Why doesn't the computer see the hard drive? Why the computer does not see the hard drive and how to fix it: Remember everything! The computer does not see the hard drive volume
Many users have probably had this problem when the computer does not see the hard drive and does not want to work with it. Before we understand why this happens and try to find a solution, let's find out what it is and what it is used for.
A hard drive is a data storage device. Any information available on a computer is stored there. In addition, the operating system and all associated data are recorded on the hard drive.
Accordingly, if the system cannot detect this device, then all recorded data immediately becomes inaccessible. Below we have collected the most common and common causes of problems when the computer does not see the hard drive, and effective ways to fix them. This article will help you take important steps to solve the problem and protect you from unnecessary and thoughtless actions. The following problems also apply to external drives.
Diagnostic measures
If the hard drive is not detected by the computer, then the first thing you need to do is find the cause of the problem. First you need to determine where the problem lies, in the system or the device itself. To do this, let's try connecting the drive to any other device.
If the hard drive is recognized, then the problem is in our Windows OS, but if not, then this device is faulty and needs to be repaired or replaced. In this case, further work should be entrusted to specialists.
However, if only the system part of the hard drive is faulty, then there are several ways in which you can independently restore its functionality.
Outgoing contacts
Perhaps the problem that the hard drive is no longer detected lies in the lack of contact. To fix this, you need to open the side cover of the PC case or the back cover of the laptop, find it and reconnect it.
If this does not work, try replacing the SATA cable with a new one. It is likely that the contacts on the signal cable have oxidized or that it does not fit well into the power connectors that the motherboard is equipped with.
Motherboard
If the motherboard does not see the hard drive, then the problem may be with the motherboard itself. You can check this in the following way:
Incorrect BIOS settings
The next factor that deserves our attention is the BIOS settings. Incorrect ones disrupt the operation of the OS as a whole.
System date
If the hard drive is no longer detected, then you need to look at the system date, the incorrectness of which indicates a settings failure. In this case, to correct the situation you need to:
After you restart your computer, it should start showing up, but if it's still not visible, move on to the next method.
Error loading
The problem may also be in the established order of boot devices. Perhaps at the top of the list is a non-existent floppy disk or flash drive from which the PC is trying to boot. And in case of failure, the error “Disk boot failure” or other similar errors associated with “Hard drive”, “Hard disk” or “Boot” appears.
How to fix it:
Depending on the BIOS version, the appearance of the interface may vary. In this case, you need to look for similar options called “Boot Device”, “Boot Option”.
Lack of nutrition
If your hard drive is still detected, but periodically disappears and appears, then you should pay attention to the sounds it makes. sounds indicating a change in work cycles indicate insufficient nutrition. That is, the hard drive does not have enough electricity to function properly.
There are three ways out of the situation:
Due to the fact that all devices and components must work for the computer to function properly, it is best to purchase a new power supply.
Device conflict
The next reason that a laptop or PC does not see the hard drive is a conflict of connected devices. As you know, two hard drives of the same or different brands can cause problems and conflicts in the system.
To solve this problem, you need to connect and configure each separately. This way they will not conflict and can work simultaneously.
Purpose of the letter
Let's say the hard drive is spinning, visible in the BIOS, but not detected by the operating system. That is, the OS cannot work with it. In this case, it is necessary to carry out manual configuration using the tools available in Windows.
To do this you should:
The method is demonstrated using Windows 7 as an example and is suitable for computers and laptops from any company, including HP, Samsung, Packard Bell, Acer and Asus. Only the operating system you have installed may have slight differences.
Invalid file system format
If the laptop or computer stops seeing the hard drive, and none of the above methods solved the problem, then it may be due to an incorrect file system format. As a result, the OS and the disk “speak” different languages. This happens especially often when a PC switches from Windows XP to Windows 7 or 8.
You can correct the situation in the following ways.
Formatting
You need to format the HDD to NTFS. But this should only be done if the data stored on the drive is not important to you, since it will be deleted. In this case, the new version of Windows will independently install the necessary HDD parameters.
After the process is complete, the disk should appear.
Third party programs
The second option for what to do if the computer does not find the hard drive is to change the file system using special programs. Among the huge number of them, one can highlight utilities Partition Manager And Acronis. They are the most convenient to use, and you can download them absolutely free from. sites.
They are recommended to be used if there are important files or documents on the netbook's hard drive and you do not want to lose them. We have already discussed several ways to restore partitions using Acronis in a similar article.
If you can't see the removable media
Quite often it happens that an external drive is simply not visible due to a banal mismatch of the USB protocol (1.1/2.0) or a poorly fitting connector. Therefore, this factor also requires attention and careful verification.
As for other reasons, you can find them in this article dedicated specifically.
Physical or logical fault
One of the main reasons why a hard drive is not detected by the system is its failure. It can be of two types, let's stop and look at each in more detail.
Some users, without the appropriate knowledge and experience in servicing hard drives, try to disassemble and revive it themselves. But at the same time, they do not know that its assembly is carried out in the most sterile conditions and does not allow fingerprints and dust, which leads to physical damage and, accordingly, malfunction. This is due to the fact that the gap between the head and the disk is so small that even a small speck of dust can scratch it and thereby damage it.
If none of the methods discussed above helped solve this problem, then in this situation it will not be possible to do without the help of qualified specialists. All that remains is to take it to a service center and wait for the diagnostic results.
More detailed instructions
youtu.be/2ROGLAHqvRU
Professional help
If you are unable to resolve the problems yourself,
then most likely the problem lies at a more technical level.
This could be: a failure of the motherboard, power supply,
hard drive, video card, RAM, etc.
It is important to diagnose and repair the breakdown in time,
to prevent failure of other components.
Our specialist will help you with this.
Leave a request and receive
Free consultation and diagnostics from a specialist!
When buying a computer, few users ask themselves how much hard drive capacity they need; they cannot predict in advance which files and how large they will be stored on the computer. Over time, the PC turns into a “file dump”. It’s a pity to delete everything, but in reality there’s not much that’s needed. However, during work or for certain needs, additional amounts of disk space are needed, which can be expanded by connecting an additional HDD or SSD drive.
Why do you need a second hard drive?
Often users want to separate the operating system, programs and user personal files. In addition, installing the system and programs on a separate fast (albeit not so capacious) SSD disk or HDD can significantly speed up system loading, improve responsiveness and increase productivity. Saving time is a significant factor.
How to connect an additional disk drive?
Any computer, even an ancient one, has the ability to connect several disks at the same time. All modern computers support the installation of drives with SATA1, SATA2, SATA3 interfaces. If your motherboard has a SATA2 interface, and the hard drive meets SATA3 specifications, then connection is possible (compatibility in connectors and signals), but the maximum performance of the drive will be limited by the motherboard interface, that is, the data exchange speed will not be higher than in SATA2.
To install an additional hard drive, you need to connect 2 connectors - power and data. All operations must be carried out with the power completely turned off. After installing the second disk and starting the computer, the new disk will be initialized, and then it will need to be formatted and partitioned (or left 1 partition). However, the additional hard drive does not always start working. Why?
Why doesn't the computer see the second hard drive?
There may be several reasons for this phenomenon. These are software or hardware failures, lack of drivers, outdated operating system, incorrect connection and setting of HDD operating parameters.
The old computer does not see the second hard drive.
For older computers where the connection is via the IDE interface, all disk drives have jumpers to set the disk operating mode - Master (main, primary master), Slave (secondary, additional, slave). In this case, for the first one (for the old disk from which the operating system boots), you need to set the jumper to Master mode, and for the new one - to Slave mode. If 2 drives are connected with one data cable, then the Master drive should be closer to the motherboard (by connector) than the new drive.
The new computer does not see the SSD
For modern computers with SATA interfaces, the new drive may not be visible in cases where you connect an SSD drive. SSDs have built-in controllers that are not always compatible with the controllers installed on the motherboard. If the disk is not detected, you can connect it to another SATA connector on the motherboard (if it has several different controllers). Also, the new HDD may not be visible due to the incorrectly set operating mode of the hard drive controller. This mode is configured in the BIOS menu of the motherboard. For each BIOS manufacturer and motherboard model, the available operating modes and their names may differ.
The computer does not see the new HDD. How to fix?
To correct the situation when the computer does not see the second hard drive, you should check the BIOS settings, connect the drive to a different data connector and power connector. If this does not help, then other methods will come in handy.
Most often, all equipment is in good working order and correctly configured, there are just a few points that you should not forget about. The new hard drive may not have a letter assigned or may not be formatted. The computer sees the disk at the stage of testing and loading to the operating system (white letters on a black background when the PC is turned on), but there is no new disk in Windows Explorer. This happens often. In a Windows system it is very easy to fix even without using additional programs.
We format the new disk and assign it a letter - Windows 7
We go to START. Right-click on “My Computer” and select the “Manage” context menu item.
Next, go to the Disk Management section. A list of drives connected to the computer will be displayed. Each drive will be displayed by partition with corresponding letters. If the disk is new, then there is a 99% chance that it is simply not formatted.
After successful completion of the operation, the option to create a partition on a new disk will be available.
This operation can also be performed using specialized software tools for working with HDDs and SSDs - Acronis Disk Director, Paragon Partition Manager and others.
In most cases, the information above will help solve the problem of the computer not recognizing the new hard drive. If this does not help, the best solution would be to contact a specialist who will find out and eliminate the cause.
| How do you like it? - |
Follow these steps in order. If the first does not help, move on to the second and so on.
What to do if a Windows computer does not see the hard drive
Disk does not show up in BIOS
1. If you have just connected the hard drive, check if you did it correctly. Find the official instructions for your motherboard and hard drive and follow all manufacturers' recommendations.
2. If you are trying to install Windows XP or an older version and the system reports that there is no hard drive, make sure that the IDE hard drive mode compatible with this OS is enabled in the BIOS. To do this, find the SATA operation setting in the BIOS (SATA Mode, SATA Configuration or a similar name). Set the value to IDE, save changes and restart your computer.
3. If possible, check the functionality of the hard drive by connecting it to another PC. If it works, look for faults in the motherboard or other components of your computer. If not, you can take the hard drive to a service center.
Disk doesn't show up in Windows
1. Make sure the hard drive is enabled in the BIOS settings. To do this, restart the computer and, as soon as the machine starts to turn on, press the F2 or DEL key (the desired key is usually displayed on the screen) until you get to the BIOS.
Then find the disk management section (Storage Configuration, Drive or a similar name) and make sure that the desired hard drive is activated. Opposite it should be the words Active, On or something similar. Save the changes and restart your PC.
2. Check whether Windows has properly prepared the disk for use. First, open a command prompt window (Windows keys + R), then enter diskmgmt.msc and press Enter. Carefully read all system warnings so as not to accidentally format the drive or change the data recorded on it.
If you see a disk without a volume label in the Disk Management menu, this may be the cause of the conflict. Then right-click on the drive and assign a letter to it using the appropriate option in the context menu. Then restart your computer.
If in the same menu you see a new disk labeled “Not initialized,” right-click on it, select “Initialize disk” and follow the Windows prompts. After initialization, click on the disk again to open the context menu, select “Create a simple volume” and act according to the system instructions. When finished, restart your PC.
3. Download the latest hard drive drivers from the manufacturer's website and install them.
4. Check your computer for malware using an antivirus.
5. Try it after saving all important data.
If none of the above helps, contact a service center for assistance.
What to do if Mac does not see the hard drive
Mac won't boot
If you have a modern Mac, it will most likely have one drive. And it is obvious that if there are problems with it, the computer simply will not boot. In this case, you need to carry out diagnostics using Apple Hardware Test using the network mode.
Connect your Mac to a power source and disconnect all external devices except the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and Ethernet cable. Turn off your Mac by holding the power button for a few seconds.
Turn on your Mac by holding down the Option + D keys. After running Apple Hardware Test, diagnose the components by following the wizard's prompts.
If disk errors are detected during testing, you will have to contact service. It will be possible to carry out repairs yourself only on older models with HDD by replacing the disk.
Drive doesn't show up in Finder
1. If your Mac has several disks and the problem is not with the boot disk, but with the auxiliary disk, then the computer will boot, but the disk will not be accessible. In this case, you need to check whether it appears in Disk Utility.
To do this, open the application from the Applications → Utilities folder or through Spotlight and check if the disk is visible. If so, you can try formatting it (keep in mind that this will delete all data).
2. If the drive is not listed in Disk Utility, you should check whether it appears in System Information.
Open the utility through the Apple menu → System Information and then click the System Report button. Go to the "Storage" tab or SATA / SATA Express interfaces. Check if the required drive is available there.
futurecdn.net If the disk is not displayed, you can conduct diagnostics using Apple Hardware Test as described above, and if errors are detected with the disk, contact the service for repair.
This article explains in detail what to do if Windows 7 does not see the hard drive. You will also learn how to deal with errors and problems that arise when reinstalling the Windows operating system.
This is information that will be useful for everyone to know, because nowadays there is a personal computer in almost every home. Moreover, most often it is Windows that is used as the operating system. Simply put, if you have problems with the operating system while working on your computer, then this article will help you. Let's look at the situation when the system does not see the hard drive. Initially, you will need to perform a couple of simple steps:
Find the “My Computer” shortcut on your desktop, hover your mouse over it and right-click. A menu will appear in which you need to click on the “Management” line (Figure 1).
Figure 1 – Context menu
In the “Computer Management” window that opens, click on the “Disk Management” line from the “Storage Devices” category (Figure 2).
Figure 2 - Computer management
Figure 3 - Change drive letter
Now all that remains is to change the drive letters so that the OS can find it. Also, those who installed Windows 7 instead of Windows XP can move the settings of programs installed on the computer and the “My Documents” folder to the Windows system directory, which will allow them to use the new OS. Hard drive not detected during Windows reinstallation
Quite often, when reinstalling Windows, users encounter the problem that the hard drive is not detected. There are several ways to fix this problem.
Method 1. The most well-known method is to disable AHCI in the operating system through the BIOS (Basic Input Output System). Immediately after you do this, the computer will be able to detect the hard drive. Now let's describe in more detail how to do this:
1. Restart your computer. Press “F2” or “Delete” on your keyboard from the moment it starts to turn on. This will take you to the BIOS settings.
2. Select the operating system settings menu and turn off AHCI mode, as shown in (Figure 4).
Figure 4 - Disabling AHCI
Method 2. It may well be that the computer does not see the hard drive due to problems with the motherboard (when reinstalling any version of Windows). In this case, you need to download the driver for the motherboard of your computer on the Internet and burn it to disk. Next, using this disk, add the driver to the root directory of the operating system.
This is done as follows:
1. Insert the driver disc into the drive.
2.
Restart the computer and while it turns on, press “F6” on the keyboard.
Method 3. If the two methods described above did not bring the desired result, then you will have to integrate SATA drivers into the OS distribution. The first step is to integrate individual SATA drivers or, in some cases, entire packages. You can also integrate drivers together with updates.
You can find out exactly what updates and drivers are required on the website of the manufacturer of your motherboard installed on your computer. To find out what kind of motherboard you have, you can right-click on the “My Computer” shortcut and through the drop-down menu go to “Properties”, where this data is indicated. You can also look at this information in the documents that were given to you when you purchased the computer.
It is worth saying that a large number of users encounter a situation where the system does not see the hard drive, especially when reinstalling Windows. If you also encounter this problem, then it is not necessary to contact a service center or specialists to solve it. You can handle it quite well on your own.
First of all, if the hard drive is not detected when reinstalling the operating system, you must resort to the methods described earlier (integrating motherboard drivers and disabling the AHCI parameter through the BIOS). If these actions did not give the desired result, then you will need to check whether the connection is made correctly on your hard drive. Figure 5 shows an example of a correct connection.
Figure 5 - Connecting a hard drive
The main thing you should learn for yourself is that the device, thanks to which the hard drive is connected and attached to the computer motherboard, has two main connectors. One of them is black, the second is blue (cyan). Moreover, this characteristic is the same regardless of what version of the Windows operating system you have. Of interest to us is the blue connector, which is responsible for the operation of the hard drive and floppy drive (device for external reading). It is better to connect the hard drive to the blue connector, because, as practice has shown, the black connector is quite unstable.
If, after checking the connection, the hard drive is still not detected or a message is displayed stating that the HDD device is not working correctly, then most likely it is all due to software errors.
If none of the methods described above helped, you will have to contact qualified specialists.
The problem where the hard drive is not detected by the computer is quite common. This can happen to a new or already used, external or built-in HDD. Before you try to fix the problem, you need to figure out what caused it. Usually, users themselves can fix difficulties associated with the hard drive - to do this, just follow the instructions and act carefully.
There are several common situations that can cause a hard drive to fail to perform its function. This applies not only to a disk connected to the computer for the first time - one day the main HDD may stop working, making loading the operating system impossible. These reasons may be:
- First connection of a new drive;
- Problems with the cable or wires;
- Incorrect BIOS settings/failure;
- Weak power supply or cooling system;
- Physical failure of the hard drive.
In certain cases, you may encounter the fact that the BIOS sees the hard drive, but the system does not. Accordingly, a less experienced user may have difficulty diagnosing and fixing the problem. Next we will analyze the manifestation and solution of each of them.
Reason 1: Connecting the drive for the first time
When a user connects an external or internal hard drive for the first time, the system may not see it. It will not appear among other local disks, but it is physically fully functional. This is easy to fix and should be done as follows:
Even if the utility "Disk Management" does not see the equipment, use alternative programs from third-party developers. Our other article at the link below describes how to format using special applications designed for advanced work with HDDs. Use Method 1, which covers working with different software.
Reason 2: Invalid format
Sometimes the disc does not have an item "Change drive letter or drive path...". For example, due to a mismatch in the file system. To work properly on Windows, it must be in NTFS format.
In this case, it must be reformatted to make it accessible. This method is only suitable if the HDD does not contain information, or the data on it is not important, because all data will be deleted.
Reason 3: Uninitialized HDD
A new and unused hard drive may not work immediately when connected. The hard drive does not initialize on its own, and this process must be done manually.
The disk will be initialized and ready to use.
Reason 4: Damaged connectors, contacts or cable
When connecting external and internal hard drives, you need to be careful. The external HDD may not function due to a damaged USB cable. Therefore, if there are no visible reasons why it does not work, then you should take a similar wire with the same connectors and connect the drive to the computer. An internal hard drive can also have this problem - the cables have failed and need to be replaced for the drive to work.
Often, simply reconnecting the SATA cable to a different connector on the motherboard often helps. Since there are usually a sufficient number of them, you will need to connect the SATA cable to another free port.
Due to inattention or insufficient experience, the user may incorrectly connect the hard drive inside the system unit. Check the connections and make sure the pins are not coming loose.
Reason 5: Incorrect BIOS settings
The computer does not see the system disk
The BIOS may not be set to an IDE-compatible operating mode.
BIOS does not recognize the hard drive
Usually, even if the BIOS does not detect the hard drive, it is due to incorrect settings or their failure. Incorrect settings appear as a result of user actions, and failure can occur for various reasons, ranging from power outages to viruses in the system. This can be indicated by the system date - if it is not accurate, then this is a direct indicator of a failure. To fix it, you need to do a full reset and return to factory settings.
Outdated BIOS
When you try to connect a new drive to a too old computer with the same BIOS, you sometimes cannot avoid problems. This is due to software incompatibility and outdated control files. You can try to update the BIOS firmware manually and then check the HDD visibility.
Attention! This method is intended exclusively for experienced users. You will perform the entire process at your own peril and risk, since if you do it incorrectly, you can lose the functionality of your PC and spend a lot of time restoring its functioning.
Reason 6: Insufficient power or cooling
Listen to the sounds coming from the system unit. If you hear the buzzing sounds of cycle changes, then the culprit is most likely a weak power supply. Act according to the circumstances: replace the power supply with a more powerful one or disconnect a device of secondary importance.
If the cooling system does not work well enough, then due to overheating the disk may periodically cease to be detected by the system. This most often happens when using a laptop that usually has weak coolers that do not do their job properly. The solution to the problem is obvious - purchasing more powerful cooling.
Reason 7: Physical breakdown
Due to various reasons, the hard drive may fail: shock, fall, impact, etc. If the above methods did not help, then you should try connecting the HDD to another computer. If it is not detected by it, then, most likely, this cannot be corrected at the software level, and you will have to find a service center for repair.
We looked at the main reasons why a hard drive does not start. In fact, there may be more, since it all depends on the specific situation and configuration. If your problem has not been resolved, then ask questions in the comments, we will try to help you.
