Question Inconsistent harddrive detection

Sebastian42

Member
Dec 2, 2016
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I have two Win10 (v1809) PCs of >3Ghz speed that both work well, but there are 3.5" spinning HDDs that show in 'THIS PC' of the 64bit PC, but not even in Disk Managment of the 32bit PC. Looking for an explanation and a remedy.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
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Are you questioning, why the 32-bit machine's HDDs don't show up in Disk Management on the 64-bit machine? They're not supposed to, that's not a networked / cluster FS tool, AFAIK. Just local DAS storage.

If you mean, that you have similar/identical HDDs, attached to both a 64-bit as well as a 32-bit Windows 10 PC, and on the 64-bit PC, the drives show in Device Manager and Disk Management, and they don't show up on the 32-bit machine, then yes, there is something wrong with either the drives or the system (check SATA cables, maybe replace them?), on the 32-bit PC.

All devices should show up in Device Manager, as long as they are detected by the system / BIOS / etc.

If it shows up in Device Manager, but not Disk Management, then maybe check your SATA / AHCI controller drivers.

You might have to use DiskPart.exe to CLEAN the drive, if it was in another system previously, especially if it was part of a RAID array on a prior system. The RAID meta-data may prevent it from showing up as a pass-through (single, standalone) drive on the new system. A DiskPart CLEAN operation on the drive should remove the meta-data, and allow partitioning and formatting a volume on the new/current PC.
 
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Sebastian42

Member
Dec 2, 2016
48
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"Are you questioning, why the 32-bit machine's HDDs don't show up in Disk Management on the 64-bit machine?"
No, I am not. I am stating that drives which show in the 64bit PC, and used to show in the 32bit PC, no longer show in the 32bit PC.

"similar/identical HDDs, attached to both a 64-bit as well as a 32-bit Windows 10 PC"
The very same drives that show in 64bit, no longer show in 32bit.

I have not looked for drives in Device Manager, only in THIS PC and Disk Management.

I said both PCs perform well - meaning that the same leads in the 32bit PC that do NOT see the HDDs I am complaining about, DO allow other HDDs to be detected.

As for detection by BIOS in the 32bit PC - I have not tried. The SATA ports are set for AHCI, so I expect to be able to connect HDDs AFTER booting - and have them show in AT LEAST Disk Management.

Since you mentioned Device Manager so often, I thought I would try and look there.
To my surprise, a HDD that did NOT show in 32bit before I posted yesterday, IMMEDIATELY showed this morning. I also looked in Device Manager [for the first time for HDDs] and found it listed.

So for THAT HDD, the problem has changed to 'why does it not ALAWAYS show ?'/'why is it sometimes invisible ?' The same reversed behaviour for the other four HDDs !

Good news, but puzzling.
I know that at least one of those HDDs had been in regular use in the 32bit PC, and then suddenly became invisible.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
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So, you are Hot-swapping drives? "connect HDDs AFTER booting"?

Therein lies some peril. Make sure that after you swap a drive IN, that you open Device Manager, and "Scan for New Hardware". Otherwise, the drive may not be detected immediately.

On Intel boards, you need to set the individual ports as "Hot Swap: ENABLE" in BIOS.

To properly manage drives, you may need the program "Hotswap! for Windows", written by a Japanese programmer. It should be found on the interwebs.
 

Sebastian42

Member
Dec 2, 2016
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Yes, I'm hot swapping. Your advice about Device Manager is something I can try. Normally, HDDs simply appear in Disk Management. 'Hot swap for windows' is also an option I could try. Neither of those address the inconsistent (over time) detection behaviour of the 32bit PC.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
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Yes, I'm hot swapping. Your advice about Device Manager is something I can try. Normally, HDDs simply appear in Disk Management. 'Hot swap for windows' is also an option I could try. Neither of those address the inconsistent (over time) detection behaviour of the 32bit PC.
Well, there are documented ways to deal with Hot-Swap SATA devices in Windows NT-based OSes. The "inconsistency" that you see, is likely down to you not following those procedures.

As you've noted, then, the results can be a bit hit-or-miss.
 

mxnerd

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2007
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My ECS motherboard Z97-PK supports AHCI, but does not support hot swap. :mad:

A SATA HDD attached to the PC while machine s running will not be detected!

It's not implemented by vendor. :eek:
 

Sebastian42

Member
Dec 2, 2016
48
1
71
Yes, I'm hot swapping. Your advice about Device Manager is something I can try. Normally, HDDs simply appear in Disk Management. 'Hot swap for windows' is also an option I could try. Neither of those address the inconsistent (over time) detection behaviour of the 32bit PC.

I have looked at 'Hotswap' (v6.3) - the spiel about it only mentions removal of devices. Removal is the least of my worries. My concern is that there are times when HDDs which CAN be seen by my PC, are in fact NOT listed as detected.
 

tarmc

Senior member
Mar 12, 2013
322
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This is going to sound retarded. But get the sound driver from gigabyte and install that. Had a similar prob with a x58a-ud3r. Hard drive would randomly disapear. Switching sound driver fixed it