Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: New SATA HD installed.. windows doesn't show it? Do I need to format?

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    108

    New SATA HD installed.. windows doesn't show it? Do I need to format?

    My seconday drive just took a nose dive last night so I purchased a 200gig WD SATA drive today to replace it.

    My primary drive is a 74gig Raptor with XP Pro.

    Everything is connected, and the new drive shows up under device manager. But there is no letter for the drive under My Computer. Do I need to format it first?

    Thanks for any help

  2. #2
    Gone Fishin' ukulele's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Southern Most Point in US
    Posts
    6,260
    Yes, you need to partition and format the drive. Do you know if you motherboard and chipset will support a drive that large? If it does not you need to use the manufacturers utilities to get it set up right. If you are not sure, post your MB model.

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    108
    Originally posted by ukulele
    Yes, you need to partition and format the drive. Do you know if you motherboard and chipset will support a drive that large? If it does not you need to use the manufacturers utilities to get it set up right. If you are not sure, post your MB model.
    Its an ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe

  4. #4
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    3,723
    just right click on "my computer" and click on "manage" then click on "Disk Management"

    You should see the drive there, initilize the disk, create a partition, or several if you wish, then format.

  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    108
    Originally posted by RamonGTP
    just right click on "my computer" and click on "manage" then click on "Disk Management"

    You should see the drive there, initilize the disk, create a partition, or several if you wish, then format.
    Its doin it now. Thanks a lot

  6. #6
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    3,723
    np... I should have also mentioned to check the "quick format" option. Would have been done in a few seconds.

  7. #7
    Gone Fishin' ukulele's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Southern Most Point in US
    Posts
    6,260
    Originally posted by RamonGTP
    np... I should have also mentioned to check the "quick format" option. Would have been done in a few seconds.
    Quick format would only work on a drive that is already formatted the normal way. Essentially all it does is erase all the files on the drive.

  8. #8
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    2,711
    Originally posted by ukulele
    Quick format would only work on a drive that is already formatted the normal way. Essentially all it does is erase all the files on the drive.
    Actually, I have used quick format before on brand new unpartitioned drives, All you have to do is create a partition, then quick format it.

  9. #9
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    3,723
    Yep, every new drive i've tried quick formatting in recient memory has worked fine.

  10. #10
    Gone Fishin' ukulele's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Southern Most Point in US
    Posts
    6,260
    That's interesting . I learn something new every day. There is a major difference though. Have a read here...
    http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=h...p%3Bln%3Den-gb
    Last edited by ukulele; 01-26-2005 at 01:22 PM.

  11. #11
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    2,711
    Originally posted by ukulele
    That's interesting . I learn something new every day. Thanks.
    I just realized what you were thinking of. Back in Widows 98 days, you couldn't quick format a drive before the install, unless the drive had been used before. Same with Windows 2000 I think.

  12. #12
    Gone Fishin' ukulele's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Southern Most Point in US
    Posts
    6,260
    Originally posted by r8500
    I just realized what you were thinking of. Back in Widows 98 days, you couldn't quick format a drive before the install, unless the drive had been used before. Same with Windows 2000 I think.
    Man you post fast. Have a read here...http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=h...p%3Bln%3Den-gb

  13. #13
    Ultimate Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Posts
    2,711
    So it works for XP, just it isn't recommended for the initial install. Good find.

  14. #14
    Hail to the Victors dajogejr's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Metro-Detroit
    Posts
    5,224
    Good find indeed, boys...

    Thanks a bunch for the links.

    I hate waiting for that regular format...

  15. #15
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    San Antonio, Texas, USA
    Posts
    6
    Hey guys, I just wanted to say thanks for the advice here. I had the same problem.
    It was driving me nuts!
    I figured I probably had to partition and format the drive but couldn't for the life of me remember how to. A quick search through this forum and I got my answer.
    Thanks again!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •