Wierd disappearing HDD on new build

[Tailback]

I have a HDD that I used to transfer my essential data from my old system to new. After installing all the software onto the SSD, I installed the HDD. Upon reboot the BIOS recognized a new drive, then went into Windows. (7) Windows didn't recognize the drive. After talking to a friend I went into administrator tools, disk manager, and the drive was listed as a "Foreign" drive. I imported the drive. Now, 75% of the time I restart, Windows recognizes the drive, but randomly, Windows "loses" the drive. It just disappears.

Any ideas what in the world is going on? Other than this issue, my new system totally rocks. I could always pony up the cash and buy an external usb drive to transfer this data to, then format the HDD and try that, but I'd rather not waste cash I don't need to.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Open Disk Management by clicking Start>type diskmgmt.msc in the search box> click the diskmgmt icon. Verify that the disk is listed as a Simple Volume, and not a Dynamic Volume. If it's listed as Dynamic, convert it to Basic, then assign a drive letter.

 

[Gillbot]

What motherboard? I had the same issue until I installed Intel Matrix Storage Manager.

 

[Tailback]

Bubbaleone, it is listed as a dynamic volume, how do I switch to basic?

Gillbot, the MOBO is a MSI Z87-G45 The computer other than this HDD is the current mid-range stickied system.

 

[Bubbaleone]

The disk can't contain any volumes or any data before you can change it back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, back it up or move it to another volume before you convert the disk to a basic disk. Once you change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk, you can create only partitions and logical drives on that disk.

1. Back up all volumes on the disk you want to convert from dynamic to basic.

2. In Disk Management, right-click each volume on the dynamic disk you want to convert to a basic disk, and then click Delete Volume for each volume on the disk.

3. When all volumes on the disk have been deleted, right-click the disk, and then click Convert to Basic Disk.

.

 

[Tailback]

The disk can't contain any volumes or any data before you can change it back to a basic disk. If you want to keep your data, back it up or move it to another volume before you convert the disk to a basic disk. Once you change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk, you can create only partitions and logical drives on that disk.

1. Back up all volumes on the disk you want to convert from dynamic to basic.

2. In Disk Management, right-click each volume on the dynamic disk you want to convert to a basic disk, and then click Delete Volume for each volume on the disk.

3. When all volumes on the disk have been deleted, right-click the disk, and then click Convert to Basic Disk.

.

GGGRRRRRRRR! Great, I don't know if there's enough room on my external USB backup to save the data. Guess I'll find out. Not to mention all the free game downloads already started that are probably now no good.

Thanks Bill Gates.

 

[Tailback]

So I don't know what the deal is still. The HDD is still doing the same thing. Can someone go over the BIOS settings they use for my motherboard and/or what SATA ports I should be attaching the HDD to after getting the SSD up and running.

Once again, this computer is screaming fast, but without a larger storage drive I cant' play my games.

Just so you all know, I've been on vacation for almost two weeks, so that's why the necropost.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Read your User Manual. If (as was previously outlined) you moved all the data off the disk, deleted all the volumes, and then successfully converted the drive from dynamic to basic (MBR) and assigned a drive letter, it shouldn't matter which SATA port it's connected to in order to be recognized in Windows Disk Management. Is it correctly identified in BIOS?

.

 

[Ketchup]

I would also like to add that you should have this and only this drive connected to the machine on your first boot, after everything is put into place. Once it boots correctly, and you can verify the disk is no longer dynamic, you should be ok to add other drives as needed. Also, you generally only what to have one drive with an MBR plugged into your computer at a time, unless they are different OSs.