New install of WinXP doesn't show one Hard Drive in "My Computer"

[Thira28]

Hello again. On a new install of WinXP Pro, I have two 160 GB serial HDD in a SATA RAID 0 array. The array is partitioned into a 30 GB "C" drive fot the OS, & the rest is the "F" drive. I then added a new 200 GB ultra IDE HDD ( for backup file storage)as a master on IDE 1 ("G"drive on WinXP), and a 20 GB Maxtor IDE drive as a slave.
Here is my problem. The 20 GB was a backup on my old system and contains my backup file which I need to use. However "MY Computer" in WinXP doesn't see the 20 GB Maxtor drive with my backup files. Yet I can find the 20 GB Maxtor HDD in the Device Manager, & "this device is working properly".
Lastly the prior system from which the 20 GB Maxtor drive came from used Win 98SE as the OS.
Is the problem that Win 98 was FAT32 and WinXP is NTFS?
If so, how do I get my files from the 20 GB Maxtor HDD so I can use them.
Thank you so much for the anticipated reply.

 

[EeyoreX]

Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management and make sure the drive is found there. If so (it should be if Device Manager sees it) and ensure it has a drive letter assigned any partition(s) on the drive.

\Dan

 

[Thira28]

It says Disk 1 19.14 GB online unallocated. Is it still possible to get my data. I see no drive letter assigned.
Thanks

 

[IBdaMac]

you also want to make sure you have created a partition on the hard drive using fdisk or something before it will be detected by "my computer"

 

[Thira28]

If I create a partition will I lose the data and files on the hard drive?

 

[John]

Originally posted by: Thira28
If I create a partition will I lose the data and files on the hard drive?

Yes, do not partition or format that drive!

 

[John]

BTW XP can read Fat32 formatted drives. Make sure you have SP1 installed to see drives with a partition larger than >128GB. If it's Fat32 you can use a Win98 bootdisk to view it thru DOS.

 

[mastertech01]

See if there is an IMPORT or Initialize option in Disk Management for that drive.

 

[newcustomer]

I think you should try searching Microsoft knowledge base. They might already have listed this problem. If it doesn't work then you can use softwares that let you recover the lost partition like Partition Magic, Easy Recovery Pro, Acronis Recovery Expert etc..
Good Luck!

 

[Thira28]

Still dead in the water. I do not understand why WIndows XP says "This device is working properly " but doesn't assign a drive letter?
WHich software is the best for recovering data?

 

[nageov3t]

try getting your hands on partition magic... see what type of partition the drive is showing as. if it's formatted as something other than NTSF or FAT/FAT32, that could explain it.

 

[Thira28]

John, I do have a Win98 boot disk. I have not used DOS in quite some time. Can you help me on the command strings for DOS? What are the DOS commands to see this hard drive? Secondly what are the DOS commands to copy the data to a functioning Hard drive on the XP system.
Thanks

 

[Thira28]

Thanks all. I say Uncle! I tried partition Macic -no info on disc. But I did find the files on a DVD backup I made before the computer rebuild and have the files I need. So much for this one. I still do not know what happened to the data.
Thanks

 

[newcustomer]

I am glad you had a backup - I know how ugly it can get if you loose data. I had tried Easy Recovery Professional 6.0 and it did show me deleted files and folders (I had installed it after I had deleted them). I didn't have to deal with deleted or formatted partitions anytime. May be you can check their web site http://www.ontrack.com/easyrecoveryprofessional/