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XP Not Seeing 2nd HD

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9 replies

by rcjolley

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I recently installed a new master HD & reinstalled XP on it. The jumper setting is set at master w/slave, the 2nd HD is set as slave. Bios sees it, device manager sees it, says it's working properly. I have uninstalled it & disabled it. XP still won't see it under My computer...
I've searched this board & tried all suggestions... what am I missing? This HD has files and some non-essential pgms on it & worked before the reinstall...
Help!

9 replies

by thechas

My first suspicion is that the original hard drive has a BIOS overlay or similar boot sector utility on it.

Unless you boot from a drive that uses the same utility, you cannot access the drive.

These utilities are pretty transparent when you boot up with them.

The "common" use of these utilities is to allow the full usage of a hard drive that is larger than what the system BIOS can recognize.

Check with the drive or system manufacture to see how to verify if the utility is on the drive and how to safely remove it.

Another possibility is that the new drive and the old drive cannot function on the same IDE channel.

Have you tried installing the old drive on the secondary channel?
Using a new cable?

You might even try installing the old drive in a USB external drive case.

Chas

by rcjolley

I'll look for the overlay... thanks!
This board only has 1 IDE in it (what a pain!)- I'm going to try the new cable route as soon as I can find one! Usually have a gazillion cables, but can't seem to find one!
I have a spare HD that I'll try to see if XP will pick that one up - if it does, I have a utility that will copy over - just need to bring the parts & pieces home from my office!

by willcomp

Check for drive installation overlay software as recommended by TheChas. GoBack also uses an overlay.

Try setting both drives to Cable Select (CS) instead of Master/Slave. Master will be at end of IDE cable for newer cables. An 80 wire cable is preferable for CS.

by rcjolley

The cable select try didn't work -
thanks for the suggestion - have to go search for overlay option - this is a Samsung drive...

by computercookie

doesn't need to be a slave!

Primary Master, Secondary Master, Primary Slave, Secondary Slave!

What are your optical drives set to?

by rcjolley

This board has only 1 IDE - the Western Digital is set to master w/slave and is at the end of the cable; the Samsung is set as slave (this drive has 3 options - lower 32gb, upper 32gb & 32gb clip - it's set to the last. The CD/DVD is on a SATA...

by rcjolley

It show in disk management. I've relocated it to an external case, but I get the same thing - does not show in My Computer, but shows in disk management... IF I can get my files back, they're going on an online storage site.

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