Windows XP won't recognize 2nd HDD

[mrkun]

Okay, I'm currently using an SATA HD in Windows XP. I added a second SATA HD that I want to use for extra storage (no RAID required). My motherboard auto detects the new HD with no problem, and it appears in the boot menu. However, when I boot off the XP CD in order to format it, it doesn't show up in the list; only the original HD does.

Any suggestions on what I can do to solve this?

Edit: The first drive is a Seagate 7200.8 drive and the new one is a 7200.10 in case that makes any difference.

 

[TheStu]

Do you already have XP installed? If so, format in Windows. You will have to go to control panel -> Administrative Tools -> Hardware Management (I think, its been a while) -> then on the left side, choose Disk Management and then your new drive should be there.

 

[mrkun]

No, there's nothing on the 2nd HD; it's brand new.

 

[TheStu]

I mean on the first drive. Is XP installed on the first drive? So is it installed on the system?

If you answer no, then find a friend, have said friend download a linux live CD, friend burns LiveCD, you put LiveCD into computer, boot off of CD, within Linux you should be able to format the drive FAT32, then you should be solid.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: mrkun
Okay, I'm currently using an SATA HD in Windows XP. I added a second SATA HD that I want to use for extra storage (no RAID required). My motherboard auto detects the new HD with no problem, and it appears in the boot menu. However, when I boot off the XP CD in order to format it, it doesn't show up in the list; only the original HD does.

Any suggestions on what I can do to solve this?

Edit: The first drive is a Seagate 7200.8 drive and the new one is a 7200.10 in case that makes any difference.

Sometimes motherboards will have two different SATA controllers (sometimes a different colored port), and one may not have its driver loaded by default in a windows install - especially XP, which is half a decade old by now. You can load the drivers off a floppy.

Try switching the ports of the drives - if the .10 is recognized by XP install and the .8 isnt, then it's definitely a controller driver issue.

 

[mrkun]

Originally posted by: TheStu
I mean on the first drive. Is XP installed on the first drive? So is it installed on the system?

Yeah, XP is installed on the first drive.

 

[Whiznot]

I have seen a situation where windows would not recognize or format a drive but a windows installation disk would do so. My Advice is to remove your system drive and attempt to format your new drive with a windows installation disk. I had to do this once after wiping a disk with DBAN.

 

[DrGreen2007]

Right click My Computer, choose Manage
- go down to 'Disk Management' and see if the new drive is listed there.
is it?

Are all your drivers installed?
- check in 'Device Manager' just above 'Disk Management'
if the drive isnt showing up in disk management, then possibly you never installed drivers for the other sata ports, which would show an exclamation mark in device manager

 

[mrkun]

Okay, switching the SATA ports worked and both HDs are recognized now. However, it's reporting the 7200.10 as having only 131 GB of space while it's a 320 GB HD. My other drive is a 200 GB and it's being reported correctly. What do I need to do in order to partition the whole drive correctly?

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: mrkun
Okay, switching the SATA ports worked and both HDs are recognized now. However, it's reporting the 7200.10 as having only 131 GB of space while it's a 320 GB HD. My other drive is a 200 GB and it's being reported correctly. What do I need to do in order to partition the whole drive correctly?

You need to be booting from a XP at least Sp1 disk, sounds like yours is XP no service packs. I'm still confused why your not just doing this from within windows...

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: mrkun
Okay, switching the SATA ports worked and both HDs are recognized now. However, it's reporting the 7200.10 as having only 131 GB of space while it's a 320 GB HD. My other drive is a 200 GB and it's being reported correctly. What do I need to do in order to partition the whole drive correctly?

You need to be booting from a XP at least Sp1 disk, sounds like yours is XP no service packs. I'm still confused why your not just doing this from within windows...

Yeah...I'm just not understanding what adding a second hard drive and reinstalling have to do with each other.

 

[mrkun]

Yeah, I forgot I could format from Windows. 😱

Everything works now. Thanks a lot guys.