Hard drive not working ?

[belgiumkiddo]

Hi guys,

 

I just installed a new HDD from Western Digital but when I start my PC I don't see it at all.

Does anyone know why I don't see it (maybe it has to do with the fact that I used my sata cable from my disc reader).

 

Thanks for the help  

[ImBleu]

> inb4 @Captain_WD @Mighty_Miro_WD

 

 

Are you sure both SATA power and data are connected, and that the sata data is plugged into the appropriate Sata port on the motherboard (if you have a M.2 SSD it generally removes Sata port 6).

 

Is this the only HDD in your system? Is it perhaps that you haven't selected it as the boot device in your Bios?

[kameshss]

Check under Disk drives in Device manager. If detected, Right click computer --> Manage --> Disk Management --> If your drive says it's offline, right click and select online then format it!

[Godlygamer23]

It needs to be formatted in Disk Management.

[belgiumkiddo]

> inb4 @Captain_WD @Mighty_Miro_WD

 

 

Are you sure both SATA power and data are connected, and that the sata data is plugged into the appropriate Sata port on the motherboard (if you have a M.2 SSD it generally removes Sata port 6).

 

Is this the only HDD in your system? Is it perhaps that you haven't selected it as the boot device in your Bios?

I connected the power cable and the Sata cable. It's my second HDD in my system and i am not planning on using it as a primary drive.

[belgiumkiddo]

It needs to be formatted in Disk Management.

What is formatting and what does it do ?

[ImBleu]

What is formatting and what does it do ?

 

HDDs (and SSDs) can be formatted differently, this is typical between some OSes using different formats and having read-only style formats.

 

Or as Wikipedia would say:

 

Disk formatting is the process of preparing a data storage device such as a hard disk drive, solid-state drive, floppy disk or USB flash drive for initial use. In some cases, the formatting operation may also create one or more new file systems. The first part of the formatting process that performs basic medium preparation is often referred to as "low-level formatting".[1] Partitioning is the common term for the second part of the process, making the data storage device visible to an operating system.[1] The third part of the process, usually termed "high-level formatting" most often refers to the process of generating a new file system.[1] In some operating systems all or parts of these three processes can be combined or repeated at different levels[NB 1] and the term "format" is understood to mean an operation in which a new disk medium is fully prepared to store files.

[belgiumkiddo]

HDDs (and SSDs) can be formatted differently, this is typical between some OSes using different formats and having read-only style formats.

 

Or as Wikipedia would say:

 

Disk formatting is the process of preparing a data storage device such as a hard disk drive, solid-state drive, floppy disk or USB flash drive for initial use. In some cases, the formatting operation may also create one or more new file systems. The first part of the formatting process that performs basic medium preparation is often referred to as "low-level formatting".[1] Partitioning is the common term for the second part of the process, making the data storage device visible to an operating system.[1] The third part of the process, usually termed "high-level formatting" most often refers to the process of generating a new file system.[1] In some operating systems all or parts of these three processes can be combined or repeated at different levels[NB 1] and the term "format" is understood to mean an operation in which a new disk medium is fully prepared to store files.

I switched Sata cabels  between my 2 HDD's and changed the boot order in my BIOS. Now my PC detecs both HDD's. I have the option to convert my new hard drive to a GTP dirve or to a dynamic drive which one should I choose and is it nessescary to do this ?

[belgiumkiddo]

It worked i installed and formatted my new hard drive succsesfully thank you for all the help

[Mighty_Miro_WD]

Hi there @belgiumkiddo!

 

You need to initialize your hard drive first. Here's an article from our knowledge base with steps how to do so:

 

http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=ncTOkY

 

Hope this helps and happy holidays! 

 

@ThatCoolBlueKidd, thanks for mentioning me here - I really appreciate it!