Why are my hard drives not showing up? Why doesn't the computer recognize the new hard drive? Hard drive is not detected in BIOS

The problem where HDD not detected by the computer, quite common. This can happen to a new or already used, external or built-in HDD. Before you try to fix the problem, you need to figure out what caused it. Typically, users themselves can fix problems associated with hard drive- To do this, just follow the instructions and act carefully.

There are several common situations that can cause a hard drive to fail to perform its function. This applies not only to a disk connected to the computer for the first time - one day the main HDD may stop working, causing the boot operating system will be impossible. These reasons may be:

• First connection of a new drive;
• 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 encounter the fact that the BIOS sees the hard drive, but the system does not. Accordingly, a less experienced user may have difficulty diagnosing and fixing the problem. Next, we will analyze the manifestation and solution of each of them.

Reason 1: Connecting the drive for the first time

When a user connects an external or internal hard drive for the first time, the system may not see it. It will not appear among other local disks, but it is physically fully functional. This is easy to fix and should be done as follows:

Even if the utility "Disk Management" does not see the equipment, use alternative programs from third party developers. Our other article at the link below describes how to format using special applications designed for advanced work with HDDs. Use Method 1, which covers working with different software.

Reason 2: Invalid format

Sometimes the disc does not have an item "Change drive letter or drive path...". For example, due to inconsistency in file system. To work properly on Windows, it must be in NTFS format.

In this case, it must be reformatted to make it accessible. This method is only suitable if the HDD does not contain 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 when connected. The hard drive does not initialize on its own, and this process must be done manually.

The disk will be initialized and ready to use.

Reason 4: Damaged connectors, contacts or cable

When connecting external and internal hard drives, you need to be careful. The external HDD may not function due to a damaged USB cable. Therefore if visible reasons, due to which it does not work, no, then you should take a similar wire with the same connectors and connect the drive 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.

Often, simply reconnecting the SATA cable to a different connector on the motherboard often helps. Since there are usually a sufficient number of them, you will need to connect the SATA cable to another free port.

Due to inattention or insufficient experience, the user may incorrectly connect the hard drive inside the system unit. Check the connections and make sure the pins are not coming loose.

Reason 5: Incorrect BIOS settings

The computer does not see the system disk

The BIOS may not be set to an IDE-compatible operating mode.

BIOS does not recognize the hard drive

Usually, even if the BIOS does not detect the hard drive, it 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 can be indicated by the system date - if it is not accurate, then this is a direct indicator of a failure. To eliminate it you need full reset settings and return to factory settings.

Outdated BIOS

When you try to connect a new drive to a too old computer with the same BIOS, you sometimes cannot avoid problems. This is due to software incompatibility and outdated control files. You can try to update the BIOS firmware manually and then check the HDD visibility.

Attention! This method is intended exclusively for experienced users. You will perform the entire process at your own peril and risk, since if you do it incorrectly, you can lose the functionality of your PC and spend a lot of time restoring its functioning.

Reason 6: Insufficient power or cooling

Listen to the sounds coming from the system unit. If you hear the buzzing sounds of cycle changes, then the culprit is most likely a weak power supply. Act according to the circumstances: replace the power supply with a more powerful one or disconnect 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. This most often happens when using a laptop that usually has weak coolers that do not do their job properly. The solution to the problem is obvious - purchasing more powerful cooling.

Reason 7: Physical failure

Due to various reasons hard the disk may fail: shaking, falling, impact, 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, program level this can't be fixed, and you'll have to find service center for repairs.

We looked at the main reasons why a hard drive does not start. In fact, there may be more, since it all depends on specific situation and configurations. If your problem has not been resolved, then ask questions in the comments, we will try to help you.

Hard disk (HDD) is a storage device or the main storage device in most PCs. A large number of People are faced with the fact that the computer (laptop) does not see the hard drive. What to do in this case?
In computer slang it is called a hard drive, and it can be external or internal. On a device that operates on the principle of magnetic recording, not only user information is stored, but also an operating system that processes service data.
How can we still solve the problem of the “invisibility” of the hard drive? Let's step by step understand what a hard drive is and how to make it so that the PC detects it.

If problems occur in work hard disk, the computer does not display all the recorded information. The PC may not see the hard drive for many reasons. We will try to describe all the causes of malfunctions and available methods eliminating them.

All these reasons apply to both internal and external hard drives, and the “treatment” in both cases will be the same.

Diagnostic measures

In the first case, when the problem lies in the operating system, you can fix it yourself. There are several methods on how to do this yourself, without financial expenses.

• 1. While the operating system is loading, click Del/F2 several times. If everything is successful, you will see the BIOS settings.
• 2. If you disconnect the internal hard drive from your computer, wrap it in antistatic material to prevent damage due to electrostatic discharge.
• 3. Before any manipulations with the hard drive, thoroughly study how to connect it.
• 4. Antistatic agent is also useful for the bottom of the hard drive (where the boards are).

Main problems and solutions

Outgoing contacts

Incorrect BIOS settings

There is another problem, which lies in the fact that the devices are not loaded in the correct order. In BIOS, find “Boot” and make the HDD the priority device that will boot first.

Insufficient nutrition

Device conflict

• 1. Run diagnostics on both devices to identify faults.
• 2. Connect both hard drives to the operating system separately.

Bus version

The smartest thing to do is to upgrade to new version OS. If for some reason you cannot do this, you will need to reinstall the operating system and integrate drivers that are supported by SATA.

Problem with operating system settings

Step one: Go to the “Control Panel” from the “Start” menu and click on the “Administrative Tools” section.

If all these methods did not help and the computer (laptop) still does not see the hard drive (HDD), then most likely you need to bring it in for repairs. You are unlikely to be able to detect the malfunction on your own, but a computer technician can do it quickly. And there are cases when only professional help is recommended.

The materials presented below will help everyone understand what needs to be done if the HDD is not displayed in the operating system, as well as for what reasons such a system failure may occur.

Perhaps the information provided for review makes it possible to take the right actions in the process of resolving this problem, as well as prevent the commission of erroneous actions.

In order for this to be the case, it is not recommended to treat the presented materials as some kind of step by step instructions. First of all, you need to fully familiarize yourself with the information provided, and only after that begin to eliminate the error that has arisen.

Why is my hard drive not showing up in My Computer?

Among all possible reasons First of all, you need to highlight:

• Damaged cables;
• motherboard malfunction;
• problems with the HDD itself.

If the hard drive does not appear in “My Computer,” it is recommended to connect the HDD to other working cables to determine the presence or absence of a contact problem. After this, if you have another working Hard disk drive, you can connect it to check the normal operating condition of the motherboard.

If such a device is not at hand, you can try connecting the existing HDD to a computer installed by someone you know.

Naturally, information on how to repair or configure a personal computer is not provided in this article. However, if there are any extraneous noise, smoke, acrid smell, etc., it is easy to guess that the HDD is faulty and its subsequent operation is no longer possible.

It must be taken into account that in such a situation the user is dealing with problems with the electronics themselves or the mechanical parts of the hard drive.

In such a situation, you should not take rash actions:

• Supply power to the Hard disk drive once again;
• Try testing with special programs;
• Disassemble the hard drive in order to determine what exactly is inside;
• Remove and replace the board, etc.

You should stop and think carefully about your upcoming actions. It is necessary to take into account what exactly is the problem in the current situation: the need to spend money on a new or access stored data.

Problems with recognition in the system

It often happens that a Hard disk drive is detected in the BIOS, but is not displayed in any way in the operating system. Windows cannot work with such components properly. For example, by opening the device manager, you can find a simple line highlighted in the image.

However, if we look at the properties of such a Hard disk drive by pointing the cursor at it and pressing the right button of the manipulator, after selecting the required item in the menu that appears, you can see this.

The Disk Manager may show something like this.

However, the hard drive does not appear in My Computer. Accordingly, the size of its carrier is not determined. Perhaps the user suspected something strange when he discovered that the usual E: and F sections were missing when working with the operating system.

Such letters can be assigned to sections of the media that was connected after the first one. It is not difficult to guess what can happen if you try to boot from this Hard disk drive. Nothing will happen, the system will not boot, you can read some kind of inscription on the black screen that appears, notifying that hard device The disk was not detected when the computer started.

It is quite possible that such a hard drive has certain difficulties with official information or the current firmware, the quality of its protection provided by the manufacturer. The media may not perform well even after it has been detected in the BIOS.

What measures are there?

To ensure that the solution is reasonable and does not entail collateral damage, the main goal of each user is determined. In most situations, the choice is between recovery of saved data and repair.

Data recovery refers to a sequence of actions aimed at gaining access to data from damaged media and subsequent saving on the working HDD. In such a situation, subsequent optimization functional characteristics problem carrier is possible, but it cannot be called mandatory.

Craftsmen providing services HDD repair, you often have to participate in discussions with clients about their preferred options for solving a problem. At the same time, not everyone expresses a desire to get a clean hard drive without the data previously stored on it.

Often the system does not recognize a new hard drive because the necessary partitions are simply not created and formatted. For this purpose, there are special programs that can be used in the operating system itself and run before loading the OS.

Conclusion

Personal computer users have probably repeatedly thought about purchasing a new hard drive. If the information presented in this article arouses specific interest, then such a dream was destined to come true.

However, it is not always possible to see a new hard drive immediately after connecting to personal computer. To do this, standard procedures are followed, which involve creating HDD partitions and their subsequent formatting.

During the operation of the PC, situations arise when the hard drive does not appear in “My Computer”. A problem with HDD recognition may arise if the computer is old and does not fit the new hard drive model.

In such situations, one can only hope for what the developers have created for specific model motherboard BIOS. When updating the BIOS, the likelihood of recognition of the hard drive and subsequent normal operation increases.

The situation when Hard drive not showing up in Windows, occurs quite often. The fact is that sooner or later a computer device needs to replace components, and the most popular “candidate” for replacement is the hard drive. It may happen that after replacing the hard drive, the computer does not display it. In order for the system to recognize the disk, you must use one of the following methods.

The computer does not see the hard drive: disk check

If computer doesn't see hard drive, first try to solve this issue with standard Windows tools. Do the following:

1) Right-click on the “Computer” icon (or on the name of the same name in the “Start” menu).

2) In the window that appears, select the “Management” section, then “Disk Management”.

3) Wait a few seconds for the information to load, then right-click on the drive that is not displayed in the system and select “Change drive letter...”.

4) Click on “Change”, set the hard drive letter and save the changes by clicking on “OK”.

If you do not like the selected letter, you can repeat the above manipulations and change the letter to the original one. Very often, this procedure is enough for the operating system to recognize the hard drive.

Checking the system unit

If the PC still does not see the drive, check if all the wires are connected to that drive. To do this, turn off the computer, remove the system cover and carefully examine the wires connected to the hard drive one by one. To be sure, try unplugging them and plugging them back in. Now turn on your computer.

Driver problems

It is possible that the problem is related to the drivers. To troubleshoot, go to your motherboard manufacturer's website and download the most current ones for your motherboard model. latest versions drivers. In the appropriate section of the site, select the board model, after which the system will select the optimal driver for it.

if you have installation disk with the appropriate drivers from your computer (it comes with your PC), then you don’t need to download anything: just insert the disc into the drive and install the drivers.

"Operating System not found" message

This strange situation also happens when the computer does not see the device, where the operating system itself is recorded. If this happens, the computer does not boot, but an error message appears on a black screen: “Operating System not found" (that is, "Operating system not found").

To solve this problem, first check whether the drive contains USB ports, floppy any media. If they are not there, make sure that the hard drive is connected correctly and that Windows is recorded on it. Next, do this:

1) Enter the BIOS by pressing the "DEL" key when turning on the computer and loading the operating system (different models of laptops and computers have their own hot combinations, which can be found on the Internet or in the instructions for the computer).

2) Find a menu that has the word “Boot” in its name.

3) Go to this item and in the line “1st Boot Device» Select the hard drive if the CD drive is checked there.

You can also press F12 when booting your PC and select either CD ROM or DVD ROM from the menu that appears. Then you won't need to make any changes to the BIOS.

BIOS Settings

If still Windows doesn't show hard drive, try another way - reset the BIOS settings to default. To do this, go to the BIOS and select LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS or LOAD FAIL-SAFE DEFAULTS. Then press F10 to save the setting and confirm saving by selecting YES and pressing ENTER. If the settings cannot be restored, use the battery on the motherboard for this purpose: turn off the computer, remove the system cover, remove the battery and after about five minutes put it back in place. Turn on your computer. By the way, check at the same time whether the battery is dead.

If after this the problem is not solved, look for a parameter in the BIOS called Marvell IDE Controller. You will find it in the section whose name contains the words “SATA”, “IDE”, “Device Type”. Set the value to Enabled if otherwise specified.

Disk formatting

If still Windows doesn't see the hard drive, start formatting it. However, there is one peculiarity: you need to format it not from the operating system (it doesn’t see the disk), but through special programs loaded from the BIOS.

The most popular such program is Acronis Disk Director. To boot from BIOS, download the product marked BOOT. Then burn the image to a CD (DVD), go to the program and find the disk that is not detected. If the hard drive is detected, format it by first copying the data on the disk to another medium.

By the way, this program can save you not only in a situation when The system does not show the hard drive, but also when a virus gets into the system and prevents you from entering it. If the OS is infected, go into it through the Acronis utility, download the necessary data and install a new operating system.

Service center

If all of the above did not help you, then you have only one solution left - take the disk to a service center. But before that, it’s advisable to make sure it’s working. To do this, remove the disk and try to run it on any other computer. Then you can decide whether to buy another disk or pay to repair the existing one. Good luck with your iron!

Follow these steps in order. If the first does not help, move on to the second and so on.

What to do if a Windows computer does not see the hard drive

Disk does not show up in BIOS

1. If you have just connected the hard drive, check if you did it correctly. Find the official instructions for your motherboard and hard drive and follow all manufacturers' recommendations.

2. If you are trying to install Windows XP or more old version and the system reports the absence hard drive, make sure that the hard drive mode compatible with this OS is enabled in the BIOS - IDE. To do this, find the SATA operation setting in the BIOS (SATA Mode, SATA Configuration or a similar name). Set the value to IDE, save changes and restart your computer.

3. If possible, check the functionality of the hard drive by connecting it to another PC. If it works, look for faults in the motherboard or other components of your computer. If not, you can take the hard drive to a service center.

Disk doesn't show up in Windows

1. Make sure the hard drive is turned on BIOS settings. To do this, restart the computer and, as soon as the machine starts to turn on, press the F2 or DEL key (the desired key is usually displayed on the screen) until you get to the BIOS.

Then find the disk management section (Storage Configuration, Drive or a similar name) and make sure that the desired hard drive is activated. Opposite it should be the words Active, On or something similar. Save the changes and restart your PC.

2. Check whether Windows has properly prepared the disk for use. First open the window command line (Windows keys+ R), then enter in it diskmgmt.msc and press Enter. Carefully read all system warnings so as not to accidentally format the drive or change the data recorded on it.

If you see a disk without a volume label in the Disk Management menu, this may be the cause of the conflict. Then right-click on the drive and assign a letter to it using the appropriate option in the context menu. Then restart your computer.

If you see in the same menu new disk with the caption “Not initialized”, right-click on it, select “Initialize disk” and follow the Windows prompts. After initialization, click on the disk again to call context menu, select “Create a simple volume” and follow the system instructions. When finished, restart your PC.

3. Download latest drivers for the hard drive from the manufacturer's website and install them.

4. Check your computer for malware using an antivirus.

5. Try it after saving all important data.

If none of the above helps, contact a service center for assistance.

What to do if Mac does not see the hard drive

Mac won't boot

If you have a modern Mac, it will most likely have one drive. And it is obvious that if there are problems with it, the computer simply will not boot. In this case, you need to carry out diagnostics with using Apple Hardware Test using the network mode.

Connect your Mac to a power source and disconnect all external devices except the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and Ethernet cable. Turn off your Mac by holding the power button for a few seconds.

Turn on your Mac while holding Option keys+ D. After running Apple Hardware Test, diagnose the components by following the wizard's prompts.

If disk errors are detected during testing, you will have to contact service. It will be possible to carry out repairs yourself only on older models with HDD by replacing the disk.

Drive doesn't show up in Finder

1. If your Mac has several disks and the problem is not with the boot disk, but with the auxiliary disk, then the computer will boot, but the disk will not be accessible. In this case, you need to check whether it is displayed in " Disk Utility».

To do this, open the application from the Applications → Utilities folder or through Spotlight and check if the disk is visible. If so, you can try formatting it (keep in mind that this will delete all data).

2. If the drive is not listed in Disk Utility, you should check whether it appears in System Information.

Open the utility through the Apple menu → System Information and then click the System Report button. Go to the "Storage" tab or SATA interfaces / SATA Express. Check if the required drive is available there.

If the disk is not displayed, you can conduct diagnostics using Apple Hardware Test as described above, and if errors are detected with the disk, contact the service for repair.