Thread: Drive not displaying

  1. #1
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    Drive not displaying

    I just got a 160gb drive and threw it in the machine but Windows XP Pro SP2 ASUS A7N8X won't display it?

    BIOS detects it in it's IDE search, windows says it found new hardware, and it's even listed in device manager; I just can't access the damn thing. I have no restrictive administrative features to not display new drives either. I'm lazy, so I have it setup to plug and play as fast as possible.

    Any suggestions?
    The world is waiting. I must leave you now.

  2. #2
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    Had the same thing happen with an A7N8X board. The drive should have come with some type of driver or something.

    BTW is this a SATA drive? If it is then that MUST have the driver loaded for it to work.

    Windows XP retrieves the drive information directly from the BIOS drive parameter block so if the BIOS is seeing it, XP should too. This does not mean you will be able to access it, however. Try booting up with the Windows XP CD and select format. Don't format it, but if it shows up on IDE 0,1, 2, etc... then you know its there and the BIOS sees it.

    I would say this is a driver issue. If not, then remove the drive from the device manager and reboot. Let Windows re-detect the drive. If this is an IDE drive that is the only way I know to get Windows XP to show your drive. If it is not formatted then the drive will not show up because the file system is designated as RAW. You must format it using either Win32 (I recommend this) or NTFS (I don't recommend this.). Wait to change your filesystem when the new Longhorn comes out. It will use HPFS and MS will no longer support NTFS - probably because they know it sucks. Even MS tech support did not have much good to say about NTFS.

    Also does it show up in My Computer and on the default Browse windows? If so then the drive is installed correctly and like I said it is probably a file system issue.

    BTW nice board man. I'm getting one as soon as the my bank account permits. I've always used ASUS boards and have no complaints about them. They are screaming fast boards. My dad has the A7N8XE-deluxe and it simply flies. He had a Gigabyte board and the stupid thing kept randomly rebooting. Gigabyte blamed the video card - they said the onboard video card sensor was detecting an overheat and shutting the system down. Stupid. Switched boards and no issues.
    Last edited by VirtualAce; 11-25-2004 at 07:02 PM.

  3. #3
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    > BTW nice board man.
    I bought my board Dec 2002, and I'm considering an upgrade.

    Isn't the damn thing old by now?

    Also, I figured it out. Silly me, I didn't look at the administrative stuff. My computer->manage, etc. - didn't do that stuff.

    It's formatting right now.
    The world is waiting. I must leave you now.

  4. #4
    It's full of stars adrianxw's Avatar
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    >>> It will use HPFS and MS will no longer support NTFS

    I read somewhere, I'll post a link if I find it, that MS had dropped plans for the new file system for Longhorn in order to make a release target.
    Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity unto the dream.

  5. #5
    Hamster without a wheel iain's Avatar
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    oh yey! NTFS lives on!
    Monday - what a way to spend a seventh of your life

  6. #6
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    Great. I wasn't aware they were not going to use the new file system. NTFS leaves much to be desired.

    Old is relative in computers. Is it the top of the line board....no. Is it a very good board for 32-bit CPUs. Absolutely. Top of the line IMO would be a board that supports an AMD 64 FX or something like that.

    My board is an ASUS and it was built nearly 4 years ago yet it still keeps up with the modern games. It is getting to the point where I can no longer max out my settings (which means its time to upgrade) but don't get caught up in the upgrade every 6 months bologna.
    You can squeeze a lot of life out of your system if you know what to do.

  7. #7
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    >I just got a 160gb drive and threw it in the machine but Windows XP Pro SP2 ASUS A7N8X won't display it?
    <

    ... no wonder it doesnt work...you need to read the little thingy on proper installation...

    seriously...
    go to Computer Management console(in your administrative tools)
    go to Disk Management
    and right click(where it says the drive name as Disk 0,Disk 1, etc... and gives you info) and activate it, but dont make it a dynamic disk unless thats what you want...
    Last edited by no-one; 11-29-2004 at 09:51 PM.
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