i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has the
OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do a
fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it not
showing the storage drive.
My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
Devices shows both hard drives
Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy and
active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on it?
It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no change.
Im using Win Xp
help its urgent!

Thats a big mistake having it connected during an xp installation....However
for the problem,in diskmgmt,L.click on the unlettered hd,go to actions,select
"change drive letter/path" See if the letters are available.You could/can
also
open system properties,advanced,virtual memory,performace,change button,
if it shows,set to "let system manage"

"Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:

> i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has the
> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do a
> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it not
> showing the storage drive.
> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
> Devices shows both hard drives
> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy and
> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on it?
> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no change.
> Im using Win Xp
> help its urgent!

An installation, whilst a 2nd hd is connected, doesnt usually cause a
problem, other than sometimes installing to the wrong hd.
However both zip & card readers connected can cause problems.

"Andrew E." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:BF8FFBB6-EAFA-4958-8648-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thats a big mistake having it connected during an xp
installation....However
> for the problem,in diskmgmt,L.click on the unlettered hd,go to
actions,select
> "change drive letter/path" See if the letters are available.You
could/can
> also
> open system properties,advanced,virtual memory,performace,change button,
> if it shows,set to "let system manage"
>
> "Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:
>
> > i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has
the
> > OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do
a
> > fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it
not
> > showing the storage drive.
> > My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
> > Devices shows both hard drives
> > Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy
and
> > active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
> > How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on
it?
> > It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
> > I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no
change.
> > Im using Win Xp
> > help its urgent!

Tried all that and nothing...
When i tried the bit in disk management where you click on 'actions' the
only option i get is to partition drive.... which is already done and healthy
etc!
checked system properties and that is all set correctly.
any more ideas guys? i have 2 days to retireve some vital info from it!

"Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:

> i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has the
> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do a
> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it not
> showing the storage drive.
> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
> Devices shows both hard drives
> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy and
> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on it?
> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no change.
> Im using Win Xp
> help its urgent!

> "Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:
>
>> i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has
>> the
>> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do
>> a
>> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it
>> not
>> showing the storage drive.
>> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
>> Devices shows both hard drives
>> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy
>> and
>> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
>> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on
>> it?
>> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
>> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no
>> change.
>> Im using Win Xp
>> help its urgent!


"Littlestormbigthunder" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote in message news:EE3AF8FC-C0BB-433B-9AED-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Tried all that and nothing...
> When i tried the bit in disk management where you click on 'actions' the
> only option i get is to partition drive.... which is already done and
> healthy
> etc!
> checked system properties and that is all set correctly.
> any more ideas guys? i have 2 days to retireve some vital info from it!


Little...
1. First of all, download the HDD diagnostic program from the website of the
manufacturer of the "problem" HDD and check it out, notwithstanding that the
disk is recognized in the BIOS and the XP OS.

2. Assuming it checks out OK, disconnect the drive from the system after
powering off and boot *only* with your boot drive connected. We'll assume it
boots without incident and functions properly, right?

3. After again powering off, reconnect the secondary HDD. Make absolutely
certain it's properly connected and properly configured, i.e., its jumper is
correctly set. (I'm assuming in all this that the HDDs involved are PATA and
not SATA drives. You never did say.)

4. If still no go, reconnect the problem HDD to another IDE channel.

In our experience - in nearly every case where the secondary HDD involved is
non-defective - the non-recognition problem occurs because the disk has been
improperly connected and/or improperly configured.
Anna

yep tried all that. What puzzles me is that it had been working find for
18mths! all that changed was that i formated my main drive and reinstalled
the OS. Can't understand why it wont assign a letter as it says its working
fine, shows up on boot up, shows up on device manager and shows up as all ok
on disk management!
Oh and yes they are both pata drives.

"Anna" wrote:

>
> > "Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:
> >
> >> i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has
> >> the
> >> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do
> >> a
> >> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it
> >> not
> >> showing the storage drive.
> >> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
> >> Devices shows both hard drives
> >> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy
> >> and
> >> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
> >> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on
> >> it?
> >> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
> >> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no
> >> change.
> >> Im using Win Xp
> >> help its urgent!
>
>
> "Littlestormbigthunder" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote in message news:EE3AF8FC-C0BB-433B-9AED-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Tried all that and nothing...
> > When i tried the bit in disk management where you click on 'actions' the
> > only option i get is to partition drive.... which is already done and
> > healthy
> > etc!
> > checked system properties and that is all set correctly.
> > any more ideas guys? i have 2 days to retireve some vital info from it!
>
>
> Little...
> 1. First of all, download the HDD diagnostic program from the website of the
> manufacturer of the "problem" HDD and check it out, notwithstanding that the
> disk is recognized in the BIOS and the XP OS.
>
> 2. Assuming it checks out OK, disconnect the drive from the system after
> powering off and boot *only* with your boot drive connected. We'll assume it
> boots without incident and functions properly, right?
>
> 3. After again powering off, reconnect the secondary HDD. Make absolutely
> certain it's properly connected and properly configured, i.e., its jumper is
> correctly set. (I'm assuming in all this that the HDDs involved are PATA and
> not SATA drives. You never did say.)
>
> 4. If still no go, reconnect the problem HDD to another IDE channel.
>
> In our experience - in nearly every case where the secondary HDD involved is
> non-defective - the non-recognition problem occurs because the disk has been
> improperly connected and/or improperly configured.
> Anna
>
>
>

You might try downloading and installing Tweak Ui:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx

The sections under My Computer -Drives and Drive Letters

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Littlestormbigthunder"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:5B4B0097-72AD-4264-B8B1-(E-Mail Removed)...
> yep tried all that. What puzzles me is that it had been working find
> for
> 18mths! all that changed was that i formated my main drive and
> reinstalled
> the OS. Can't understand why it wont assign a letter as it says its
> working
> fine, shows up on boot up, shows up on device manager and shows up as
> all ok
> on disk management!
> Oh and yes they are both pata drives.
>
> "Anna" wrote:
>
>>
>> > "Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:
>> >
>> >> i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now -
>> >> one has
>> >> the
>> >> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had
>> >> to do
>> >> a
>> >> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem
>> >> of it
>> >> not
>> >> showing the storage drive.
>> >> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
>> >> Devices shows both hard drives
>> >> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both
>> >> healthy
>> >> and
>> >> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to
>> >> it.
>> >> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the
>> >> info on
>> >> it?
>> >> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
>> >> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no
>> >> change.
>> >> Im using Win Xp
>> >> help its urgent!
>>
>>
>> "Littlestormbigthunder"
>> <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote in message
>> news:EE3AF8FC-C0BB-433B-9AED-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Tried all that and nothing...
>> > When i tried the bit in disk management where you click on
>> > 'actions' the
>> > only option i get is to partition drive.... which is already done
>> > and
>> > healthy
>> > etc!
>> > checked system properties and that is all set correctly.
>> > any more ideas guys? i have 2 days to retireve some vital info from
>> > it!
>>
>>
>> Little...
>> 1. First of all, download the HDD diagnostic program from the website
>> of the
>> manufacturer of the "problem" HDD and check it out, notwithstanding
>> that the
>> disk is recognized in the BIOS and the XP OS.
>>
>> 2. Assuming it checks out OK, disconnect the drive from the system
>> after
>> powering off and boot *only* with your boot drive connected. We'll
>> assume it
>> boots without incident and functions properly, right?
>>
>> 3. After again powering off, reconnect the secondary HDD. Make
>> absolutely
>> certain it's properly connected and properly configured, i.e., its
>> jumper is
>> correctly set. (I'm assuming in all this that the HDDs involved are
>> PATA and
>> not SATA drives. You never did say.)
>>
>> 4. If still no go, reconnect the problem HDD to another IDE channel.
>>
>> In our experience - in nearly every case where the secondary HDD
>> involved is
>> non-defective - the non-recognition problem occurs because the disk
>> has been
>> improperly connected and/or improperly configured.
>> Anna
>>
>>
>>

hi,
your problem is really odd. It could be a defective cable connector, but i
doubt it.
What i'd do at this stage of the game is:
with the system off, disconnect the problem hard drive, and pull the
connectors off the opticals.
Then re-cycle the system by bringing it up, and then sutting it down.
Then, having set the problem drive to cable select or master, plug the
optical cable into it.
Boot up and see what happens.
Mike

(do you have a 2nd system you can put it in? Also, there are usb external
drive
kits that let you connect a drive outside of the box via the usb port. I
have two
of them, they are easy to use, they cost about $25.)




thunder" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:53BDCD40-B579-41A0-8AD9-(E-Mail Removed)...
>i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has the
> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do a
> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it
> not
> showing the storage drive.
> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
> Devices shows both hard drives
> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy
> and
> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on
> it?
> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no change.
> Im using Win Xp
> help its urgent!

Did you by any chance have Goback installed previously, and now not?


"Littlestormbigthunder" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:5B4B0097-72AD-4264-B8B1-(E-Mail Removed)...
> yep tried all that. What puzzles me is that it had been working find for
> 18mths! all that changed was that i formated my main drive and reinstalled
> the OS. Can't understand why it wont assign a letter as it says its working
> fine, shows up on boot up, shows up on device manager and shows up as all ok
> on disk management!
> Oh and yes they are both pata drives.
>
> "Anna" wrote:
>
>>
>> > "Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:
>> >
>> >> i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has
>> >> the
>> >> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do
>> >> a
>> >> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it
>> >> not
>> >> showing the storage drive.
>> >> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
>> >> Devices shows both hard drives
>> >> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy
>> >> and
>> >> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
>> >> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on
>> >> it?
>> >> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
>> >> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no
>> >> change.
>> >> Im using Win Xp
>> >> help its urgent!
>>
>>
>> "Littlestormbigthunder" <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote in message news:EE3AF8FC-C0BB-433B-9AED-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Tried all that and nothing...
>> > When i tried the bit in disk management where you click on 'actions' the
>> > only option i get is to partition drive.... which is already done and
>> > healthy
>> > etc!
>> > checked system properties and that is all set correctly.
>> > any more ideas guys? i have 2 days to retireve some vital info from it!
>>
>>
>> Little...
>> 1. First of all, download the HDD diagnostic program from the website of the
>> manufacturer of the "problem" HDD and check it out, notwithstanding that the
>> disk is recognized in the BIOS and the XP OS.
>>
>> 2. Assuming it checks out OK, disconnect the drive from the system after
>> powering off and boot *only* with your boot drive connected. We'll assume it
>> boots without incident and functions properly, right?
>>
>> 3. After again powering off, reconnect the secondary HDD. Make absolutely
>> certain it's properly connected and properly configured, i.e., its jumper is
>> correctly set. (I'm assuming in all this that the HDDs involved are PATA and
>> not SATA drives. You never did say.)
>>
>> 4. If still no go, reconnect the problem HDD to another IDE channel.
>>
>> In our experience - in nearly every case where the secondary HDD involved is
>> non-defective - the non-recognition problem occurs because the disk has been
>> improperly connected and/or improperly configured.
>> Anna
>>
>>
>>

Ah, now we are thinking along the same lines.... I was playing with the
settings at boot up when i accidently made it try and boot from the problem
drive and it can up with the go back start up screen and then some message
about it not being able to start or something. I did have go back on the
system before i reinstalled the OS.
So i guess it may be this causing the problem? Would it help if i
reinstalled Go back on the working drive?

"Bill Blanton" wrote:

> Did you by any chance have Goback installed previously, and now not?
>
>
> "Littlestormbigthunder" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:5B4B0097-72AD-4264-B8B1-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > yep tried all that. What puzzles me is that it had been working find for
> > 18mths! all that changed was that i formated my main drive and reinstalled
> > the OS. Can't understand why it wont assign a letter as it says its working
> > fine, shows up on boot up, shows up on device manager and shows up as all ok
> > on disk management!
> > Oh and yes they are both pata drives.
> >
> > "Anna" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> > "Littlestormbigthunder" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> i have happily been running 2 hard drives for a few years now - one has
> >> >> the
> >> >> OS on it and the other is used solely for storage. I have just had to do
> >> >> a
> >> >> fresh install of the OS on the main drive and now have the problem of it
> >> >> not
> >> >> showing the storage drive.
> >> >> My computer shows only drive C no second hard drive
> >> >> Devices shows both hard drives
> >> >> Disk management shows both devices and shows that they are both healthy
> >> >> and
> >> >> active etc. However only the main drive has a letter assigned to it.
> >> >> How do i assign a letter to the 2nd drive without losing all the info on
> >> >> it?
> >> >> It was fine before the new install on the other drive.
> >> >> I have tried installing the OS with it attached and without but no
> >> >> change.
> >> >> Im using Win Xp
> >> >> help its urgent!
> >>
> >>
> >> "Littlestormbigthunder" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> >> wrote in message news:EE3AF8FC-C0BB-433B-9AED-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> > Tried all that and nothing...
> >> > When i tried the bit in disk management where you click on 'actions' the
> >> > only option i get is to partition drive.... which is already done and
> >> > healthy
> >> > etc!
> >> > checked system properties and that is all set correctly.
> >> > any more ideas guys? i have 2 days to retireve some vital info from it!
> >>
> >>
> >> Little...
> >> 1. First of all, download the HDD diagnostic program from the website of the
> >> manufacturer of the "problem" HDD and check it out, notwithstanding that the
> >> disk is recognized in the BIOS and the XP OS.
> >>
> >> 2. Assuming it checks out OK, disconnect the drive from the system after
> >> powering off and boot *only* with your boot drive connected. We'll assume it
> >> boots without incident and functions properly, right?
> >>
> >> 3. After again powering off, reconnect the secondary HDD. Make absolutely
> >> certain it's properly connected and properly configured, i.e., its jumper is
> >> correctly set. (I'm assuming in all this that the HDDs involved are PATA and
> >> not SATA drives. You never did say.)
> >>
> >> 4. If still no go, reconnect the problem HDD to another IDE channel.
> >>
> >> In our experience - in nearly every case where the secondary HDD involved is
> >> non-defective - the non-recognition problem occurs because the disk has been
> >> improperly connected and/or improperly configured.
> >> Anna
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>