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Primary Slave Hard disk Problem

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Name: pban92
Date: September 4, 2006 at 05:23:58 Pacific
OS: xp pro
CPU/Ram: 2.00GHz/224MB
Product: Compaq EvoN1020v
Comment:

I have two Hard disks installed. One with 40GB (C,D,E,F and G) and the other one is 120GB (I, J, K, L and M). Both have been working fine until today.

Entering BIOS I can see that both Master and the slave are detected. Also during rebooting the PC I can also see that two drives are just detected normally.

BUT when I click "My Computer" or try to see any file by any media player even I do not see the slave, i.e., I:, J:, K:, L: and M: are not detected.

Any idea?



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Response Number 1
Name: mattie
Date: September 4, 2006 at 06:20:11 Pacific
Reply:

remove your disc controllers from your device manager, reboot and windows will re-install the device ... did the job for me, when a cd rom drive 'disappeared'

Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'

icq 10183575


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Response Number 2
Name: jam
Date: September 4, 2006 at 08:33:52 Pacific
Reply:

try putting the 2nd HDD on the 2ndary channel...that's where it *should* have been anyway


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Response Number 3
Name: tofftech
Date: September 4, 2006 at 09:20:05 Pacific
Reply:

OK, possibly too obvious, but does is the slave drive formatted with a file system the operating system can read? If, for instance, you're running Windows98 (please tell me you aren't!) then it can't read the second disk if it's been formatted with NTFS.


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Response Number 4
Name: pban92
Date: September 4, 2006 at 09:38:32 Pacific
Reply:

RN1 - The HDD is not detected in the device manager

RN2 - What you mean by "secondary channel"? I am using the 1st HDD as Primary Master, 2nd HDD as Primary Slave and Secondary Slave. What I understand it actually does not matter which I am using what as long as for 2nd HDD jumper setting is fine. Am I making any mistake?

RN3 - I think the formatting is not the problem. I have been using the 2nd HDD for one and half year now.

Any more ideas? Thank you guys.


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Response Number 5
Name: pban92
Date: September 4, 2006 at 09:41:48 Pacific
Reply:

(Repost with a little correction in RN2)

RN1 - The HDD is not detected in the device manager

RN2 - What you mean by "secondary channel"? I am using the 1st HDD as Primary Master, 2nd HDD as Primary Slave and DVD ROM as Secondary Slave. What I understand it actually does not matter which I am using what as long as for 2nd HDD jumper setting is fine. Am I making any mistake?

RN3 - I think the formatting is not the problem. I have been using the 2nd HDD for one and half year now.

Any more ideas? Thank you guys.



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Response Number 6
Name: ham30
Date: September 4, 2006 at 11:44:40 Pacific
Reply:

You have the terminology wrong Phan92.

Primary is the first controller/cable
Secondary is the second controller/cable

On each cable you will have a 'Master' drive and a 'Slave' drive (if you have two drives).

XP had a habit of losing drives. I don't have a fix.

Do yourself a favor BACKUP!


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Response Number 7
Name: ham30
Date: September 4, 2006 at 11:47:11 Pacific
Reply:

Sorry! XP 'has' a habit of losing drives.

Do yourself a favor BACKUP!


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Response Number 8
Name: mattie
Date: September 4, 2006 at 11:49:42 Pacific
Reply:

i said: remove your IDE controllers from the device manager and get windows to re-install them after rebboting.

and you're right, it shouldn't make a difference if that disc is on primary or secondary ide, as long it is properly configured and detected ... but then there's no harm in trying the disc as secondary slave (or master) for troubleshooting, is there?

Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'

icq 10183575


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Response Number 9
Name: XpUser
Date: September 4, 2006 at 12:06:02 Pacific
Reply:

XP 'has' a habit of losing drives mostly from having to put up with unusual user interactions & habits.

i_XpUser


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Response Number 10
Name: pban92
Date: September 4, 2006 at 14:18:51 Pacific
Reply:

Mattie, you are right, There is no harm in trying. I tried to remove IDE controllers. Neither I could find any option in BIOS or from device manager. Can you please tell me how to do that?

I think ham30 is right. It is XP who is "messing" for such behavior. Sometimes a simple restarting is solving the problem. I mean by restarting 2nd HDD is displayed again. Right now without doing "anything" but with just restarting the HDD got displayed again. Though I have restarted it several times in last 48 hours and only got success once now. To my frustration I am still in the dark to understand the "cause" behind such bizzare action.

XPuser I am trying to be "usual". Any more feedback?

Thanks again guys.


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Response Number 11
Name: jam
Date: September 4, 2006 at 19:37:25 Pacific
Reply:

I can't explain what happened, but the following is the optimal IDE configuration...I suggest you try it:

primary master = HDD w/OS
primary slave = optical drive
2ndary master = HDD2
2ndary slave = none

Use the Master or Slave jumper as necessary...do not use Cable Select


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Response Number 12
Name: Mechanix2Go
Date: September 5, 2006 at 00:47:08 Pacific
Reply:

The HD is failing. Once you get booted and it's showing, you better back up your data.


=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2



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Response Number 13
Name: pban92
Date: September 5, 2006 at 00:59:46 Pacific
Reply:

Thank you Jam and Mechanix and others.
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*END of the Topic*


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Response Number 14
Name: mattie
Date: September 5, 2006 at 02:24:56 Pacific
Reply:

open your device manager, find your ide controllers, right click, uninstall, reboot

Today's subliminal thought is: 'Calm down ... it's only ones and zeros.'

icq 10183575


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