On the this moment HDD is the most popular storage device. However, from time to time there are problems with it. One of the most famous problems is that the computer does not see the hard drive. For one reason or another, it is not detected by the system, in the BIOS, or by the device. Let's figure out why the computer does not read the hard drive and try to fix the situation.
Windows operating system does not see the hard drive
Symptom: operating room Windows system(XP, 7-10) doesn't see the hard drive, it doesn't show up in explorer. At the same time, in BIOS and on other computers hard the disk is detected successfully.
Diagnosis: The system may not see the hard drive because the drive is not assigned a drive letter or the file system format is not defined.
What to do:
Right-click on Start - Disk Management (You can go here through Win + R - diskmgmt.msc - Enter). AT context menu desired disk Select "Change Drive Letter or Drive Path".
To format, select the Format command. Specify the volume label, file system format and click OK.
Comp (laptop) does not see external hard drive
Symptom: computer does not see external hard drive when connected via USB or SATA.
Diagnosis: The USB ports may be defective, or the file system of the external HDD may not be compatible with the operating system. The USB cable is not receiving power.
What to do:
Check if other devices, such as flash drives, are connected through this usb port. There is a possibility that the USB ports on the front panel of the computer are simply not connected to the motherboard. Also on laptops, one of the ports may not work due to bridge errors. motherboard.
Through the "Disk Management" panel, check if the disk is available, if it is defined as a partitioned file space. You may need to format your hard drive to FAT/NTFS for Windows to work. If the external hard drive is still not detected, assign a different drive letter in the same section of the control panel.
Not all USB cables are suitable for connecting hard disk to the computer. In some of them, there is not enough power for the external drive to work. It is best to use the cable that comes with the external hard drive. In addition, you may need sharing two USB ports for connection. Therefore, if an external hard drive is not working, carefully study the documentation that came with the problematic storage device.
BIOS does not see the hard drive
Symptom: HDD is not detected by the system (it is missing as a device), while bios does not see the hard disk. The external indicator is on. The hard drive makes a clicking noise or tries unsuccessfully to "start up" (there is a sound of heads spinning).
Diagnosis: one of the most common HDD-related errors. It is likely that the drive has failed or is not properly connected to the computer's motherboard.
What to do:
Open the system unit (after disconnecting it from the network!). Check if the power and SATA/IDE cables are securely connected to the hard drive. Better to play it safe and unplug/plug the cables again. Also check if there are any damages on these cables, if they are firmly attached to the motherboard socket (in the case of SATA/IDE). Try connecting alternative cables if available.
If the hard drive clicks and is not detected, it is probably an electronics failure or mechanical failure hard drive. Only repair or warranty replacement of the hard drive will help. If there is no visible damage to the HDD or SSD and the warranty has not expired, feel free to contact the place where the hard drive is sold to have it replaced. Unfortunately, you will lose all data on the disk.
Question answer
Decided to replace mine with a new one. I bought a board, connected everything as it should, started it, everything was fine for two days, but after a couple of days I turn on the PC - the computer does not see the hard drive. What I see: it turns out that the disk with the OS is not detected and the system prompts me to restart the system. I restart and start all over again. I went into the BIOS, there the sata port on which the disk with the OS is connected is not connected. I change ports (several times), changed sata cables, it did not help, I used a spare one, the result is zero - the BIOS does not see the hard drive. I had to put the OS on another disk.
I tried to update the sata drivers, updated the BIOS (I can’t reset it, there are no jumpers or a battery). Disk management also does not see this disk. I do not know what to do. Sata ports are working properly, cables are also working. The power to the HDD is on, it spins and without unnecessary noise and crackles, but still the hard drive is not displayed.
Answer. Find out the specification of your motherboard and hard drive. Does the board support this sata standard? There may be discrepancy between Sata different versions. As a result, the hard drive does not open.
Check if the hard drive is detected on the previous motherboard or another PC. If the issue is not resolved - change the hard drive under warranty.
My hard drive (external) cannot be opened, Windows says: “The disk structure is corrupted. Reading is impossible." I clicked on “Deep Scan Recovery”, but the problematic disk is not here, it is present on my computer and I wrote what it says. Tell me what to do if the system does not see the external hard drive.
Answer. The computer does not see the external hard drive due to read errors. You can fix them with the standard chkdsk utility (Properties - Tools - Check disk for file system errors). Go to Disk Management and check if the OS has detected Windows file system. If necessary, assign a different letter to the file volume or, in extreme cases, format the HDD.
I have a 2TB HDD, used to work with iMac. And now I connect it to a Windows laptop and this laptop does not see the hard drive. What can be done to save the information on the hard drive and make it so that the laptop can see it?
Answer. You can make a disk image using Acronis true image and then carry out recovery operations with the image. Since the hard disk that used to work in MacOS is not detected, it makes sense to check if this disk can be opened in this operating system (it is necessary to test devices with Mac OS with the ability to connect an HDD).
To read the HFS file system (standard for Mac OS) under Windows, use, for example, the HFS+ program for Windows® 11 by Paragon.
The WD10EALX hard drive was no longer detected by the BIOS after the motherboard burned out. But when connected, you can hear the engine starting to spin. It is necessary to reanimate the disk, it is desirable that it begins to be determined (it is desirable not to erase the remaining data). Why bios does not see the hard drive, how to fix it and how much will the repair cost?
Answer. mechanical breakdown hard drive is unlikely to be repaired. First, it can only be done special laboratories Secondly, repairs will cost several hundred dollars. Alas, you will not be able to recover data from the hard drive.
Not so long ago I took an extra 500GB HDD (WD Blue 500GB) from a friend. When connecting to my computer, I encountered the following problem: the hard drive is visible in the BIOS, but the BIOS defines it as 0mb. When you try to install the OS on the hard drive - the installer does not see it. If you run the OS from another hard drive, and leave this one connected, it is not visible even on the disk layout. What should I do if I do not see the hard drive in the BIOS with the correct size?
Answer. To figure out why the computer does not see the hard drive, you must first check if it is detected on a different configuration. If your friend's HDD opens and bios shows correct information, the matter is specifically in the configuration of your computer. Explore technical specifications on your computer's motherboard to see if the connection protocol used by the hard drive is supported.
If you connect a hard drive as a second storage device, conflicts are also possible. We recommend turning it off BIOS mode AHCI for SATA (see SATA MODE parameter).
The hard drive slows down, that is, Windows does not boot from it, but the BIOS sees it. When you try to throw it to another PC, as an additional one, the same situation (the computer hangs on the Windows logo) Tried with bootable flash drive in Partishn Magic formatted, but he begins to see hard only after min. 20, but I generally keep quiet about doing something with it. In fact, the hard drive does not work in normal mode. Tell me, please, what could be the reason for such a glitch, how can I check?
Answer. We would advise you to use one of the utilities for hard checks disk for possible “jambs” and reading errors: TestDisk or HDD Health (see above). It is likely that the operating system does not see the hard drive due to the presence bad sectors. Also, as mentioned above, you can connect the HDD to another computer and check the hard drive for errors using standard Windows tools or the TestDisk application.
During power up computer BIOS checks its hardware for operability. If the hard drive is physically damaged, then the BIOS does not see it. Accordingly, a notification will appear on the monitor screen stating that the hard drive was not found.
Causes of the "hard drive not found" error
If the BIOS does not see the hard drive, the problem may lie in both a hardware failure and a software one. However, among the most common it is worth highlighting:
- The hard drive is disabled in the BIOS;
- The hard drive is damaged;
- Winchester is not connected correctly;
- The hard drive jumpers are set incorrectly.
Such reasons are typical for HDD drives. However, if you have an SDD, then to some extent the above tips will also apply to hard drives of this type.
Incorrect hard drive connection
If the BIOS does not see the hard drive, the problem may lie in incorrect connection cables to the motherboard.
Opening the side cover system block and check all cables for connection.
IMPORTANT! If the SATA cable is 1 meter long, it must be replaced with a shorter one, as a longer length causes frequent OS crashes.
Setting up jumpers
If your PC has two hard drives installed and you are using the IDE interface, then the wrong jumpers may be set on the hard drive. It is they who designate which disk is the "Leader" and which is the "Slave". Therefore, we look at the back side of the hard drive and look at the connection instructions.
It is also worth paying attention to the temperature regime of the hard drive. If it overheats, you need to adjust its cooling or put an additional cooler.
Checking the BIOS settings
Every PC component turns on and off. In the event of a system shutdown, changes to BIOS settings can be entered without the knowledge of the user. Therefore, if the BIOS does not see the hard drive, it is worth double-checking the settings of the first one. To do this, press "Del + F2" during the first seconds of restarting the PC. Go to the "Main" section and look at the "Sata Configuration" parameter. Its value should be "Enabled". If the value is different, click the arrows and select the desired one.
Click "F10" and restart the PC.
Disk is damaged
If the above manipulations did not help solve the problem, you should think about testing the disk. There are many programs for this. You can download them from the link. Or, if you have access to another computer, you should disconnect your hard drive and connect it to another device. If the BIOS still does not see the hard drive, you should seek help from specialists.
If you turn on the PC and its BIOS does not see the SATA hard drive, then, despite the fact that this situation, of course, cannot be called pleasant, in some cases it can still be successfully resolved. However, the methods for solving the problem and the likelihood of success largely depend on the causes of the malfunction, which theoretically can be several.
Hard drives have long taken a leading position in the field of long-term storage of information as devices that combine high capacity, low price and acceptable reliability and speed characteristics. Although technologies in the field hard drives may not have evolved as fast as other computer components such as CPU and memory, but hard drives today are far superior to their predecessors in terms of capacity and speed. In the last decade, significant progress in the field of improving the parameters of hard drives was largely associated with the transition to new technology data exchange between the hard drive and motherboard– . At present, SATA hard drives have practically replaced IDE hard drives from everyday use, largely due to their high speed operation and the absence of restrictions specific to IDE drives. In particular, connecting SATA hard drives to a computer is much easier and faster compared to IDE drives.
However, users of SATA drives are not immune to problems either. Often there is a situation when the old operating system does not see the hard drive. But the problem that the hard drive is not recognized already at the BIOS level is especially unpleasant. In such a case, of course, this hard drive cannot be used for data storage; in addition, it is impossible to download from it personal computer.
There may be several reasons for the situation when the BIOS does not see the hard drive, but basically they can be divided into the following categories:
- Hard drive or motherboard failure
- Drive connection error
- Error when setting BIOS options
Errors when setting BIOS options and their correction
Many BIOSes have a number of options that allow you to configure the operation parameters of the SATA host controller built into the chipset of the motherboard. In some cases, incorrect setting of the values of such options can lead to the inoperability of all or some of the hard drives connected to the computer, or to the inoperability of certain types of them, for example, drives connected to IDE or SATA connectors.
In particular, the option found in some BIOSes has the PATA Only option, which disables support for SATA hard drives, leaving only IDE interface drives for use. In addition, if the controller in the BIOS is configured in such a way that it supports the traditional mode of accessing drives in IDE mode, then in this case the system can support no more than 4 drives, and all extra drives will simply not be visible.
Sometimes it happens that the BIOS does not see the second one installed in system hard SATA disk. In this case, the problem may lie both in a BIOS error and in the fact that SATA drives belong to different SATA versions, for example, the first is to SATA-2, and the second is to SATA-3. In this case, it is best to set second hard the disk is also set to SATA-2 mode using the corresponding jumper on its case.
Some options, such as Serial-ATA Controller, allow you to disable the SATA controller altogether. In this case, all drives connected to the motherboard connectors will not work.
It should also be noted that in some BIOS you can disable automatic detection hard drives. Check if you have such an option, and if so, set its value to Auto.
In addition, in some cases, especially for older motherboards and BIOS, there may be errors in the BIOS that prevent the system from correctly recognizing the hard drive. To eliminate this possibility, you need to reset the BIOS to default settings, and if the BIOS still does not see the disk, then update the BIOS version of the computer.
Errors when connecting drives to the motherboard, physical failure of drives and other components of the system unit
SATA hard drives do not require jumper settings to select the Master and Slave operating modes, which are vital for the operation of IDE drives, so they do not need to be configured in the system. In addition, SATA connectors and cables are much more convenient than IDE connectors and cables, so most users have little trouble connecting SATA hard drives. However, insufficiently tight contacts between cables and sockets can also lead to a situation where the BIOS does not see the SATA hard drive installed in the system. In the event that you make sure that the controller configuration in the BIOS is configured correctly, but the BIOS still does not see the disk, it makes sense to check the reliability of the cables connected to the motherboard, and also check the cables themselves by changing them to other cables of the same type.
If, after this verification procedure, the BIOS still does not see the hard drive, then it makes sense to check it elsewhere by taking the second system unit - it is quite possible that the problem lies in the hard drive itself - in the disk controller or mechanical drive. In the first case, the disk, most likely, can be repaired, in the second case, you will have to look for a replacement for it.
In some cases, the problem may not be with the hard drive, but with the SATA host controller on the motherboard. If so, then the motherboard will likely need to be repaired. There are also cases when the BIOS does not see hard drives due to a faulty power supply.
Conclusion
The situation when the BIOS of a personal computer does not see one or more hard drives operating using the SATA interface, fortunately, is not so common. However, a similar problem may occur, especially if the computer is using old version A BIOS that contains errors, or if two SATA drives belonging to different generations of SATA are installed in the system at the same time (in such a case, the second drive may not be detected). Also, in some cases, there may be an incorrect setting of BIOS options, incorrect or inaccurate connection of drives using data or power cables. The user is also not immune from hardware failures in the operation of the disk controller, as well as in the operation of the SATA host adapter located on the motherboard. In the latter cases, the problem can be corrected, as a rule, only by contacting the service center specialists.
The problem that the hard drive is not detected by the computer is quite common. This can happen with a new or already used, external and built-in HDD. Before you try to fix the problem, you need to figure out what caused it. Usually, users themselves can fix the difficulties associated with the hard drive - for this, it is enough to follow the instructions and act carefully.
There are several common situations due to which the hard drive refuses to perform its function. This applies not only to the disk connected to the computer for the first time - one day the main HDD may stop working, which is why the download operating system will be impossible. These reasons may be:
- First connection of a new disk;
- Problems with the cable or wires;
- Incorrect BIOS settings/failure;
- Weak power supply or cooling system;
- Physical failure of the hard drive.
In certain cases, you may also encounter the fact that the BIOS sees the hard drive, but the system does not. Accordingly, a not very experienced user may have difficulty diagnosing and fixing the problem. Next, we will analyze the manifestation and solution of each of them.
Reason 1: First drive connection
When a user connects an external or internal hard drive for the first time, the system may not see it. It will not be displayed among other local drives, but at the same time it is physically fully functional. This is easy to fix, and you need to do it like this:
Even if the utility "Disk Management" does not see the equipment, use alternative programs from third-party developers. Our other article on the link below tells how to format special applications designed for advanced HDD operation. Use Method 1, which deals with working with different software.
Reason 2: Wrong format
Sometimes the disk has no point "Change Drive Letter or Drive Path...". For example, due to a mismatch in file system. To work properly on Windows, it must be in NTFS format.
In this case, it needs to be reformatted to make it available. Such the way is fine only if the HDD contains no information, or the data on it is not important, because all data will be deleted.
Reason 3: Uninitialized HDD
A new and unused hard drive may not work immediately upon connection. The hard disk does not initialize itself, and this process must be carried out manually.
The disk will be initialized and ready to go.
Reason 4: Damaged connectors, contacts or cable
When connecting an external and internal hard drive, you need to be careful. The external HDD may not function due to a damaged USB cable. So if visible reasons, because of which it does not work, no, then you should take a similar wire with the same connectors and connect the disk to the computer. An internal hard drive can also have this problem - the cables have failed and need to be replaced for the drive to work.
It often helps to simply reconnect the SATA cable to another connector on the motherboard. Since there are usually enough of them, you will need to connect the SATA cable to another free port.
Due to inattention or lack of experience, the user may incorrectly connect the hard drive inside the system unit. Check the connection and make sure that the contacts do not come off.
Reason 5: Incorrect BIOS settings
The computer does not see system disk
It is possible that the BIOS is not set to an IDE-compatible operating mode.
BIOS does not see the hard drive
Usually, even if the BIOS does not detect the hard drive, then the fault is due to incorrect settings or their failure. Incorrect settings appear as a result of user actions, and failure can occur for various reasons, ranging from power outages to viruses in the system. This may be evidenced by the system date - if it is not accurate, then this is a direct indicator of a failure. Removing it requires full reset settings and reset to factory settings.
Legacy BIOS
Trying to connect a new drive to an overly old computer with the same BIOS occasionally fails to avoid problems. This is due to software incompatibility and outdated control files. You can try updating BIOS firmware manually and then check HDD visibility.
Attention! This method is exclusively for experienced users. You will perform the entire process at your own peril and risk, because in case of incorrect actions, you can lose your PC's performance and spend a lot of time restoring its functioning.
Reason 6: Not enough power or cooling
Listen to the sounds that are heard from the system unit. If you hear buzzing sounds of changing cycles, then the fault is most likely a weak power supply. Act according to the circumstances: replace the power supply with a more powerful one or turn off a device of secondary importance.
If the cooling system does not work well enough, then due to overheating, the disk may periodically cease to be detected by the system. Most often this happens when using a laptop that usually has weak coolers that do not do their job properly. The solution to the problem is obvious - the acquisition of more powerful cooling.
Reason 7: Physical breakdown
Due to various reasons hard the disk may fail: shake, fall, hit, etc. If the above methods did not help, then you should try connecting the HDD to another computer. If it is not determined by him, then, most likely, this cannot be fixed at the program level, and you will have to find service center for repair.
We examined the main reasons why the hard drive does not start. In fact, there may be more, since everything depends on the specific situation and configuration. If your problem has not been resolved, then ask questions in the comments, we will try to help you.
If the disk is not detected even by the BIOS, you will have problems loading the OS
The hard drive is the most important element in the structure of the computer, responsible for the performance of the software and storage of information. Without this technical element, the computer is unlikely to give you access to all the functionality that is possible in this device, so hard drive failure becomes a serious problem. But it is quite difficult to break a hard drive if you do not apply physical force to it. In most cases, bios does not see the hard drive, and it is because of the system bios that many users cannot comfortably use the capabilities of the hard drive.
So, why doesn't the BIOS see the hard drive? The system bios is a special utility that configures the motherboard. It is bios that is responsible for functions such as hardware recognition, the order in which the hardware starts up, and ensuring that all elements of the computer are operational. And if the BIOS does not see the hard drive, then there may be various reasons for this: starting from the quality of the external media itself and ending with various errors that occur when equipment fails and the user himself is inattentive.
Despite the fact that there are not many software elements in the BIOS, they often go astray, especially when an inexperienced user decides to personally figure everything out. Hard media can also give errors, but they can only be technical, and if you are sure that the external media is safe and sound, then you should turn to the bios utility itself to solve the problem. Reasons for ignoring the hard drive:
- incorrect connection of elements;
- jumper problems;
- problems with ;
- hard drive malfunction disk.
Incorrect connection of elements
First to decide bios problem, it is worth excluding physical problems associated with the connection. It is recommended to carefully review the correct location of all wires (in this case, cables), the correctness of their connection, depending on the requirements of the motherboard itself, and the integrity of the connection elements. Even small bends and cuts located in the connection sockets and on the cables themselves can cause a failure due to which the utility does not see the hard drive.
If the hard drive is properly connected and no defects are noticed, you should pay attention to other equipment in the computer. Wrong connection others technical means can cause a bios crash. Be sure to check if the cooling system (cooler) in the power supply is working: overheating of this technical element can cause a lack of energy for equipment that simply will not turn on.
After you check all the technical elements for connection and make sure they are in the correct location and integrity, you should proceed to the next stage of the check, due to which bios does not see the hard drive.
Jumper issues
Jumpers are special sockets that allow you to connect equipment using special wires and loops.
The Winchester has a sufficient number of jumpers, so they must be checked.
To do this, you do not need to be a professional: a violation of the structure of the jumper or its absence is visible to the naked eye. A broken jumper prevents the bios from sending program signal equipment.
With a broken jumper, a situation is possible when the BIOS sees a hard drive. This situation shows that the hard drive is working, but not transmitting signals, so you should carefully consider each jumper. They are located at the base of the connection to the hard drive through special wires, as well as on the basis of the motherboard, where you connect the hard drive.
If you find a distorted, scratched, or missing jumper on a brand new hard drive, then you should contact the store where you purchased the equipment in order to replace it. If you find a defective jumper on the motherboard, you need to contact a specialized service where you will be able to solve this problem. The same option is suitable if a defective jumper has formed on your outdated hard drive.
Problems with settings in the system utility
In bios, frivolous failures in the structure of its software very often occur. This happens due to the fact that the BIOS often has to process a huge flow of information, endure equipment failures. Even viruses can cause "glitches" in bios. Therefore, to make sure the bios is working properly, it is worth checking the settings. This can be done using the keyboard shortcut "Alt + F ...". The second button must correspond to the command that is specified during computer boot. It can be found on the start window of the download.
After you have entered bios, you should immediately go to the Integrated Peripherals menu and check if the functionality that allows you to see the hard drive is enabled. The functionality itself is called Advanced. In it, go to the Onboard Devices Configuracion tab. Opposite the Onboard IDE Controller line (depending on the motherboard, the name may be different, the analogue of this line is called Marvell IDE Controller) you will see the status - Disabled (disabled) or Enabled (enabled). Accordingly, if the functionality is disabled, you need to enable it. If, after the operation, bios does not see the hard drive, you can. This procedure is carried out by removing the battery from system board. It has a rounded shape and silver color, it can be recognized immediately. Turn off the computer, then remove the battery, then wait 20 minutes, then insert it back. The next time you start the computer, the settings will be transferred to the "factory" status. Therefore, each element of the utility will work fine. Do not be afraid that the settings will go wrong and the computer will no longer recognize the equipment. The drivers are remembered when resetting, so there will be no problems.
Hard drive failure
If, after long checks and manipulations, bios does not see the hard drive, you should sound the alarm: most likely, the problem is in the media itself. And the first step is to try to connect the hard drive to another computer. If the other device also does not see the equipment, then the media is broken. If the computer still sees the hard drive, then you did something wrong. It is worth trying to carry out the operation on several computers, if bios does not see the equipment on any of them and the media itself is not active when connected, it's time to contact the service.
There is another option for a hardware recognition error, which consists in an excess of viruses on the hard drive. When, after a long work, you find that bios does not see your hard drive, you should turn it off for a while, reset the system utility settings and, at the next start, format it using a special disk with the desired software(usually this can be done with standard disc with Windows).
If, after all the operations performed, the system utility does not see the hard drive, no matter how hard you try to fix it, then it is better to contact the service, where you can name the exact problem and consider its solution.