# Repair undetected HDD



## slyfox2151 (Jul 22, 2011)

anyone have any ideas how to fix a HDD thats not detected by windows disk utilities...



HDD was in the middle of a quick format when it lost power and did not complete. its no longer detected by windows format tools or DISKPART, it however still comes up in device manager.


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## twilyth (Jul 22, 2011)

Have you tried a cold reboot - either using the psu switch or actually unplugging it for at least 30 seconds?  Not sure why, but that sometimes works.

If it's in device manager but you cant see it in disk manager, that's a bit strange.


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## slyfox2151 (Jul 22, 2011)

it will not boot with the HDD in the PC. 

plugging it into the PC when its turned on is the only way.


its a storage HDD. i do not need to recover the data... just get the drive working.





maybe some sort of USB bootable software that will allow me to do a format?


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## twilyth (Jul 22, 2011)

You're plugging the drive in using a SATA or IDE cable while the PC is on?  

First, that's really a no-no.  Never ever plug anything in while the power is on.  Technically, you should really shut it down from the source (psu/wall socket).

Second, that's almost certainly the problem.  If it doesn't register during the bios scan, I don't think it will ever register.

If the pc won't boot with it in, then the only option is to use an IDE/SATA to USB adapter.  They're about $20 at newegg in the US, should be fairly cheap everywhere.


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## Jetster (Jul 22, 2011)

twilyth, You can Hotswap a sata drive. Sly. Use Hirens Boot disk to fix it or boot to a windows disk and format it


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## slyfox2151 (Jul 22, 2011)

since sata supports hot swap i cannot see an issue with doing it this way, device manager detects it once installed into the machine and i have never had an issue doing it this way.


the bios detects the device just fine when it boots, however windows wont complete loading with the drive installed.

i cannot boot from a windows install to see if i can format from there.





Jetster said:


> twilyth, You can Hotswap a sata drive. Sly. Use Hirens Boot disk to fix it or boot to a windows disk and format it




this sounds like the way to go, do you have a direct link to download? and is it USB bootable as i do not have access to disks.


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## Jetster (Jul 22, 2011)

Boot from a Windows "install disk" unplug every drive but that one. Format it


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## twilyth (Jul 22, 2011)

Jetster said:


> twilyth, You can Hotswap a sata drive. Sly. Use Hirens Boot disk to fix it or boot to a windows disk and format it



Thanks.  I really need to keep up with these things.


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## slyfox2151 (Jul 22, 2011)

direct download link was crap... only 70KBps for a 500mb file.... found a torrent instead running @2.2MBps...


lets hope this works, i need to get this fixed asap


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## Thrackan (Jul 22, 2011)

Jetster said:


> twilyth, You can Hotswap a sata drive. Sly. Use Hirens Boot disk to fix it or boot to a windows disk and format it



You cannot simply hotswap any SATA drive in any PC.
First off, you can't do it if the SATA Power connector only has 12v/5v/GND cables (like you get in a Molex->SATA converter).
Second, your SATA controller has to support it.

Though I believe you are meeting both demands, because otherwise you would most likely get a nice hang/BSOD/crash when you hotplug something that's non-hotpluggable, it is worth checking out if you can actually hotswap on your system.


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## Jetster (Jul 22, 2011)

Thrackan said:


> You cannot simply hotswap any SATA drive in any PC.
> First off, you can't do it if the SATA Power connector only has 12v/5v/GND cables (like you get in a Molex->SATA converter).
> Second, your SATA controller has to support it.
> 
> Though I believe you are meeting both demands, because otherwise you would most likely get a nice hang/BSOD/crash when you hotplug something that's non-hotpluggable, it is worth checking out if you can actually hotswap on your system.





Thanks for clarifying that. I knew some couldn't but not why.


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## slyfox2151 (Jul 22, 2011)

its in a laptop with the intel chipset that supports hotswap and has the 3.3volt wires.


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## Thrackan (Jul 22, 2011)

Your best bet would indeed be a bootdisk like Hiren's, which is chock full of handy toolsies.
Bet number 2 would be hotplugging it into a PC with Windows installed, and checking if you can format through the Windows Disk Management program (in Administrative Tools).

If you can, that might also be a ton faster


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## slyfox2151 (Jul 22, 2011)

Hard Drive is fixed, Hirens partition tools fixed it, just needed to remove the partition from the HDD and boot back to windows and it came up again in disk management.


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## Jetster (Jul 22, 2011)

Nice. Hirens has saved me a couple of times


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## slyfox2151 (Jul 22, 2011)

love the new tools, will definetly be keeping it.


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## Thrackan (Jul 22, 2011)

slyfox2151 said:


> love the new tools, will definetly be keeping it.



I have a Hiren's in my "emergency repair kit", it's the first thing you need after screwdrivers when you're fixing PC's 

Good to hear all is well now


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## brandonwh64 (Jul 22, 2011)

I skimmed through this thread but here is my advice.

If you can see it from disk management in windows then this will help you 100%

1: Right click "My Computer"
2: Click "Manage"
3: Under storage, Click "Disk Management"
4: Here you will find your storage segements and look for one that is black with the same space of the hard drive your missing.
5: Right click on the drive and click "Make Partition active"
6: FOLLOW ALL STEPS

7: PROFIT?


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