Hey everyone! I've been struggling with an issue for a few months now: I've got a hard drive from a friend's old OEM PC, but it just won't register in the Windows installer. I've tried connecting it to my main rig, which is fully functional with Windows installed, but it's like the system doesn't acknowledge it at all. The only place it shows up is in the BIOS, where it at least recognizes the drive, but beyond that, nada. It spins and makes some data-checking noises, but that's about it. Since it was a free gift, it's not the end of the world if it's a lost cause, but any suggestions would be super helpful! I'm on Windows 10 and I've never used Linux, so I'd prefer solutions that work with what I know. Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
Make sure to check the bottom of the Windows installation window. Sometimes drives can be listed there instead of at the top.
What do you mean by data checking sounds? If it’s click, click, click, that often indicates the drive has seek errors and isn’t initializing properly.
Have you tried aligning the partition? Just search for 'partition' in the Windows start menu and it should show up. That might help your drive get recognized better!
I'll try that, thanks!
Isn't that more of a Windows 11 thing? I noticed 'Disk Management' is the first thing that pops up when I search for 'part'.
I mean just a light buzz as it searches for data. Not sure what it’s officially called, all my knowledge is self-taught, haha!