Solved Missing HDD Please Help

[Average Ben]

I am using an msi gt780 gaming laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. This laptop has an ssd on which the os is located and another internal hdd for storage. I recently booted up my pc to discover most of my programs were missing. I soon discovered that my storage drive (It was labeled as D:\) was not appearing in My Computer. I looked for it in Disk Managment, it is not shown, and my dvd drive was reassigned to the path d:\. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[D3LL]

Hi there, Welcome to Sevenforums.com

Hmm very strange problem,

Try going to Start > Right Click Computer > Go to Manage > Once that window pops up click Disc Management down the left hand side.

Should look something like:

Are you able to see it there?

If not the hard drive has either come lose or died.

 

[Average Ben]

No, I am not able to see it in Disc management, I am fairly certain it hasn't died as it has never crashed or made strange noises. Thank you for the quick reply!

 

[D3LL]

No, I am not able to see it in Disc management, I am fairly certain it hasn't died as it has never crashed or made strange noises. Thank you for the quick reply!

Hmmm it may have just come lose. Are you able to open up just the hard drive bay without opening the whole laptop up? Just to check it hasn't come out of the socket etc?

 

[Average Ben]

Unfortunately, I am clueless when it comes to hardware. I Have no idea where the hard drive bay would be.

 

[DocBrown]

Welcome Average Ben


Also check to see if it is recognized in the Bios setup. Do you know how to get into the Bios on Power Up ?

 

[Average Ben]

I know how to get into BIOS, it would be under system information yes?

 

[DocBrown]

Unfortunately, I am clueless when it comes to hardware. I Have no idea where the hard drive bay would be.

Check out some of these videos

:ar: laptop hard drive replacement video - Yahoo! Search Results

 

[DocBrown]

I know how to get into BIOS, it would be under system information yes?

You should see a screen that lists each Mfg HD Id & any optical (DVD/CD/BD) drives

 

[Average Ben]

Thanks Doc Brown, I will attempt to find the issue and will post it here.

 

[mmkarimi]

check the following attachment to see if you can find out what has just happened. it may just missed its label
please attach the same pictures in from your system information and computer management.( type it in the start menu)

 

[Average Ben]

Here are the requested Images, the hdd doesn't appear in BIOS.

 

[DocBrown]

Well then It could be as Dell said a loose power or data connection of the data HD or it has failed.
Check those video links I gave you. Then see if you can easily inspect the location of that HD.


Edit: Make sure the computer is Powered OFF! when you inspect the HD.

 

[mmkarimi]

it seems have not recognized any other HDD..
it must have unattached, you must open the bot and check the connectors they may hopefully got loos. otherwise it may have gone.
if the connectivity is okey, then try to attach your HDD to another computer and make sure its not dead!

 

[Average Ben]

I have resolved the issue, a friend suggested unplugging the laptop, removing the battery and pressing the power button to drain the "capacitors". I am not sure of how this fixed my issue, or even what caused it, but I now have full access to my HDD. Thank you all for the assistance.

 

[DocBrown]

Whooah too many JiggaWatts

 

[mmkarimi]

congratulation., you did it. this was ones happened to me with flash memory. my computer wasn't recognized it. i read somewhere to do the same and it worked.. it was good to know that this trick would may work with HDD too!!
thanx pal
and happy new year

 

[D3LL]

Oh well at least the problem is now fixed !

 

[Average Ben]

Thanks again for all of the help, marking as solved.