When I remove the HHD and attach it via USB using a Startech docking station the drive shows up with all 4TB visible. BTW, my BIOS version is currently 101 05/18/05.
I found the very helpful "sticky thread" in this forum called "If you installed a new disk but the system can't see it"). Step ten says says "On some motherboards, there is more than one controller. Some SATA ports are controlled by the Southbridge, and disks attached to them should always show up in Disk Management. There may be more that are controlled by an additional controller chip on the motherboard. As of January of 2011, that includes any SATA 3 ports. Before the OS can see a drive attached to these ports, you have to load the driver for the controller chip. It was on the CD that came with the motherboard, or you can read your motherboard manual to find out what the controller chip is and download the most current version for whatever OS version you are using. Install that driver and reboot, and the drive will magically appear in the Disk Management pane (once you re-open that pane). You can go back to step five."
OK, so that's sound like my problem, and I found a link at http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=VGCRA840G&upd_id=1898&os_id=16 to install the original shipped version of the Intel® 945G/P Chipset driver for the VGC-RA840G computer motherboard. However, that installation did not "magically" solve the problem. I've run VAIO update a number of times, but there are no additional updates available. I've tried a couple driver diagnostic programs, but none identify a need to update or install a controller chip for the motherboard.
So now I'm at "step eleven" of the sticky thread where it says "If it did not appear in the Disk Management pane, sorry. Leave this checklist and post a question with details on the motherboard, drive, OS, and anything else you may have tried. One of our wonderful members will help you."
Thanks, in advance, for any advice that you can provide.
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