Drive not availabe in Windows Backup

Hi All,

I have two HDD's installed on my PC.
The 1st one is 500GB and has three partitions, in one of which Windows 7 is installed.
The 2nd one is 160GB and has only one partition. I plan to use this one as a backup drive.

When I go to setup the Windows Backup wizard, in the list of partitions where I can choose to create the backup, it does not show me the 2nd drive partion. It only shows two partitions from the 1st drive.

How do I make the wizard display the 2nd drive as well?

The second drive is detected by Win 7 and I can also access it from Windows Explorer and other areas. I can read/write files to it. It's just that it is not shown in the Windows Backup options.

I had XP installed on the 2nd drive earlier, and so I think Windows Backup does not show it as it identifies some system-critical files on it(same reason it doesn't show the partition on which 7 is installed).

I have formatted the 2nd drive, but still no luck.
I also tried the Disk Wiper tool in CCleaner to erase all hidden files in the drive, but that takes ages to wipe the disk.

Please help.

Thanks for the help, Hopalong X, but this is not the problem I am facing.
The tutorial shows how to create a System Image. This I have already created.

The issue I described is with the Setup Backup option where my actual documents, images, etc. need to be backed up.

I want to set the backup such that it will backup all my files in the second HDD. But the HDD is not shown in the list.

Hope this has clarified and I get a solution.

I realized that after reading your post a second time.

You found your way to the proper place but the HD isn't showing.

I have been looking for a tutorial since to show you how to format the storage HD.
That way we know for sure Windows is totally recognizing it. No luck so far.

I know how but explaining it may be a problem.

Go to Start and type "create partition" in search bar. Click "Create a Partion".
This will open Disk Management. My second Snip.

You will only show two hard drives if it is showing properly.

This should erase info on Disk and format.

On the storage hard drive right click where I made the blue X with circle.

Do this on storage drive not the OS!!!

Then click Delete Volume in the pop up window I circled in yellow.

I am making Snips and posting as I do it on mine so this may take a few minutes for everything.

Left top Snip below.
Now the drive will show Unallocated.
Right click where I marked the blue x again then click New Simple Volume.

Top middle Snip click next, Top right click Next and all of the windows click "NEXT".
I think there were 4 total to click NEXT.

Then bottom left SNIP will show. It should say as mine Healthy Primary.

Hopefully after all this it will show in Windows Backup.

Let us know if it works or not and we will go from there.
Mike

When you get to the below left SNIP make sure NTFS is selected.

How about this for a thought. Windows backup reserves only 30% of the partition for backup. Is 30% of 160GB large enough to hold at least one backup.

derekimo said:

Just a thought, is your old XP drive formatted to NTFS?

Back up your programs, system settings, and files

Yes Derekimo, it is an NTFS drive