Hard Drive Not Showing Up or Recognized in Windows 10/8.1/8/7? Solution is Here!
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25 February 2019 Specialist of Customer Service Dept.
Summary
New purchased SSD or hard disk is not showing up in computer? Disk suddenly fails to be recognized or boot PC? How to save important files inside? Similar problems happen frequently! Solutions for different situations will be provided here!
Being one in Customer Service Department, I often receive emails from customers to ask for help of the hard disk problem in desktop and laptop they have met. These problems are mainly about: traditional hard drive is not showing up or produces noise when working, how to deal with the hard disk which computer ask to format and the damage/corruption of file or folder.
Besides, with the SSD being more affordable, more and more customer send emails to us to solve the problems of SSD. These problems could be divided into: new SSD is not showing up or recognized after connected to PC, recognition failure due to SSD driver and the poorer performance of SSD.
And lacking of professional computer knowledge makes users feel hard to solve hard disk detection failure and system boot failure. Some may even think it is impossible to take off the disk from PC and fix on another one. Some computer users need to build up workstation with multiple hard disks. However, insufficient power supply makes computer fail to detect most or parts of disks.
Moreover, power outage will also lead to soft bad sector in some computer. As a result, your computer will be failed to load into Windows or access files inside.
Screenshots of the problems our users have met:
Corrupted files or folders lead to disk error.
Disk is not recognized because of virus or incorrect operation.
Did not initialize the new hard disk or SSD.
Corrupted disk partition table leads to system failure.
Here is the catalog of these common problem. Solutions will be provided once you choose the problem you have met.
Catalog
Problem 3: System disk can not be detected
Method 1: Take off the hard disk , connect and fixed on another computer
Problem 4: PC fails to recognize the new purchased SSD because of SSD driver
Windows 7 can not recognize M.2/PCIE SSD
Windows 8.1/8/7 can not recognize SATA SSD while installing system but BIOS can
Windows XP does not support AHCI of SSD, which leads to detection failure or poor performance
Problem 1: Computer can not detect the new purchased hard disk
Then most problem that users have mentioned is that their new purchased HDD and SSD can not be recognized after connected to PC. In fact, it is the manufacture of these SSD did not initialize or partition the SSD before selling that leads to the detection failure.
Users need to initialize the new disk by themselves. And it is easy to solve this problem with free Windows built-in disk manager to initialize the disk.
How to initialize the disk?
Please follow the steps below. Steps are the same in Windows 2K/XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10.
Step 1: Press “Win” and “R” and then please enter “diskmgmt.msc” in the pop up window.
Step 2: Please find a disk which shows “Not initialized” in the pop up window.
If you can not find such disk, please try other solutions like how to solve the incorrect installation of disk driver.
Step 3: Right click the disk which has not been initialized and then select “Initialize the disk”.
Step 4: Click “OK” in the pop up window. Then the disk status will be changed to “Online”.
Do not know the difference between MBR and GPT? Click here to get detailed information.
Step 5: Right-click the disk in blank space and select “New Partition”.
Step 6: Follow the guidance and you can create a new partition in the new disk.
Problem 2: Computer ask to format the built-in HDD or SSD
This problem could be caused by the incorrect operation of system software or virus attacks. These behaviors could damage the files in hard disk. Here we can use built-in Chkdsk and data recovery software to solve this problem.
Solution 1: Fix partition error with Chkdsk
Solution 2: Recover data from damaged partition/disk with data recovery software
Problem 3: System disk can not be detected
This problem could be caused by the damage of boot information in system disk. It is a little hard for a beginner to solve this problem. And I will try to help you solve it in a simple way.
Once we meet such situation, we can not boot our system and fix tools are useless. Then you can take off the hard disk to another computer and then connect it to another PC which can work. And repair the corrupted disk with fix tools.
If you do not want to take off the disk, you can also fix the corrupted disk with Renee Passnow (Only full version is enable with this function). You just need to boot the computer from CD/USB, then you can recover your data without Windows system.
Method 1: Take off the hard disk , connect and fix with another PC
Preparation
1. Get to know how to take off the hard disk from computer.
2. Be clear about the differences between IDE and SATA interface.
IDE SSD - IDE port is designed for some old hard drives which has been eliminated in the market. The IDE interface has lots of pin.
SATA SSD – SATA is one of the most popular disk interface in the market now. Its interface cable is asymmetrical.
3. A disk enclosure.
First you need to find out the interface of your hard disk is IDE or SATA. Because enclosure will support only one type of interface. So please confirm the type of the interface and then choose the related disk enclosure.
Here we recommend you to try 3.5 inch disk enclosure which supports disk in 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch. Besides, it has external power supply which can guarantee the connection of the disk.
Step 1: Take off the disk from the original computer.
Step 2: After taking off the disk, please connect the disk to another workable computer with disk enclosure.
And then you can rescue the data inside the disk on another computer.
Method 2: Fix it with the original computer
If you do not want to take off the disk, you can also fix it with the original computer. But you need to create a boot CD or USB to boot the computer without system. Most popular tools which can help users to create such disk are: Renee Passnow, Gparted, Ulimate Boot CD.
Data recovery software – test disk in Ultimate Boot CD is very helpful. However, it is not so user friendly because the interface are full of characters.
Here, we recommend you to create the bootable media with Renee Passnow. It has an easy-to-go interface, supports multiple language and provides different data recovery and transfer functions.
How to Fix the Disk in the Original Computer with Renee Passnow?
Step 1: Create bootable disk with Renee Passnow in a workable computer.
Version of the Windows System on this computer does not matter. You can create the bootable disk with CD/DVD/USB.
After create finished, please connect the bootable disk to the target computer.
Step 2: Get the computer boot from the bootable media.
You need to press hotkey to access to BIOS. And then choose the bootable disk to be the first in boot orders in BIOS.
Detailed settings could refer to the manual of your computer. You can also find out how to change the boot order here.
Step 3: After booting, please select “Undeleter” or “Data Transfer” function in Renee Passnow.
Entirely free Renee Data Transfer
This function can help you transfer important data from the system disk to another partition or disk when system fails. After transfer, you can reinstall Windows or restore the computer with built in backup restore function.
Data recovery function – Undeleter
It can help you recover or find out the important files which are still fine or partly damaged from the disk which fails to boot computer.
It has a built-in system which can be run independently. No need to enter Windows.
Built-in free data transfer function and data recovery fucntion helps save your important files when your disk fails.
Support to reset password for local account (including administrator) in Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista/2008/2003.
Whole password reset process just take 3 minutes and will not damage data inside the account. 100% safe!
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152419 people has downloaded Renee Passnow!
Problem 4: PC fails to recognize the new SSD because of the driver
Computer can not recognize the new purchased SSD which means this SSD is not showing in Computer or Disk manager. This could be caused by the lack of the related SSD driver in Windows. This often happens in Windows 7 and XP.
SSD with SATA interface
SSD with M.2 interface
SSD with PCIE interface
To solve this problem, you need to get to know more about the differences between SSD interfaces at first. The main interfaces are SATA 3.0, M.2, mSATA and PCIE. Parts of interface are advanced and previous Windows does not have related driver, which leads to the recognition failure.
Here are some common recognition failures I have collected:
Situation 1: Windows 7 fails to recognize SSD with M.2/PCIE interface
Lacking of NVME transport protocol drive, Windows 7 can not recognize the SSD with M.2/PCIE interface. Such as SSD of INTEL M.2 /PCIE/ 600P SERIS.
Solutions without upgrading to Windows 10: Download and install patch of KB2990941 and KB3087873 and restart your computer after install.
Click here to get detailed information: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2990941/update-to-add-native-driver-support-in-nvm-express-in-windows-7-and-wi
Download links of this two patch:
(Notice: You maybe required to fill in an available email address to receive the valid download link.)
https://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/kbhotfix.aspx?kbnum=2990941&kbln=en-US
https://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/kbhotfix.aspx?kbnum=3087873&kbln=en-US
Situation 2: Windows 8.1/8/7 fails to recognize SATA SSD but BIOS can
Q
Problem:
When installing Windows 8.1/8/7 to SATA SSD, Windows installation will be failed to recognize the SSD after changing to AHCI. However, SATA SSD will be recognized normally once changing back to IDE mode.
When installing Windows 8.1/8/7 to SATA SSD, Windows installation will be failed to recognize the SSD after changing to AHCI. However, SATA SSD will be recognized normally once changing back to IDE mode.
A
Problem analysis:
It is essential to enable AHCI if you want to get the best performance of SSD. But if we set IDE mode in BIOS for SSD disk and install Windows, then Windows will not enable AHCI and makes the SSD have a poor performance.
It is essential to enable AHCI if you want to get the best performance of SSD. But if we set IDE mode in BIOS for SSD disk and install Windows, then Windows will not enable AHCI and makes the SSD have a poor performance.
How to solve this problem:
Step 1: Set the SATA Type to be IDE in BIOS.
Step 2: Install Windows to SSD under IDE mode.
Step 3: After installation, please press “Win” and “R” button and enter “regedit” in the pop up window.
Step 4. Delete “StartOverride” in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\storahci of registry.
Step 5: Restart Windows and get into BIOS, change SATA Type to be AHCI and restart Windows.
Situation 3: Windows XP does not support AHCI drive of SSD, which leads to recognition failure or poor performance
If you want to use SSD for your PC, you’d better to upgrade to Windows 7 or even Windows 10. Otherwise, the performance and the life of SSD will get much poorer.
For example, Windows XP does not support Trim command which will shorten the durability of the SSD. However, this has been improved in Windows 7. And Windows 8 has greatly improve the support of SSD, which makes a faster start speed.
Simply, trim is an ATA command set. It allows an operating system to inform a solid-state drive (SSD) which blocks of data are no longer considered in use and can be wiped internally. Then data in these blocks will be deleted by GC (Garbage Collection).
GC is the name for the process of relocating existing data to new locations and allowing the surrounding invalid data to be erased in SSD. GC will first copy and write all the valid data from one block into the empty pages of a new block. Then erase the original block, making it ready for new valid data to be written.
GC is the name for the process of relocating existing data to new locations and allowing the surrounding invalid data to be erased in SSD. GC will first copy and write all the valid data from one block into the empty pages of a new block. Then erase the original block, making it ready for new valid data to be written.
So, GC is a key part for SSD. Its efficiency plays an important role in SSD performance. The number of valid page in SSD is crucial for GC efficiency. Because the less valid pages, the number of pages that GC needs to copy will be smaller and will get faster to make it done.
Problem 5: Built-in SSD can not be recognized or is not showing up suddenly
Sometimes, parts of our users asked that today their computer failed to recognized the SSD while it worked well yesterday. Even connecting the SSD to another computer still got the same result. Some users even met the situation that the SSD only has 8MB and the other space can not be recognized or shown.
This situation could be caused by the power outage. SSD is out of power before it could save the FTL partition table.
FTL is a list to Map logical addresses with physical addresses and saved in the disk. If some thing wrong with FTL, computer can only recognize part of space of the SSD even failed to recognize the SSD.
Solution 1: Power the SSD only to trigger the self-recovery function of the controller
Notice: This method only works for SATA SSD of Micron and some SSD of other brands.
Step 1: Keep the connection of power supply of SSD and disconnect the data cable from SSD.
Then please start the computer and keep running for 30 minutes and self-recovery function of the SSD controller will be triggered.
Step 2: Wait for further 30 minutes and shutdown the computer.
Step 3: Connect the data cable to SSD and start the computer as usual.
Solution 2: Update the firmware to fix the recognition problem
This solution aims at solving the recognized space to be 8M which could be met after abnormal power outage. And we can find all data inside back with updating firmware.
I have listed the method of how to update firmware for some common SSD brand:
For Inter SSD:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000021095/memory-and-storage.html
For Inter SSD:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000021095/memory-and-storage.html
For Kingston SSD:
https://www.kingston.com/us/support/technical/downloads/90181
For Micron SSD:
http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/support-ssd-firmware
If your SSD can not be fix after using Method 1 and 2, please connect with the manufacture of the SSD immediately and return for repair.
Here, I recommend you not to save important data or files in the SSD. Although SSD claims to use till the end of your PC, you will feel helpless once it gets damaged. Because you can know the damage process of HDD like it will pronounce noise or get slowly when running. Also, Windows can detect and notify you “Detect a disk problem” with SMART tech. Then you can start to backup your data. However, the damage of SSD will not have any sign before you can backup for your data inside.
I think we should not make SSD to be the main disk to storage data. It should be the system disk to improve the computer performance. Even it gets damage, it will not make any influence to our important data.
Problem 6: Insufficient power supply leads to disk detection failure
Some computer users like to build workstation. And parts of them may have met hard disk with large size can not be recognized. This is not the problem of the disk itself. It is because there are too many hardware in the PC which leads to the insufficient power supply of the PC. And finally parts of power guzzling hard disk can not work normally.
| Power consumption of essential hardware in PC | |
|---|---|
| CPU | 65W – 200W |
| Motherboard | 25W－35W |
| Memory | 10W – 20W |
| DVD/CD Rom | 20W |
| Network adapters | 7W – 10W |
| Keyboard + Mouse | 3W |
| Fan (3 fans) | 6W |
| Display adapter | 65W – 200W |
| Hard disk with smaller space | 6W |
| Hard disk with largeR space (Over 2TB, 10000RPM) | 20W |
Here we take average value of each hardware and all power consumption except hard disk will reach 380W. If we build a workstation with 5 disks upto 2TB, 10000 RPM each, then the power consumption will need extra 100W and the total consumption will reach to 480W.
However, the rated power of a PC is 450W and this can not fulfill the requirement of 480W. It will make parts of hard disk can not work normally at first and fails to be recognized finally. Once computer meets insufficient power supply, CPU and Display adapter will slower the work efficiency to get compatible while HDD can not work in that way.
Under this circumstance, we have to disconnect some hard disks from computer or purchase another power connector which can supply more power.
Problem 7: Fix mechanical HDD which is nearly dead
If your disk still can not be recognized or is not showing up in your computer or another workable one after trying the methods above, your disk could met mechanical problem. Here I will introduce some methods which may work. If you can get access to your hard disk with these method, you’d better to backup the important data inside as soon as possible.
Solution 1: Place the hard disk in different position.
Some disk problem could be caused by the actuator arm. We can make it work normally with gravity. Although this method may not make any changes most of time, it is convenience to try.
Solution 2: Heating
Please prepare a tower in dark color and a heater (or infra-red heater).
Please envelop the hard disk with the tower and place it in front of the heater for about 3 hours. And then please connect to computer without cooling down. Check whether the disk can be detected.
Solution 3: Cool down the hard disk
Notice: If you just try heating, please wait another 12 hours before trying this method.
Preparation: a sealable bag and some desiccant.
Step 1: Please place the hard disk and the desiccant into the sealable bag and place them into refrigerator after sealing for over 6 hours.
Step 2: Please unpack the hard disk from the sealable bag after 6 hours and place it in a natural environment for another 12 hours to dry the disk.
Step 3: Reconnect the disk to computer. Check whether it can be recognized.
Last, if all the methods above can not help you solve the detection failure, your hard disk could be damaged. At this moment, please connect your hard disk manufacture to repair the disk as soon as possible.
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