Not Able To Access Second SATA H/D

[Guest]

I have recently built a new computer using two SATA H/D installing XP on one
and using the second for data storage. At the time there was a problem
accessing the second H/D even though Windows could see it within devise mgr'
but would not let me access it. I was able to resolve the problem by
formating the H/D within Windows.

However, for other reasons I have re-install XP on my main H/D, not a
problem because all my data is on the second H/D and the second drive is
already formated!, or that is what I thought, unfortunatly I'm back to my
origional problem of not being able to access the second drive although
Windows can detect it within Device Mgr?.. Off course I do not want to format
the drive again because I will loose all my data.

The drive is now showing as a "New Volume" and has no devise letter and if I
right click on the drive I'm unable to change the the drive letter because
it's greyed out. The two H/D are not set up in a Raid but stand alone,
Windows is showing the second H/D to be healthy, active and working
properly!!!.......but far from it, I just can't access it or my data.

Any Help or advise Please

 

[Guest]

Try going to run,type:diskmgmt.msc L.click on the drive,go to actions,all,
select,make drive active,then close out.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the speedy advise, unfortnatly the devise is already showing as
active but if it wasn't I would not be able to because the option "Make Drive
Active" is also greyed out in the drop down menu!!!!!!????

 

[Alex Nichol]

Thanks for the speedy advise, unfortnatly the devise is already showing as
active but if it wasn't I would not be able to because the option "Make Drive
Active" is also greyed out in the drop down menu!!!!!!????

Active is not relevant in this matter. All that is saying is that the
partition marked as active is the one the BIOS would select if you had
the disk as the boot device.

This is more likely a need to Take Ownership. Look in My Computer,
r-click the drive, Properties, Security, click Advanced and then the
Owner page

 

[Guest]

Thanks Alex, but the device is not showing or listed when I open "my
computer" in other words my "C" drive, floppy, Cd & DVD drive is listed but
not the second HDD?

 

[Alex Nichol]

Thanks Alex, but the device is not showing or listed when I open "my
computer" in other words my "C" drive, floppy, Cd & DVD drive is listed but
not the second HDD?

Did you ever use these disks as a 'dynamic disk'? If so the information
for use of the second drive in the Dynamic disk may have become lost. I
don't know enough about dynamic disks to offer any suggestion in that
case.

The other thought is that somehow the partition type byte in the
partition table has got damaged; maybe just the Hidden bit set. What I
would use is BootIT NG, from http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware -
30 day full functional trial)

Download, to its own folder, extract from the zip, run the bootitng to
make a boot floppy.

Boot the floppy, Cancel Install, entering maintenance, then click on
Partition work. Select the drive (probably HD1) then look in the center
pane for the partition on it. Highlight and click Properties.

a: If there is an UnHide button, use that

b: If the partition type is not HPFS/NTFS (it is very unlikely to be
FAT 32) change to that