Windows 7 can't access 2nd hard drive

[GAUTAMA]

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I was using Windows XP for years now , just recently upgraded to Windows 7, my windows 7 is installed on first HD and i have connected the 2nd HD , both are on SATA ports. My 2nd HD doesn't have any OS, only full of data. But Windows 7 can't see my second HD, previously on XP i was able to successfully access my 2nd HD. Any settings needs to make in Windows 7? Anyone using 2HD with Windows 7 without any issue? Please Help !

[shahid khan]

Isn't the drive showing in device manager? Check the hardware connections properly, make sure the power ports are connected for your second hard drive properly. Install some other OS and check if your HDD is working fine in other operating systems.

[Neel23]

I think its not formatted that's you can't access it, format your second hard drive first before you try to access it. If you can see the drive, but not access it, then try the following:

• First right click on "my computer", select manage then disk management.
• Now right click on the drive (in the lower right quadrant window) and select "import volume" (or something similar to that). This will add an existing drive to the stack.

[Melville]

Right click on Computer, select Manage, select storage, select Disk Management Snap In, make sure disks are showing in blue not black, as the may need to be allocated, and assigned. And one more thing to keep in mind that windows 7 does not display the drive with the same drive letter you have to change the drive letter so that windows 7 will display the additional drives!

[Forman]

I have the same problem like GAUTAMA ant i tried to do what said Neel23, Melville, but second hard isn't in computer-->manage--->storage--->disk management.. there's only first hard disk..

maybe this info will help: Than i'm starting windows and pressing Del for bios options there is showing both hard's ...

Any ideas?

[Stevo1]

Originally Posted by Forman

I have the same problem like GAUTAMA ant i tried to do what said Neel23, Melville, but second hard isn't in computer-->manage--->storage--->disk management.. there's only first hard disk..

maybe this info will help: Than i'm starting windows and pressing Del for bios options there is showing both hard's ...

Any ideas?

You're going about it right by first seeing if the drive(s) show up in the CMOS/BIOS but just showing up isn't enough. Make sure also that your SATA controller is setup to the proper protocal, RAID, AHCI, IDE. If you can see both drives in your BIOS you should be able to see them in the Disk Manager in Windows unless possibly you are setup for RAID on one of them and not RAID formatted which you can't do with one drive any way. Make sure that your drives not only show up but display specifications about cycls and size. It is possible to have a bad drive but the drive interface still may show the drives existance.

Windows will not assign two drives with the same drive letter so that should not be an issue.

Even if the drive is hidden from Windows you should still see it in the Disk Manager. If one drive is setup IDE, your boot drive, and your other drive was formatted AHCI you won't see it in Windows, you will see it in your BIOS and may or may not in Disk Manager, it has been a while since I've done this.

If you can see a drive in Disk Manager but are still having problems with it you may have to remove/add the SATA jumper for compatability mode if that option is supported by your drive. This only changes the mode of the drive either forcing SATA1 mode or allowing SATA2.

Also you probably will have to scroll down in Disk Manager to see your second drive.

Try to restore the system to before the updates were installed - the updates setup up a restore point before installing. Check in Disk manager to see if it sees the second partition. It may just need a drive letter assigned. Removing Homegroup wouldn't have caused the problem if the drives were inaccessible before you removed it (as you say you did). You should check the drives on a second system to may sure they are if working, the next step would be the maker of the devices. Homegroup can be setup automatically when you install the OS if you select a home network but will only work between PC's that have Windows 7 installed on them. Windows 7 will find any PC 's with any OS's on the network so long as you have Network Discovery enabled, and they will show up in the Network folder.

[masterchop]

I have a similar problem, I have 3 hard drives connected. They are all ATA drive, windows 7 recongizes the main one which as the OS on it but will not see the other 2 drives. All 3 come up in the BIOS and the device manager but you cannot access. I did look in computer management and disk 2 and 3 are coming up unallocated i believe. Does anyone have any fix for this, formatting is not an option as i have all my important files on those 2 drives.

Thanks for your help

[dhanubaba]

if Disk comes as unallocated it should display on Disk Management. If it never appears on Disk Management, it means it not detect any more., Please visit BIOS and check drivers are Enabled.
Windows XP and Windows 7 have 2 NTFS versions. If System with dual boot check with XP.

[paposeco]

Guys our problem has a very simple solution...
At least for who has both Hd's showing up.

Windows just didnt assign a letter to the second HD thats it!

Ipushed my cdroms from D to E and E to F and assigned the second hd to D.. and voila! DONE! Good luck guys!

[Rudra.J]

See if the hard disk are detected, if they are detected and appear in Disk Management, then you can assign them drive letters from there itself, If the disk shows non initialized that mean you have to right-click on the drive and then run initialize drive. The wizard will guide you. If it shows unallocated, you need to partition the drive...

[95thrifles]

I have a similar problem and dont seem to be able to resolve it
running w7 HP 64 bit, installed on SSD
just added a new SATA drive for storage
can be seen in BIOS and in the disk management but it is black not blue
I have pushed the drive letters on my DVD/blu-ray drives
when I right click on the disk (disk1) I dont get an option to initialise,
which bit should I be clicking on? The left hand small bit where it actually says disk 1, in which case I get the options to "convert to dynamic disk" and "convert to GPT disk", as well as properties and help, or the larger area to the right in which case I get the option of "new simple volume"
Any help would be much appreciated

[95thrifles]

sry cant see how to edit above post but nvm, I realised I was being thick and clicked new simple drive and hey presto all done

[Rudra.J]

If you get "Unallocated" with the space all shown in black, that means al is well, and hard disk is initialized, at this time you need to create new partitions directly by right clicking on it. You can create as many partitions according to the size of the disk and the size you select for new partitions.

[masterchop]

Here is how it looks like: Disk 1 is c: and the 2 HD i cannot access are Disk 2 and 3. Please give me instruction. Thanks

the JPEG is attached, if it is just a matter of allocating please advise on how to proceed. I can right click on the c: and the cdrom drives and allocate whatever letter i want but for the other 2 HD that option is not available.

Thanks for your help

PS PLease keep in mind that i formatting is not an option i have important info on those HD.