Problems with hard disk may occur in different situations: when installing Windows XP, 7, 8 or 10, connecting a second or external hard drive. Depending on the conditions for the occurrence of an error, the methods for its elimination differ significantly.
Finding a disk during installation
If during installation Windows does not see HDD, then the cause of this error is the lack of necessary drivers. Usually the failure appears on laptops and ultrabooks with SSD. The Windows installation program does not contain the necessary software, so in order to install XP, "seven", "eight" or Windows 10, you must first install the drivers.
Look at the specification of the computer. You need to find out which processor is being used - Intel, AMD. For Intel computers download the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology driver. If worth AMD processor, then look for the right software on the request "SATA / RAID driver + motherboard model".
- Download and unzip the data archive. Throw it on installation flash drive Windows. If you are installing XP from a disc, transfer the driver to a USB flash drive anyway; it must be connected together with the installation disk before turning on the computer.
- Start Windows installation 10, 8, 7, xp. When you reach the section selection stage, click on the "Download" link.
- Specify the path to the downloaded driver on the flash drive.
After adding the drivers, you will see the available partitions of the hard drive and will be able to install on Windows computer XP, 7, 8, 10.
External drive detection
If Windows 7 does not see a hard drive that is connected via USB interface as external media, the first step is to make sure that the correct drive letter is assigned.
- Open the control panel, set the "Large icons" value for the "View" parameter. Go to the "Administration" section.
- Launch the Computer Management tool.
- In the menu on the left, find the "Storage Devices" section and launch the "Disk Management" tool.
On Windows 8 and 10, the procedure is completely identical, on XP there are some differences: in particular, the "Administration" section is opened through the "Programs" menu in Start. In any case, in the Disk Management window, you should see all the drives connected to the computer: primary, external, second internal.
If the external hard is correctly identified by the system, click right click on it and select "Change letter". Assign a letter that is not yet used in the system, such as X or M. 
If the external hard drive is new, you haven’t written anything to it yet, then try formatting it so that the hard drive can be detected in the system. When formatting, all data will be deleted, so you need to be sure that there is nothing important on the media. Unformatted external drive will be labeled "Unallocated".
- Right click on the disk, click "Create Simple Volume".
- Enter the space size of the new volume. If you want the external disk to consist of one partition, then enter maximum size, that is, the entire volume of the carrier.
- Assign a letter and click Next. Format the volume to the NTFS file system. Leave the rest of the parameters unchanged.
After formatting is completed, the external drive should be correctly identified by the system and displayed in the "Computer". The indicated steps are the same on all versions of Windows, from XP to Windows 10. If changing the letter and formatting does not solve the problem, then make sure that the USB port is working without errors - look in the device manager controller drivers. Make sure the cable used to connect external drive, correct. If earlier the hard was detected without problems, but now it is not detected by the system, then check it with an antivirus.
Problems with the second disk
If Windows 7 does not see the hard drive connected to the system unit as a second drive, then you first need to make sure that this drive is detected in the Disk Management utility.
If there are no error messages, then try first simply changing the letter to a value that is not yet used in the system. In terms of errors, the disk may not be initialized, not allocated, or simply have a RAW file system. How to troubleshoot these issues.
Hi all! Today we will consider a fairly common problem that almost every second user faces. personal computers and laptops. It lies in the fact that the computer does not see the hard drive. Very often, when turning on the PC, instead of loading the operating system, the user sees a black screen with the inscription " Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key". This abusive phrase of the computer says that he does not see our hard drive. Accordingly, the operating system cannot be loaded. Therefore, in today's article, we will try to find out the reason why this trouble occurs and try to find ways to solve it.
The computer does not see the hard drive. Main reasons.
Since the hard drive is one of the important components of any computer, then, accordingly, if it fails, the user’s further work behind it stops, and in order to continue it, it will be necessary to identify the reason why the computer does not see the hard drive and try this remove the cause. Let's look at the most common problems that cause this trouble:
- Hard disk failure;
- The problem is in the loop;
- Incorrect BIOS setting;
- Lack of nutrition;
- conflicting devices;
- Malfunctions in the operating system;
As you can see, there are not so many reasons, therefore, it will not be so difficult to identify what your problem is. The main thing is to follow the tips and recommendations described in this article.
Hard drive failure
From my experience I can say the following, failure hard drives A fairly common cause of computer breakdowns. Therefore, if your computer has stopped seeing the hard drive, then the easiest thing to do is to connect it to another PC. If another computer sees the disk, then I can congratulate you, not everything is so bad.
Firstly, the information stored on your disk has not disappeared anywhere, and secondly, most likely the problem can be solved quite easily if you follow the instructions below.
If another computer refuses to see your hard drive. In this case, things are bad, there is probably a physical breakdown and repair is indispensable, or you may have to buy a new disk.
Motherboard failure.
Very often, the computer does not see the hard drive, because the Sata ports on the motherboard fail. To rule out or confirm this problem, first of all, we connect the cable to any other port and try to turn on the computer. If the hard drive is detected and the operating system starts to boot, then one of the Sata slots is probably out of order and repair will be required here. motherboard or you can leave everything as it is and continue working at the computer.
Loop damaged.
To be honest, I have not seen many cases with damaged IDE and SATA cables in my practice, but they were. Most often, the connectors themselves were damaged. All this arose due to wrong connection devices by users.
Therefore, first of all, we disconnect the cable from the hard drive and the motherboard and inspect for damage. If you see any defects, then change the cable to a new one. 
If there is no visible damage, then in order to check for serviceability the cable connecting the hard drive to motherboard computer, just take a similar known-good cable and connect our hard drive.
If there was a problem in the cord, then the disk will certainly work, and the problem will be solved by itself.
Note! If your system unit has DVD drive, then the SATA cable can be taken from it.
Incorrect BIOS setting
After we have examined the mechanical part and found that the hard drive itself is working, replaced the cable with a new one, and also made sure that the ports are working, but the computer does not see the hard drive, then most likely the problem is software. Therefore, the first step is to check BIOS settings.
If there are several HDDs installed in the system, and only one of them with operating system, then most likely after the failure, the device boot parameters have changed. To check this, when starting the computer, press the "F2" or "Delete" key and get into the BIOS settings.
Note! Very often, it is quite easy to identify a failure if you pay attention to the date and time that are displayed on home page BIOS, as a rule, they will not correspond to the actual data.
In BIOS, we are interested in the BOOT section, in it, you just need to put our hard drive in the first place. After that, save the settings by pressing the "F10" key. By the way, who does not know how to different versions correctly set the order of loading disks, read the article: "". It just tells in detail how to make the settings, only instead of a flash drive you need to choose our HDD.
After the computer restarts, the hard drive should be determined and the system will start working.
Lack of nutrition
Since a good power supply is the key, if it does not work properly, there may not be enough power for the components system block or a laptop, in particular a hard drive. Because of this, the hard drive may not work correctly: randomly disappear and appear in the system, there may be blue screens Windows death, the disc may make a whirring sound due to cycle changes. 
All this indicates a bad power HDD. To resolve this issue, install new block supply or give the old one for repair. If it is not possible to replace the power supply, then I recommend turning off all unnecessary devices: DVD drive, extra HDD and other volatile devices.
conflicting devices.
A fairly rare occurrence, but still occurring from time to time, is a conflict between two identical hard drives. To solve this problem, connect each disk in turn and wait for them to install in the system.
Operating system problems.
The last option in which the computer does not see the hard drive is a problem with the Windows operating system. If the connected drive is not automatically detected in the system, it is possible that the drive is new and not yet formatted, the drive letter is not set, the drive is not active.
To check this, we do the following:
Note! If you bought a new hard drive and connected it to your computer, then most likely the disk is not marked. To do this, first of all, in the "Disk Management" window, select desired disk, right-click on it and select "Create Partition", only after that we format and set the drive letter.
If the disc is not new, before
Many users probably had such a problem when the computer does not see the hard drive and does not want to work with it. Before we understand why this happens and try to find a solution, let's find out what it is and what it is used for.
A hard drive is a data storage device. Any information available on a computer is stored on it. In addition, the operating system and all related data are written to the hard drive.
Accordingly, if the system cannot detect this device, then all recorded data is immediately inaccessible. Below we have collected the most common and common causes of problems when the computer does not see the hard drive, and effective ways their fixes. This article will help you take important steps to solve the problem and protect you from unnecessary and thoughtless actions. The following problems also apply to external drives.
Diagnostic Measures
If the hard drive is not detected by the computer, then the first step is to find the cause of the problem. First you need to determine what the problem lies in the system or the device itself. To do this, let's try to connect the disk to any other device.
If the hard drive is recognized, then the problem is with our Windows OS, if not, then this device is faulty and needs to be repaired or replaced. In this case, further work should be entrusted to specialists.
However, if only the system part of the hard drive is faulty, then there are several ways by which you can independently restore its performance.
Outgoing contacts
Perhaps the problem that the hard drive has ceased to be detected lies in the lack of contact. To fix this, you need to open the side cover of the PC case or the back cover of the laptop, find it and reconnect it.
If this does not work, try replacing the SATA cable with a new one. It is likely that the contacts on the signal cable have oxidized or it does not sit well in the power connectors that the motherboard is equipped with.
Motherboard
If the motherboard does not see the hard drive, then the problem may be in itself. You can check this in the following way:
Incorrect BIOS settings
The next factor that deserves our attention is the BIOS settings. Incorrect it disrupts the operation of the OS as a whole.
System date
If the hard drive is no longer detected, then you need to look at the system date, the incorrectness of which indicates a settings failure. In this case, to fix the situation you need:
After restarting the computer, it should start to appear, but if it is still not visible, move on to the next method.
Load error
Also the problem may be in the prescribed manner boot devices. Perhaps in the first row of the list is a non-existent floppy disk or flash drive from which the PC is trying to boot. And in case of failure, the error "Disk boot failure" occurs, or other similar errors associated with "Hard drive", "Hard disk" or "Boot".
How to fix it:
Depending on the BIOS version, the appearance of the interface may vary. In this case, you need to look for similar options with the name "Boot Device", "Boot Option".
nutritional deficiency
If your hard drive is still detected, but periodically disappears and appears, then you should pay attention to the sounds it makes. sounds indicating a change in work cycles indicate malnutrition. That is, the hard drive does not have enough electricity to fully function.
There are three ways out of the situation:
In view of the fact that for normal functioning computer should work all devices and components, it is best to purchase a new power supply.
Device conflict
The next reason that a laptop or PC does not see the hard drive is a conflict of connected devices. As you know, two hard drives, both one and different brands can cause problems and conflicts in the system.
To solve this problem, you must separately connect and configure each. Thus, they will not conflict and will be able to work simultaneously.
Letter assignment
Let's say the hard drive is spinning, visible in the BIOS, but not detected by the operating system. That is, the OS cannot work with it. In this case, it is necessary to manual setting available in Windows.
For this you should:
The method is analyzed using the example of Windows 7 and is suitable for computers and laptops of any company, including hp, samsung, packard bell, acer and asus. Only the operating system you have installed may have slight differences.
Invalid file system format
If the laptop or computer stopped seeing the hard drive, and none of the above methods solved the problem, then it may be due to the wrong format file system. As a result, the OS and the disk "speak" in different languages. This is especially common when a PC is upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 or 8.
You can correct the situation in the following ways.
Formatting
You need to format the HDD to NTFS. But this should only be done if the data stored on the drive is not important to you, as it will be deleted. A new version In this case, Windows will set the necessary HDD parameters on its own.
After the process is completed, the disk should be displayed.
Third Party Programs
The second option is what to do if the computer does not find the hard drive - changing the file system using special programs. Among the huge number of them, utilities can be distinguished Partition Manager and Acronis. They are the most convenient to use, and you can download them absolutely free from the office. sites.
It is recommended to use them if there are important files or documents on the netbook's hard drive and you do not want to lose them. Several ways to recover partitions with Acronis, we have already analyzed in a similar one.
If removable media is not visible
Quite often it happens that an external drive is simply not visible due to a banal mismatch of the USB protocol (1.1 / 2.0) or a poorly fitting connector. Therefore, this factor also requires attention and careful verification.
As for other reasons, you can find them in this article dedicated specifically to.
Physical or logical malfunction
One of the main reasons why a hard drive is not detected by the system is its failure. It can be of two types, let's stop and analyze each in more detail.
Some users without the appropriate knowledge and experience in servicing hard drives try to disassemble and revive it on their own. What they don't know, however, is that it is assembled under the most sterile conditions possible and does not allow for fingerprints and dust, which leads to physical damage and, consequently, malfunction. This is due to the fact that there is such a small gap between the head and the disk that even a small speck of dust can scratch it and thereby disable it.
If none of the methods discussed above helped to solve this problem, then in this situation it will not be possible to do without the help of qualified specialists. It remains only to take it to service center and wait for diagnostic results.
More detailed instructions
Professional help
If you are unable to fix the problem yourself,
then most likely the problem lies in more technical level.
It can be: failure of the motherboard, power supply,
hard drive, video card, random access memory etc.
It is important to diagnose and fix the breakdown in time,
to prevent failure of other components.
Our specialist will help you with this.
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People using removable drives, sometimes they encounter situations when the computer (PC) does not see the hard disk (HDD). Discs such as Transcend, western digital, Seagate, Samsung, Ide are gaining more and more popularity and demand among people of different ages and are used for personal purposes, study and work. Their main purpose is the storage and exchange of information between people and due to the minimum size, practically commensurate with the parameters mobile phone, it can be easily stored among personal belongings taken with you, while placing thousands of gigabytes in it.
It should be said right away that cases when the computer does not see the hard drive occur quite often and turn out to be very unpleasant, especially when there is not much time. Let's try to understand the reasons and possible solutions this problem.
First of all, it is necessary to divide the disk belonging to a new or already previously used- this is essential in the methods of solution.
hard HDD disk on Windows 7, 8, 10
Under new hard drive it is understood, as it is already clear, neither its age, but the fact that it has never been recorded on it and, accordingly, has not been connected to a computer or laptop.
- Click on the label " My computer» right click and select « Control«.
- Find and click on Disk Management“, a window will open showing the disks connected to the PC.
Drive letter
A common cause of an error in displaying a connected drive is the incorrect assignment of the letter value of the drive, as a result, the computer does not display it. Necessary detect connected external hard drive HDD, detected by its name, size in MB (details are located at the bottom of the window) and distinguishable from a disk registered by the system, C, D, or another local disk, marked up during the installation of the operating system.
You can make sure that you have identified exactly the connected hard drive HDD: without closing the Disk Management window, disconnect and reconnect to the computer, respectively, it will disappear from the list and appear.
- Then right-click on it and select another sequential letter, after those available in the system.
Disk not formatted
Very often connected hard drives are not visible on the computer due to the fact that they are new and have not been previously formatted. When found in the menu " Disk Management“, to change the literal value, such a disk will not work, due to the lack of such a function. Here you need to select the value " Create a simple volume«:
We draw your attention to the fact that during the creation of the volume, formatting will occur - along with the partitioning, the disk will be completely wiped. As a result, the information stored there (if you are not sure exactly) will be completely deleted.
Lack of drivers
Another common reason that a hard drive connected to a PC is not visible is the lack of drivers for it. Although Windows system takes into account such cases and reacts by trying to select from the available ones or by showing a window with the necessary search for drivers for the connected device. But, nevertheless, failures occur and it may be that no information from the computer about this will appear.
- In this regard, you must first make sure that the USB port to which the connection was made is working. This can be done by connecting something else that is unmistakably determined by the computer (for example, a flash drive).
- Then go to " Device Manager» (menu « Start" ->» Control Panel» -> « System and safety" or the key combination " Win+Pause Break and select "Device Manager").
- Open tab " Disk devices«.
- « Other devices» and see if a device not detected by the system is displayed with a yellow icon with exclamation point. If there is such a name or an undefined device (for example, the inscription "My passport"), right-click on it and select " Update drivers«.
- Finding and updating drivers can be done in automatic mode , by using special programs in the article (determining a suitable driver by hardware ID and a link to finding it on the Internet).
- Also, you can try to select the command " Update system configuration» in the tab « Action". After that, it will search for available devices and install the corresponding drivers.
Connected HDD not visible previously used
If a disk that was previously used is not displayed, or even more so, information is already stored on it, then you must definitely make sure (if it is not known exactly) that this hard drive by connecting it to another computer or laptop. The USB port to which the connection was made must also be working, and if you want to check by connecting another device (flash drive) or check by connecting the drive to another connector.
- If you are sure that the HDD together with USB port is working, then you need to open the menu " Disk Management" (Pressing " My computer» by right-clicking and selecting « Control» and then press « Disk Management") and see the available disks and their belonging to the letter value (determining by name and size). If there is such a disk, then right-click on it and select " Change drive letter» , after this button « Change” and set the next letter after the drive letters already on the computer.
- There are cases when such disks may contain viruses and prevent their correct display in the system or be blocked by some antiviruses (budget free antiviruses, they can do this) as a result, the hard drive is not visible on the computer.
You can solve this problem by connecting again or by trying to find this disk on the menu " Disk Management” (above) and also change the literal value, some message from the antivirus may appear (about the presence of viruses or its blocking or “access denied”) and decide by checking for viruses or checking for viruses on another computer. After that, reconnect to the computer - if the viruses were really present and were removed as a result of the scan, then now this hard drive should start without problems (unless, of course, it was blocked for this reason).