XP not recognizing two SATA hard drives

[gemini31]

I installed a new Western Digital 120GB SATA hard drive on an Intel motherboard. All is well. Then I installed another WD 80GB SATA hard drive. BIOS recognizes both hard drives. All is still well, except Windows does not recognize the second hard drive. Ideas?

[caperjack]

Check to make sure its formated .

[gemini31]

Thanks cperjack. Problem is, since Windows doesn't recognize the second drive, I can't access it to perform the format.

[caperjack]

Thanks cperjack. Problem is, since Windows doesn't recognize the second drive, I can't access it to perform the format.

What I would do is get a win98 bootdisk from [ http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm then follow the instruction HERE on Fdisk and formating ,you can format it fat32 ,then if windows reconises it you can then use the xp cd to format it again in NTFS if that is the file system you want to use ,!

MeThinks

[gemini31]

Thanks again caperjack. I have a win98 bootdisk and am familar with Fdisk. How does this sound? I remove my 120GB hard drive, do a clean install on the 80GB formatting in NTFS. After formatting, reinstall the 120 and the 80 and see if Windows recognizes both drives.

[Laser]

Try the Data Lifeguard Tools from WD

My apologies fer cuttin' in Jack :)

[gemini31]

Thanks to both of you. Appreciate your suggestions.

[caperjack]

Try the Data Lifeguard Tools from WD

My apologies fer cuttin' in Jack :)

No apologies necessary ,That what it all about !Helping others ,And I lean to ,I've never used lifeguard tools

[Acidburn]

you can get software from the manufacteur of your HDD or try the smart boot software that comes with your mobo

[gemini31]

Thanks for all suggestions. I solved my problem by simply disconnecting my "primary" SATA drive from the motherboard, then started what would normally be a clean install of XP to the "slave" SATA drive. As soon as XP formatted the drive and started installing XP, I interrupted the install, reconnected my 120GB drive, rebooted and windows recognized both drives. There may be a more sophisticated way, but I got the results I wanted in a few minutes.

[alc6379]

yeah, there definitely is a better way, from within Windows.

Right click on My Computer, then click "Manage". Then, locate the "Disk Management" option on the left-hand frame. Click on that, and in the main frame of that Window, you'll see all of your drives right there. On your new drive, you'd see a box there that says "Unallocated space". Right click on that, and there will be options for initializing your new hard drive.

[suRoot]

gemini31 the problem is win xp doesn't put sata as a standard drive in my computer, click start, settings, control pannel now select admin tools, computer management, then select disk management in there it will say if it is installed and give you format options etc

[vash99]

im haven a similar issue but the problem is when i reinitialized it it picks up but wont be accessed unless i format it is there anyway to not have to format to access the info on the drive

[noematik]

I have a question somewhat similar. I have a SATA drive that might have some problems with the installed xp on it. I've put it in another computer as a second HDD, but the windows doesn't recognise it. I can see it in the BIOS, but not in the windows. I tried everything you guys suggested here, and a lot more, but I can't make it work. Is it possible at all? It would be essential for me not to loose the data on this drive...
Any suggestions...

Thanx

[jlego]

a simplier way would have been to use the ms windows disk managment utility (in admin tools), change the drive to dynamic, assign it a drive letter, and format it..

would have saved some time. longer format process though