"Lynn" <manxcatq@msn.com> wrote in message
news:uLjVLPDDGHA.3992@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Hi there,
>
> Well, if there's a problem, I'll find it, but this is a new and extremely
> exasparating one for me.
>
> Just reformatted my C: Drive with Windows XP Pro. After installing a few
> bits of software for hardware from disk (Nero, Monitor, Fax Modem) I then
> discovered that I was missing my 2nd hard disk drive (normally assigned as
> D
. I then find that my CD-ROM and DVD drives have the incorrect letters
> mapped to them. Both hard drives are internal. No external drives here.
>
> Upon checking in Control Panel... System,... I see the two hard drives are
> present (both in Safe and Normal mode). However, the one drive ST340214A
> has
> Disable as an option, whereas the other hard drive, ST360015A has no
> Disable
> feature.
>
> How do I tell the system to map my 2nd hard drive (which I think is the
> 15A)
> back to being D: drive? The CD-ROM is currently D: (should be E:, and the
> DVD drive is currently E: (should be F:. The C: and A: drives are both
> correct (main hard disk C: and 1.44 MB Floppy A:.
>
> I have never personally seen this problem before and really have no idea
> on
> how to proceed so I would really appreciate guidance here.
>
> What would happen if I reformat again? Would the 2nd hard disk re-appear?
> I
> need that disk drive back as it has a few years of data stored on it which
> I
> need! I know I reformatted the (correct) C: drive.
>
> As yet, I have only re-formatted C:, and then put on the software for my
> fax
> modem, Nero/InCD, then NVidia graphics card drivers, and lastly the
> monitor.
> No printer or scanner software installed (not connected yet), and
> definitely
> didn't reach my XP Pro SP2 disk!
>
> I'd really appreciate help here please! Thanks to you all in hopeful
> anticipation of solving the problem here.
>
> TTFN...
>
> Lynn
Lynn:
From your description of the processes you undertook it's not entirely clear
(at least to me!) precisely what transpired, so let me ask you a few
questions and then we can go on from there if you want...
1. You say you "reformatted" your C: drive. I assume from this that you made
a fresh install of the XP OS, yes? And that drive was formerly your
day-to-day working booting HD, correct?
2. When you "reformatted" your C: drive and made a fresh install of the OS
using the XP installation CD, during the installation process your second
drive (the D: drive) would have been listed. Do you recall seeing it and
more importantly, do you recall performing *any* action on that drive?
3. Prior to the reinstall of the OS as noted above, I take it there were do
drive recognition problems affecting your D: drive, right? It was used as a
data storage device and functioned fine, yes? Again, no problems with that
drive, yes?
4. But I guess you had some problems with your XP OS and that's why you
decided to make a fresh install of the OS. Can you briefly describe what the
problem(s) were?
5. After you reinstalled the OS, the boot drive is booting without a problem
and functions without any problems, notwithstanding the drive
non-recognition problem you're having with your second HD, right?
6. You're *absolutely* sure that your secondary drive is connected/jumpered
correctly. All the cables are securely attached. You didn't make any
physical changes either before, during, or after the OS reinstall process,
right?
7. You say both drives are shown in Device Manager, so it would seem there's
no problem in your motherboard's BIOS detecting the second drive. (The
reason there's no Disable option on one of your drives is because that's
your boot drive, your C: drive).
8. Access Disk Management and tell us what you see, if anything, with
respect to your second hard drive.
Anna