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computer hard drive question
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May 7, 2021 09:33:54   #
jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.
 
The D: drive on my computer is full. I removed it and installed a new drive but the computer does not see it. Is there something else I need to do for the computer to see it or is the drive no good. If it needs to be formatted, how do you format a drive the computer can't see?

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May 7, 2021 09:42:13   #
frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.
 
jkm757 wrote:
The D: drive on my computer is full. I removed it and installed a new drive but the computer does not see it. Is there something else I need to do for the computer to see it or is the drive no good. If it needs to be formatted, how do you format a drive the computer can't see?


What kind of computer?
Did you plug both cables into the hard drive.
What mfg of new hd.
Operating system?
How old?
Is it plug and play?

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May 7, 2021 10:13:29   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
You didn't say HOW or what you did to install the drive...
They cannot just be "swapped".
Just in case - If you didn't copy the operating system and data to the new drive, there is nothing on the new drive, they come empty.
When the computer tries to boot, there is nothing on the drive for it to use, so the computer cannot boot.

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May 7, 2021 10:32:19   #
Haydon
 
If you're using a Windows 10 machine and assuming the storage drive is installed correctly, right click on your start button and choose "disk management". You should see your drive there. Right Click on the drive that isn't formatted (it should display it) and choose format. I'd recommend doing a quick format and ensure that NTFS is chosen for your file system. In less that a minute your drive should be ready.

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May 7, 2021 10:36:14   #
jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.
 
frankraney wrote:
What kind of computer?
Did you plug both cables into the hard drive.
What mfg of new hd.
Operating system?
How old?
Is it plug and play?


1) PC
2)yes
3)WD
4)win 10
5)4 yrs
6)yes

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May 7, 2021 10:42:49   #
jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.
 
Longshadow wrote:
You didn't say HOW or what you did to install the drive...
They cannot just be "swapped".
Just in case - If you didn't copy the operating system and data to the new drive, there is nothing on the new drive, they come empty.
When the computer tries to boot, there is nothing on the drive for it to use, so the computer cannot boot.


I didn't replace the C: drive with the OS, I replaced the D: drive used for data storage. That data is backed-up on an external hard drive.

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May 7, 2021 10:44:23   #
jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.
 
Haydon wrote:
If you're using a Windows 10 machine and assuming the storage drive is installed correctly, right click on your start button and choose "disk management". You should see your drive there. Right Click on the drive that isn't formatted (it should display it) and choose format. I'd recommend doing a quick format and ensure that NTFS is chosen for your file system. In less that a minute your drive should be ready.


Thank you, Haydon. I'll give that a try.

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May 7, 2021 10:45:14   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Haydon wrote:
If you're using a Windows 10 machine and assuming the storage drive is installed correctly, right click on your start button and choose "disk management". You should see your drive there. Right Click on the drive that isn't formatted (it should display it) and choose format. I'd recommend doing a quick format and ensure that NTFS is chosen for your file system. In less that a minute your drive should be ready.

He said he removed the old one and installed the new one, not added it.

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May 7, 2021 10:50:10   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
jkm757 wrote:
I didn't replace the C: drive with the OS, I replaced the D: drive used for data storage. That data is backed-up on an external hard drive.

Interesting.
My "C:" and "D:" are on the same drive, different partitions.

Just shows that we don't know how your computer is set up, so everyone can give all kinds of answers, based on what they think it looks like. Someone should eventually hit the nail on the head.

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May 7, 2021 10:50:20   #
frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.
 
jkm757 wrote:
1) PC
2)yes
3)WD
4)win 10
5)4 yrs
6)yes


In this case, Haydon has the answer. I have never had this problem with plug n play.

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May 7, 2021 11:06:16   #
jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.
 
Haydon wrote:
If you're using a Windows 10 machine and assuming the storage drive is installed correctly, right click on your start button and choose "disk management". You should see your drive there. Right Click on the drive that isn't formatted (it should display it) and choose format. I'd recommend doing a quick format and ensure that NTFS is chosen for your file system. In less that a minute your drive should be ready.


I found the drive in disc management but when I right click on it, it only shows 2 options, convert to dynamic disc or convert to MBR disc.

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May 7, 2021 11:29:21   #
Haydon
 
jkm757 wrote:
I found the drive in disc management but when I right click on it, it only shows 2 options, convert to dynamic disc or convert to MBR disc.


This won't be an easy explanation but I suspect you'll have to use the diskpart command.

This tutorial should be of some aid.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/change-a-dynamic-disk-back-to-a-basic-disk

You will have to convert it to a simple/basic volume.

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May 7, 2021 11:41:05   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Haydon wrote:
This won't be an easy explanation but I suspect you'll have to use the diskpart command.

This tutorial should be of some aid.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/change-a-dynamic-disk-back-to-a-basic-disk

You will have to convert it to a simple/basic volume.

Any chances the original "D" drive was a dynamic drive and the computer knew that???

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May 7, 2021 12:07:24   #
jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.
 
Haydon wrote:
This won't be an easy explanation but I suspect you'll have to use the diskpart command.

This tutorial should be of some aid.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/change-a-dynamic-disk-back-to-a-basic-disk

You will have to convert it to a simple/basic volume.


I went through the steps in the tutorial. The drive has no volumes to delete and when I right click on the drive there is no option to convert to a basic disc, only the options to convert to dynamic disc or MBR disc.

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May 7, 2021 12:24:55   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
jkm757 wrote:
I went through the steps in the tutorial. The drive has no volumes to delete and when I right click on the drive there is no option to convert to a basic disc, only the options to convert to dynamic disc or MBR disc.


You have my condolences. I don't know why it has to be this way, but dealing with drive problems can be super frustrating. Diskpart is good, but it can be frustrating to use. Stick with that, and it will probably solve your problem. Unfortunately, you'll have to do Google searches and experiment. You did format the drive, right? Post a question online - aside from on UHH.

Lots here, but...

https://www.google.com/search?q=computer+cannot+find+drive&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS925US925&oq=computer+cannot+find+drive&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i10i22i30l3j0i22i30l6.9799j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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