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Author Topic: HDD has identity crisis  (Read 5361 times)

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ras58396

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    HDD has identity crisis
    « on: January 04, 2009, 07:23:21 PM »
    I have a Dell Dimension 8100 running WXP with SP3.  It has two HDDs.  I just did a successful clean install of the OS.  The computer OS runs fine on the c: drive, but the F: HDD indicates that it is a removeable disk and, when I am in Windows Explorer, it wants a media inserted.  How do I get it to look like the HDD that it is?  I have all my backup data from prior to the clean install on it.
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    patio

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    Re: HDD has identity crisis
    « Reply #1 on: January 04, 2009, 07:43:21 PM »
    Right click My Computer and select Manage...then Disk Management...
    Find the F: drive right click it and select Properties...
    Report back with your findings.
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    " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

    ras58396

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      Re: HDD has identity crisis
      « Reply #2 on: January 04, 2009, 08:18:23 PM »
      It says that it is an EPSON Stylus Storage USB Device.  It is in location 0.  It is removable and has no media.  Sure doesn't look like my Maxtor ST380013A!
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      patio

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      Re: HDD has identity crisis
      « Reply #3 on: January 04, 2009, 08:24:23 PM »
      That is either your printer or a card reader...
      How are your drives being seen in Device Manager...
      BTW are these hard drives both internal ? ? both SATA or IDE or a combination of the 2 ? ?
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      ras58396

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        Re: HDD has identity crisis
        « Reply #4 on: January 04, 2009, 08:35:36 PM »
        I don't have a card reader, but I do have an Epson printer.  Before the OS install the printer never showed up as a drive.

        Device manager sees the Epson, my ZIP drive, and two HDs: a Seagate ST3120026A (location 0) and the Maxtor ST380013A (location 1).

        Both are IDE.
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        patio

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        Re: HDD has identity crisis
        « Reply #5 on: January 04, 2009, 08:41:45 PM »
        But the Maxtor is not listed in Disk Management ? ?
        You may want to unplug/unhook the printer and re-boot and double-check everything...
        It may just be a drive letter hiccup...was Maxtor always F: ?
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        " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

        ras58396

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          Re: HDD has identity crisis
          « Reply #6 on: January 04, 2009, 08:47:39 PM »
          Yes, it was listed.

          I will try the unplug approach.

          Maxtor was always F:, but oddly enough the Seagate was E: before the clean install that changed it to C:
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          patio

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          Re: HDD has identity crisis
          « Reply #7 on: January 04, 2009, 08:57:56 PM »
          A clean Windows install will always choose C: if it can...

          Quote
          BTW are these hard drives both internal ? ? both SATA or IDE or a combination of the 2 ? ?
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          " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

          ras58396

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            Re: HDD has identity crisis
            « Reply #8 on: January 04, 2009, 08:59:18 PM »
            Ok, I unplugged the Epson and it does not show up in the Device Manager and the Maxtor does.
            In disk management the Maxtor does not show up at all.
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            patio

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            Re: HDD has identity crisis
            « Reply #9 on: January 04, 2009, 09:30:44 PM »
            Ouch.
            Re-boot a few more times and try again...
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            " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

            JJ 3000



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            Re: HDD has identity crisis
            « Reply #10 on: January 04, 2009, 10:40:33 PM »
            Does the drive show up in BIOS?
            These are PATA drives right?
            Have you checked your jumpers?
            Does the E drive show up in disk management?

            Is it possible that when you installed windows you may have deleted the partition(s) on the E drive?
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            ras58396

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              Re: HDD has identity crisis
              « Reply #11 on: January 05, 2009, 04:12:51 AM »
              I very well may have deleted the partitions on the Maxtor, which was the F: drive before the new OS install.
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              ras58396

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                Re: HDD has identity crisis
                « Reply #12 on: January 05, 2009, 04:21:02 AM »
                The Maxtor does show up in bios.  It shows both HDDs.
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                patio

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                Re: HDD has identity crisis
                « Reply #13 on: January 05, 2009, 05:57:56 AM »
                Quote from: ras58396 on January 05, 2009, 04:21:02 AM
                The Maxtor does show up in bios.  It shows both HDDs.

                This is getting confusing because you don't answer everything when asked...

                Quote
                I have a Dell Dimension 8100 running WXP with SP3.  It has two HDDs.

                You say it shows in the BIOS but it doesn't...

                Quote
                BTW are these hard drives both internal ? ? both SATA or IDE or a combination of the 2 ? ?
                This has been asked 3 times now...
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                ras58396

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                  Re: HDD has identity crisis
                  « Reply #14 on: January 05, 2009, 06:50:59 AM »
                  You have got me confused.  Here it is:

                  Both HDD show up in bios.
                  Both drives show up in WXP Device manger.
                  The Maxtor does not show up in Drive Management
                  Both drives are IDE
                  The jumpers are correct since they have not changed and it ran correctly for several years.

                  Sorry, I have tried to be consistant and complete.  I went through the whole thread and see no inconsistency.  What do you think that I missed?
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