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aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek


#201801 4-Sep-2016 13:59
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Hi,

 

I have added a HDD to the computer (actually replaced an old one which failed). It is second hand, but there is nothing wrong with the HDD, formatting went OK, also did a check with "HD Tune" and no errors were detected, all SMART readings are OK... I think there is a setting somewhere in Windows which I need to track down to resolve this issue...

 

I can see the new HDD in Disk Management, there is no letter allocated and consequently it is not shown in Explorer, and other programs cannot find it. I can allocate a letter (D:) , all starts to behave normal, the disk is now visible to all applications. After a restart, the disk becomes again "invisible", as there is no drive letter allocated anymore, like it forgot that I allocated a drive letter already. I re-allocate the letter and everything runs normal. Until the next restart...

 

Below is a screenshot of the Disk Management - see DISK 2, that is the one with the issue.

 

It shows "active" and the others drives (which behave as they should) do not show that, so I wonder if that is the cause? I recall that during formatting there was an option to set as active and I might have selected that? Or I might be wrong...

 

anyway... the intention is to preserve the data. I can copy everything on another HDD (temporarily), then format and put the data back onto the drive. I would really, really like to avoid that process if possible (it involves removing a HDD from another computer, which has the necessary available space on it, etc).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks.

 

 

 

 





mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.


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Benoire
2765 posts

Uber Geek


  #1622407 4-Sep-2016 14:06
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Active generally means that it is bootable; it probably held an OS during the previous owners use and formatting often doesn't clear that flag. You'll need to use Diskpart (very careful as it can wipe drives) and search google to remove the active flag using diskpart.


aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #1622439 4-Sep-2016 14:33
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I have done the following:

 

 

 

 

there was a confirmation message the drive is not active, which means the diskpart did its job.

 

There still was no letter assigned.

 

I assigned a letter in Disk Management all works OK after a re-start, the letter is gone... again, see this screenshot (on top of this, the Samsung HDD is shown as Disk 1, but previously it was shown as Disk 2)

 

 

 





mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.


Benoire
2765 posts

Uber Geek


  #1622443 4-Sep-2016 14:38
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aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #1622450 4-Sep-2016 14:58
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thank you for the great advice. It was indeed hidden, I have removed that attribute with Diskpart , restarted, all working as it should. I have learned interesting stuff from this.

 

Many thanks, and have a wonderful day.





mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.


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