I built my PC back in 2017 with two 2TB HDDs configured in RAID 1 for storage. I recently rebuilt the system in late 2024, leaving those old drives in and adding a new RAID 1 setup with two 8TB HDDs, plus two M.2 drives for booting and working. Everything was running smoothly, aside from some annoying permission issues with the Old Data Drive. I couldn't upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 before, but after reinstalling Windows 10 due to a BSOD, I attempted the upgrade again. Initially, I had access to my Old Data Drive, but after the upgrade, it turned into 'F: Local Disk' and is now inaccessible. I can see the drive in Disk Management and Storage Spaces, and I'm running Disk Drill to recover files. My main concerns are: 1) What could have caused this issue, and how can I prevent it in the future? 2) Is there anything else I should do aside from recovering files and formatting the drives to regain access?
3 Answers
Consider using CrystalDiskInfo to check the health of your drives. If they register as 'Caution' or 'Bad', that could be problematic. Windows Storage Spaces do have a tendency to act up, so it might be worth looking into better backup solutions if the data is crucial to you.
It sounds like making changes to your BIOS or disk setup can lead to data issues. Always back up your data before any major changes to your system. In this case, fiddling around with your drives during the OS installation might have contributed. Check to see if your backup setup is solid!
You should check for BSOD dump files for analysis. If you can boot into Windows, try looking in C:WindowsMinidump. It's good to gather multiple dumps for a thorough review. Use a file-sharing service to upload them, as that might help diagnose your BSOD problems.
I ran CrystalDiskInfo, and thankfully, both drives are in good health. I'm still puzzled about why post-Win11, they became inaccessible. I assumed RAID 1 would give me peace of mind about redundancy, but here I am! Plus, I know I need to get better at backups.