Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 I cant access a HDD through Windows. In fact, the BIOS sees it fine, but XP doesnt see it at all. One day it worked, yesterday it didnt and hasnt since. Its a 30 GB WD. As I said, the Bios sees it. Windows doesnt. Ideas? Ive tried switching it from slave to master. Tried it on different channels, tried it on a controller card, tried it with 3 different cables. The BIOS saw it with all of those and Windows doesnt. Windows doesnt see the drive at all, like it isnt even attached to the PC. This isnt a case like Ruin's where the partitions are gone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crimson 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 I take it your IDE cables are all in order and arent torn or anything like that. Your right, that is deffinately weird. You may want to contact who ever made your HDD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 I even tried brand new cables. Like I said, the BIOS sees it fine. It is detected, spins up, and POST's. IT is only Windows XP that does not see the drive, AT ALL, even physically. BUt the PC does see it OK. I tried 3 different IDE cables, both onboard IDE chnnels, and 2 different IDE expansion cards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stinger 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 You try switching the jumpers from cable select and force it to be whatever? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReconSnake 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stinger 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Nice lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 Yeah. I have tried it on CS, MA and SL. Like I said, the BIOS sees it, and it shows up as healthy in the POST test at start up. XP just doesnt see it. And it isnt like in Ruin's case where it doesnt see partitions and just sees a blank drive. Windows doesnt see the drive at all, but the PC does. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stinger 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Sounds like somehow HAL is screwing up...do u have a spare pc u could put the drive in to see if windows would detect it? What about using the bios jumpers to clear it? I know the mobo recognizes it but it couldn't hurt. If u put in a Windows Install cd go pas the F8 license agreement and see if it gives u the option to set up windows on it (but don't). This is wierd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 @Stinger Yeah, I cleared the BIOS, and it's still the same. I will try your suggestion with the XP Setup CD and get back to ya, here real quick and let ya know. Ill also see about popping it in another PC to see if it is seen. Those 2 things I havent tried yet. I figured if the BIOS was seein' it, then it wasnt a hardware issue. Ill let ya know in a bit. Very strange indeed. Here is something I have never seen before. I even ran Norton Windoctor hoping. But WinDoctor found no problems. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 Well Stinger, It isnt a bad drive. It fired right up in another PC and was there in all it's glory for all to see. It is something with XP on this machine. Im going to try a System Restore and see if that works, then Im going to get ticked and re-install XP to save some time. Sigh. And Incidentally, I dont know why I didnt do this before, but I booted to SuSE and it saw the Drive. So it's an XP issue. Dont worry. Im not going to jump up on my Linux soap box.....yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stinger 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Dont worry. Im not going to jump up on my Linux soap box.....yet. haha I think HAL on XP is borked if it doesnt recognize it. Try a system restore as u said and maybe then a repair installation though sometimes they themselves cause more problems. You may also wanna post this at a forum that is more hardware oriented...or I could for u at www.hardforum.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 A system restore brought it back. D*mn strange. But I have full access to it again, and it is showing up in all it's glory. I did a sys restore, but as far as I know, a sys restore doesnt do anything with the HAL, but I will have to research that further. Anyway, it is back, but now I want to know why and where it went. And Im not going to rest until I find out WHY ! ! ! WHY DAMN IT ! ! WHY ! ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stinger 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 (edited) Yeah...its fixed thats coo but I wanna know ###### caused it. As far as I know System Restore doesnt touch anything "deeper" than a program install yet I find it odd that could make a HDD unrecognizeable...oh wait this is Windows prolly a script Bill had added in just to torque off users every 7 months Edited August 7, 2003 by Stinger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 @Stinger Thanks for your help. I kept thinking hardware. Most of the time when a drive disappears, it is. Learn something new every day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stinger 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 There was a hdd on what is now my server and it had the same problem but BIOS didn't recognize it and resetting the BIOS didn't help either so at least I knew that was hardware and I could go to sleep that night. When i get off work I am gonna check out how "deep" System Restore can go into windows to revert a change. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ruin 17 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 I had heard the Win XP updates can cause incompatibilities in hardware... ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
warhawk 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 @Phantom You really shouldn't ignore your BF. Haven't you learned yet not to scorn Bill? You keep doing it and he keeps messing with your systems. Glad you got it fixed. Stout Hearts Warhawk Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 @ Ruin Yeah, they can cause problems with hardware sometimes, although I have never seen it happen with an HDD. And in my case, I havent made any updates lately. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firefly2442 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 lol. *nix never fails. If only everyone would switch. Then maybe XP would get itself into gear! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter 0 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 @ff Amen bro. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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