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The computer does not see the second hard drive. The system does not see the hard drive: BIOS settings. The computer does not see the hard drive. Main reasons

The computer does not see the hard drive, what does this mean and how to deal with the problem.

First of all, you need to decide what a hard drive is. A hard drive (called a “hard drive” in slang) is a device for storing data.

In fact, all information on a computer is stored there (with a few exceptions).

Diagnostic measures

If the computer does not see the disk, you need to determine the “culprits”. That is, find out whether the problem lies in the device itself or in the system.

To do this you will have to connect to another computer.

If it recognizes the device, then the problem is in the system, but if not, then the hard drive itself is faulty. It is better to entrust further work on it to the masters.

Or use warranty replacement or repair.

If the problem is in the “native” hard drive system, then there are several ways to fix it on your own.

The little that you can do yourself will help you avoid spending on specialist services.

Some useful tips

  • You can enter the BIOS settings by pressing the F2 or
  • It is better to remember well the correct connection of cables to SATA outputs;
  • It is better to wrap the hard drive removed from the system unit in antistatic agent;
  • It is also better to always place the lower part of the device, which contains the boards, on an antistatic agent.

Main problems and solutions

There are a number of problems with the hard drive that you can overcome yourself.

A software conflict or outgoing contacts can be corrected without contacting specialists.

Outgoing contacts

The problem may lie in a simple lack of contact. To fix it, you will need to remove the cover of the system unit and try to reconnect the cables.

If there is no result, then you can use other parallel cables.

Incorrect BIOS settings

In the case where even the BIOS does not detect the hard drive, you need to look at the system date. If it is incorrect, it indicates a settings failure. Resetting the settings will help correct the situation.

To do this, you will need to remove the battery on the motherboard, wait 10-30 minutes and install it back.

After these simple steps, the hard drive should be recognized as a physical device.

The problem may also be in the order of boot devices. In this case, you do not need to completely reset the settings.

Just find the menu item whose name contains the word “Boot”.

It will contain a priority list of devices to boot. In this list you need to move the HDD to the first line.

Insufficient nutrition

If the device periodically disappears and appears, then you need to listen to it.

The characteristic buzzing sounds of changing operating cycles indicate a lack of power. Then you will have to purchase a more powerful power supply or turn off some less important device.

Device conflict

Two hard drives of the same brand in the system can cause conflicts. To avoid them, you need to check and configure each one in turn with a separate connection to the system.

Bus version

Versions released before Vista may not support the SATA(SATA II) interface.

The easiest way in this case is to change the operating system to a newer one.

If this is not possible, then you will still have to reinstall the OS, but with integrated drivers for SATA interfaces.

OS problem

If the BIOS detects the device, but Windows does not see the hard drive, then manual configuration using Windows will be required. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. Open “Control Panel” in the “Start” drop-down panel;

2. Double-click on the “Administration” item;

3. In the window that opens, select “Computer Management”;

4. In the list on the left, select “Disk Management”.



Every person must first understand what a computer part like a hard drive is. People often call it a hard drive, but the main definition of this part is a device capable of storing data accumulated by a person. In fact, it is on the hard drive that all the information that is on the computer is stored. The hard drive can contain an operating system, software and many system files needed for operation.

For this reason, when a device cannot detect the driver it needs, an informational error message pops up, and the person immediately tries to figure out what needs to be installed to fix the impending problem.

Carrying out diagnostic measures.

It turned out that if the hard drive was not detected by the system, then you don’t need to immediately get upset and give up, just study what the problem is. This could be a system error or a malfunction of the device itself. To quickly perform a check, you need to remove the hard drive and connect it to another computer. If it is working, then the system will quickly recognize it, and there will be no need to take it to a repair shop, provided that if the hard drive is not detected on another computer, you need to understand that you will most likely have to contact a repair shop.

Some people try to fix the problem of hard drive malfunction on their own, and only make it worse, because the workshops are staffed by experienced specialists who know a lot about this matter.

Useful tips
- To get to the BIOS settings, just press the Delete button or F2.
- You should pay close attention to which outputs you pull out the SATA cable from.
- When you have pulled your hard drive out of the system unit, it is better to properly wrap it in Antistatic.
- The part of the device located at the bottom is also placed on the Antistatic.

Ways to fix basic problems.

There are a number of problems that you can fix on your own without turning to professional help.

The first problem lies in the outgoing contacts.

This is the most common problem, because it happens that no power is supplied to the hard drive. The problem is easy to fix; you need to remove the cover of the system unit and reconnect all cables to the hard drive.

The second problem is hidden in incorrect BIOS settings.

If you have the wrong system date set in your settings, this may indicate a problem. And it turned out that these settings can be easily reset. It turned out that this simple manipulation can be performed by removing the BIOS battery, after it has been removed, you need to wait thirty minutes, and then perform the reverse action - install it in its original place. After these steps, your hard drive will have to be identified as a device.

The third problem is not enough power for the device.

If you start to notice an interesting pattern that your device is connecting and disconnecting again, then you need to think about the fact that it does not have enough power. You will need to disassemble the system unit, and then disconnect some device that is less important than the hard drive.

The fourth problem concerns conflicts among connected devices.

If you have two hard drives installed on your computer, and each of them is the same brand, then there is likely a device conflict and you will need to give up one of them.

The fifth problem is the version of the installed bus.

In this case, you will only need to change the operating system, because it is no longer suitable for your needs; in addition to reinstallation, you must not forget about integrating drivers for all SATA interfaces.

The sixth and final problem is Windows not working correctly.

Having noticed that the hard drive is displayed correctly in the BIOS settings, but the system does not see it, you need to resort to simple steps.
- Open a menu on your computer such as “Control Panel”.
- Double-click on the “Administration” item.

When the desired window opens, you need to select “Computer Management”.

On the left is an item with an interesting name “Disk Management”.

It is in the central part of this window that all connected drives to the computer will be located. If you right-click on any of them, you can call up automatic disk setup and create data in it that will later be needed. It turned out that it was necessary to change the name of the hard drive, and then reboot our device.
If you have carried out all the steps and realized that not one of them helps to resuscitate the patient, then you should understand that you simply need the help of computer specialists.

The problem where the hard drive is not detected by the computer is 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. Usually, users themselves can fix difficulties associated with the 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, making loading the operating system 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 a mismatch in the 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 there are no visible reasons why it does not work, 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



  • SATA operating mode

    • 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 fix it, you need to do a full reset 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, the hard drive may fail: shock, fall, impact, etc. If the above methods did not help, then you should try connecting the HDD to another computer. If it is not detected by it, then, most likely, this cannot be corrected at the software level, and you will have to find a service center for repair.

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

    First of all, you need to decide what a hard drive is. A hard drive (called a “hard drive” in slang) is a device for storing data. In fact, all information on a computer is stored there (with a few exceptions).

    The operating system and all the data to which it has access are recorded on the hard drive.

    Accordingly, when the system does not detect one of these devices, all files written to it become inaccessible. Below we will describe the causes of problems and ways to overcome them.

    An external hard drive may also be susceptible to the “diseases” listed below.

    Diagnostic measures

    If the computer does not see the disk, you need to determine the “culprits”. That is, find out whether the problem lies in the device itself or in the system. To do this, you will have to connect the hard drive to another computer.

    If it recognizes the device, then the problem is in the system, but if not, then the hard drive itself is faulty. It is better to entrust further work on it to the masters. Or use warranty replacement or repair.

    If the problem is in the “native” hard drive system, then there are several ways to fix it on your own. The little that you can do yourself will help you avoid spending on specialist services.

    Some useful tips

    • You can enter the BIOS settings by pressing the F2 or Del keys until the system starts loading;
    • It is better to remember well the correct connection of cables to SATA outputs;
    • It is better to wrap the hard drive removed from the system unit in antistatic agent;
    • It is also better to always place the lower part of the device, which contains the boards, on an antistatic agent.

    Main problems and solutions

    There are a number of problems with the hard drive that you can overcome yourself. A software conflict or outgoing contacts can be corrected without contacting specialists.

    Outgoing contacts

    The problem may lie in a simple lack of contact. To fix it, you will need to remove the cover of the system unit and try to reconnect the cables. If there is no result, then you can use other parallel cables.

    Incorrect BIOS settings

    In the case when even the BIOS does not detect the hard drive, you need to look at the system date. If it is incorrect, it indicates a settings failure. Resetting the settings will help correct the situation. To do this, you will need to remove the battery on the motherboard, wait 10-30 minutes and install it back.

    After these simple steps, the hard drive should be recognized as a physical device.

    The problem may also be in the order of boot devices. In this case, you will not need to completely reset the BIOS settings. Just find the menu item whose name contains the word “Boot”.

    It will contain a priority list of devices to boot. In this list you need to move the HDD to the first line.

    Insufficient nutrition

    If the device periodically disappears and appears, then you need to listen to it.

    The characteristic buzzing sounds of changing operating cycles indicate a lack of power. Then you will have to purchase a more powerful power supply or turn off some less important device.

    Device conflict

    Two hard drives of the same brand in the system can cause conflicts. To avoid them, you need to check and configure each one in turn with a separate connection to the system.

    Bus version

    Versions of Windows prior to Vista may not support the SATA(SATA II) interface.

    The easiest way in this case is to change the operating system to a newer one. If this is not possible, then you will still have to reinstall the OS, but with integrated drivers for SATA interfaces.

    OS problem

    If the BIOS detects the device, but Windows does not see the hard drive, then manual configuration using Windows will be required. To do this, proceed as follows:

    1. Open “Control Panel” in the “Start” drop-down panel;

    2. Double-click on the “Administration” item;

    3. In the window that opens, select “Computer Management”;

    4. In the list on the left, select “Disk Management”.

    All connected disk devices will be displayed in the lower central part of the computer management window. One of them will be without a volume label (letters, C:, D:, etc.). Right-clicking on the tile for this drive will open a drop-down menu containing the line “Change drive letter.”

    Clicking on this item will bring up a window in which you can assign a volume label in the A-Z range. After this, you should restart your computer.

    Note! The cause of the malfunction may also lie in an inappropriate file system. For normal operation it must be NTFS. Information about the volume's file system can be found in the corresponding tile in the Disk Management window. If a system other than NTFS is listed there, you will have to reformat the disk.

    Not a single method helped revive the “patient”? Then you cannot do without the help of specialists. The problems are much more serious and only specialists can save the hard drive.

    The computer does not see the hard drive. What to do?

    Why does the computer not see the hard drive and how to solve this problem? This video is dedicated to answering these questions.

    People who use removable storage devices sometimes encounter situations where the computer (PC) does not see the hard drive (HDD). Disks, such as Transcend, Western digital, Seagate, Samsung, Ide, are gaining increasing popularity and demand among people of different ages and are used for personal purposes, in study and work. Their main purpose is the storage and exchange of information between people, and thanks to its minimal size, almost comparable to the parameters of a mobile phone, it can be easily stored among personal belongings taken with you, accommodating thousands of gigabytes.

    It’s worth saying right away that cases when the computer does not see the hard drive occur quite often and turn out to be very unpleasant, especially when there is not much time. Let's try to understand the causes and possible solutions to this problem.

    First of all, it is necessary to separate whether the disk is new or already previously used– this is essential in solution methods.

    HDD hard drive on Windows 7, 8, 10

    By a new hard drive, we mean, as is already clear, not its age, but the fact that it has never been written to and, accordingly, has not been connected to a computer or laptop.

    • Click on the shortcut " My computer"right click and select " Control«.

    • Find and click on “ Disk management", a window will open displaying the drives connected to the PC.

    Drive letter value

    A common cause of an error displaying a connected drive is the incorrect assignment of the drive letter, as a result of which the computer does not display it. Necessary detect the connected external hard drive HDD, detected by its name, size in MB (details are located at the bottom of the window) and distinguishable from the disk registered by the system, C, D, or other local disk marked when installing the operating system.

    You can be sure that you have identified exactly the connected HDD: without closing the “Disk Management” window, unplug it and reconnect it to the computer; accordingly, it will disappear from the list and appear.

    • Then right-click on it and select another sequential letter after those available in the system.

    The disk is not formatted

    Very often, connected hard drives are not visible on the computer due to the fact that they are new and have not been previously formatted. If you find them in the menu " Disk management“, changing the letter value will not work for such a disk, due to the lack of such a function. Here you need to select the value “ Create a simple volume«:

    Please note that during volume creation, formatting will occur - along with the markup, the disk will be completely erased. As a result, the information stored there (if you are not sure exactly) will be completely deleted.

    Lack of drivers

    Another common reason that a hard drive connected to a PC is not visible is the lack of drivers for it. Despite the fact that the Windows system takes such cases into account and reacts, trying to select from the available ones or showing a window with the necessary search for drivers for the connected device. But still, failures occur and it may be that no information from the computer regarding this will appear.

    • In this regard, you first need to make sure that the USB port to which you connected is working. This can be done by connecting something else that is accurately detected by the computer (for example, a flash drive).
    • Then go to “ device Manager" (menu " Start" ->» Control Panel» -> « System and safety" or the key combination " Win+Pause Break" and select "Device Manager").

    • Open tab " Disk devices«.

    • « Other devices» and see if a device not recognized by the system is displayed with a yellow icon with an exclamation mark. If there is such a name or an undefined device (for example, the inscription “My passport”), right-click on it and select “ Update drivers«.
    • You can search and update drivers in automatic mode, using special programs in the article (determining a suitable driver by hardware ID and a link to find it on the Internet).

    • You can also try selecting the command “ Update system configuration" in the " tab Action". After that, the existing devices will be searched and the corresponding drivers will be installed.

    The connected HDD is not visible previously used

    If a disk that was previously used is not displayed, or, moreover, information is already stored on it, then you definitely need to make sure (if you don’t know for sure) that this hard drive is working by connecting it to another computer or laptop. The USB port to which the connection was made must also be in working order, and if you need to check it by connecting another device (flash drive) or check it by connecting the drive to another connector.

    • If you are sure that the HDD along with the USB port is working, then you need to open the menu “ Disk management" (Pressing " My computer» right key and selecting « Control" and then press " Disk management") and look at the available disks and their affiliation with letter value (determined by name and size). If there is such a disk, then right-click on it and select “ Change drive letter", then the button " Change" and set the next letter after the drive letters already available on the computer.

    • There are cases when such disks may contain viruses and prevent them from being displayed correctly in the system or be blocked by some antiviruses (low-cost free antiviruses can do this), as a result the hard disk is not visible on the computer.

    You can solve this problem by reconnecting or by trying to find this drive in the “ Disk Management"(above) and also change the letter value, perhaps some message from the antivirus will appear (about the presence of viruses or its blocking or “access denied”) and decide to check for viruses or check for viruses on another computer. After that, reconnect to the computer - if the viruses were really present and were removed as a result of the scan, then now this hard drive should start without problems (unless, of course, it was blocked for this reason).