New Hard Drive not showing up in Windows 7?

john10001 · 26 Nov 2014

I've just installed a new hard drive into my computer that is not showing up in Windows 7.

It doesn't show in My Computer.

It doesn't show in Device Manager.

It doesn't show in Disk Management.

Does anyone know what the issue is and how to fix?

I seem to be having dreadful luck recently. I ordered a new drive because the present hard drive in my system the SMART system has given me a message of "PREDFAIL" so I need to clone it ASAP to a new replacement disk.

I ordered a replacement drive but unfortunately it arrived damaged. It was sent in just a plastic mailer with no protection and one of the corners were all the ports are for data and power at the back left of the drive was damage. I had to send that back and got a replacement yesterday. The replacement there is no visible physical damage to this disk and I'm pleased to say they sent it in more secure packaging this time.

However after installing, connecting SATA cable and power cable and powering on the system it simply isn't showing up anywhere.

Have I received a replacement drive that is DOA?

Or is there something I haven't done that I should have to get the drive to show? Is there a driver I need to install?

I'm suspecting DOA but I seriously hope not. I don't want to have to send back for the second time and go through the whole RMA process again.

CKWD · 27 Nov 2014

Hello john10001!

There is really not much to the installing process of a new hard drive.
You'd need to connect it to the SATA and power cables on your motherboard and PSU and start the PC, from where in Computer Management you should be able to Partition and Format it from there.
Right after you connect the cables for the first time, you should be able to see your new drive in the BIOS menu. Is it listed there?
If it's not, it's most probably DOA. The other case would be the cables or SATA port. If you've received the cables with the drive, they may too be DOA, so use some of your own, that you know are working and to a SATA port you've tried something else on and also know it's working.
If not, the drive is dead, and you'll probably be better off ordering from somewhere else.

Best of luck!

CK_WD

oreo27 · 27 Nov 2014

I think CKWD has covered most of what you need to do. I can't stress this enough however. Before booting into Windows, make sure that the hard disk is indeed showing up in the BIOS. If it isn't, then it is more than likely that the SATA Port, SATA Cable, SATA Power Connector or Hard Drive itself isn't functioning.

As a side note, it may also be disabled in your BIOS so you do want to check there as well. I'm fairly certain that by default, it should be enabled but it can't hurt to check.