160GB Maxtor Detection Issues

[sicknosis]

PC SPECS:

Win XP Pro
P4 2.4 Ghz Intel Celeron
512 Ram
80 GB Maxtor (w/ partition = 2x40GB)
ASUS P4P8S00S mobo (sp? very close)

PROBLEM:

I got this 160 GB Maxtor drive (free) from a place that was upgrading and had no use for it. IT HAS worked before (ive used it) and they said it works.

First: Last night, I attempted to install the hard drive. I was having detection problems an it got late, I gave up. I got up an tried it again, This time for some random reason, it was detected in Disk Management... So I set up my drive format etc. I put 46 gigs of music onto and it works GREAT. My internet goes off for some odd reason, So I reboot my computer, once it turns back on i get an error saying something about my primary IDE not detecting or something (might not be accurate error) So I gave it a shot and POWERED OFF and POWERED ON, it worked... So it boots XP fine, I get into my desktop, open up winamp to play some music, and nothing happens when I hit play... I check the drive and its once again not detected, which lead me here.

Things I Have tried:

Turned off computer, Checked IDE Cables see if plugged in correctly. its fine, new cables good to go.
Checked BIOS for secondary IDE Slave, [NONE].
Tried to AUTO DETECT in BIOS, nothing happens.
Tried to DETECT with Disk Management, No appearance.

I dont know what else to do but bring it to a help forum and see what ideas can be given. So I ask now for your help in solving this idiotic problem I am facing...

P.S. Under No Circumstances will I format this drive.

Thank You,

sicknosis

[Dilbert]

OK, just to be clear about this: You mentioned format in the middle. Did you say that you formatted it before, or that you checked the format? Just so we know. If I got a new drive the first thing I'd do is format it. Have you? I know you say you won't, but it may be the solution (though if you prefer, we'll try other things). And do you have a CD writer?

[GX1_Man]

In your post you mention you have an 80 gig drive (2x40) and this 160 gig drive. Are both physical hard drives installed? Are you trying to boot withthis 160 gig "find" or is it correctly jumpered as a slave? What operating system is involve? What files system on all drives? Do you have XP SP2 loaded? Are all hard drives seen in the BIOS?

Did you download the free diagnostics from Maxtor and try those? If not, then do so:

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/Maxtor/menuitem.57739892ade91820a727116291346068/?channelpath=%2Fen_us%2FSupport%2FProduct%20Support

[sicknosis]

Responding to your questions:

Dilbert:

From what I know, The drive was formatted then given to me. I formatted the drive, put my songs on it then it didnt work.

Yes I have CD/DVD Writer with plenty of CDs/DVDs

GX1_MAN

I am booting of the 1rst partition on the 80 Gig (C:) I have my 2nd Partition (D:) as a storage drive. The third hard drive is G, after my cd roms. It is correctly jumpered for a slave, but like I said before I did get it to work yesterday its like it glitched out or gave up.

XP SP2, 80 GIG is found in BIOS

I have not downloaded the diagnostics, I will now.

TO ADD ON TO THIS INSANITY

When I booted my computer up this morning I checked my drives and it was there again. All my stuff is on it. It is functioning fine...

The only things I can think of now are some bios glitch with the drive or something is wrong with the drive

[GX1_Man]

Let us know after the diagnostics are done.

So you formatted this big drive after you got it?

[Dilbert]

Sounds like it. And it's what I would do, unless I absolutely needed something off that drive. Can't be too cautious when it comes to computers.

[GX1_Man]

Plus remember that ALL hard drives die sometime and that is NOT a secure medium for irretrievable data. Best to backup to CD or DVD.

[Dilbert]

Preferably a rewritable set of disks so you can add to them as you go.

[sicknosis]

Ok so heres my dilema

I cant get diagnostics to work because my A: drive isnt finding the floppy disk.

And even if I could get it to work I wont be able to find the hard drive because its not being detected at all..

I can tell this hard drive is brand new, 6-10 months old I couldnt see anything being wrong with it my last idea is to wait until it works again copy my files back onto my old drives. Go buy a 160 GB and switch drvies and take it back. Right now i dont really feel like doing that so any other ideas?

[Dilbert]

I don't have all the answers, but in the meantime: If you get the thing to work, even once, my advice would be to back-up the files onto CD's and format. I know you don't want to do that, but it may be what we need. Assuming you have an operating system install disk.

[GX1_Man]

What he said.  

[ummmmbeer]

I have run into simmilar problems with HDDs. One thing that has caused me grief was a failing floppy drive. I noticed in your post you couldnt get the Maxtor util working due to floppy recognicion issues. My floppy made intermittent failure of ide devices and was an absolute nightmare to diagnose like the issue you are seeing. The other thing I have run into is older MB BIOS but normally this would manifest in improper size read of the drive in BIOS.