Win7 disk unknown, not initialized, not assigned

[DiWiT]

Hi all,

I have a 1TB disk as the third disk on my desktop computer. Disk2 is the OS SSD, Disk0 is the old OS + data disk now used just for data, and Disk1 is a data disk. It used to have just 1 partition using the full disk. This computer is always on, as it is used as a "server".

It was all good but today I restarted it and after the reboot it is freezing, programs crashing... looked in "my computer" and partition H: (the only partition on Disk1) was not there. Checked disk management and found what's on the screenshot below:

What do you guys suggest to try and get the partition back? Ideally, I would like not to have to format/replace the disk.

Thanks,

 

[jumanji]

Hi DiWiT,

Welcome onboard.

1. Please do not upload the screenshots to third party servers. Upload it to Seven Forums servers. Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums - Windows 7 Help Forums

2. Please confirm that your Disk 2 is running Windows 7 . What Edition? Basic? Premium? Professional? Ultimate? 32bit? 64 bit?

3. Now to get on to the task, download and install MiniTool Partition Wizard Free version 9.1 from here. (Yes, you heard it right - old version 9.1 and not 10.0, 10.1, 10.2.1 or 10.2.2.)
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free 10.2.2 Download for Windows / Old Versions / FileHorse.com

4. Run it, say NO if it offers a new version, and post a screenshot of how your drives look in it - the very first screen when you launch it. After taking the screenshot , close Partition Wizard.

It is already time to retire here and so I shall see it tomorrow morning - that is after 10 hours from now.

Till then , do nothing and just relax.

In which country are you in?

 

[DiWiT]

Hi DiWiT,

Welcome onboard.

1. Please do not upload the screenshots to third party servers. Upload it to Seven Forums servers. Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums - Windows 7 Help Forums

2. Please confirm that your Disk 2 is running Windows 7 . What Edition? Basic? Premium? Professional? Ultimate? 32bit? 64 bit?

3. Now to get on to the task, download and install MiniTool Partition Wizard Free version 9.1 from here. (Yes, you heard it right - old version 9.1 and not 10.0, 10.1, 10.2.1 or 10.2.2.)
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free 10.2.2 Download for Windows / Old Versions / FileHorse.com

4. Run it, say NO if it offers a new version, and post a screenshot of how your drives look in it - the very first screen when you launch it. After taking the screenshot , close Partition Wizard.

It is already time to retire here and so I shall see it tomorrow morning - that is after 10 hours from now.

Till then , do nothing and just relax.

In which country are you in?

1- sorry about that, will upload any pictures to the forum in the future.

2- yes, Disk2 is running Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64 bits.

3, 4- Will download it and run it on the computer, then post results here.

I am in Spain.

I just realized my 500GB Disk0 has just become the same now in Disk Management: unknown, not initialized, not assigned, so I am starting to think the issue is not the Disk/s, but the motherboard itself, windows or something else... what can be causing this to all disks?

Forgot to mention the Disk Management takes a looong time when launched with the message "Connecting to the virtual disk service...", then it finally loads and shows the disks as unknown, not initialized...

Thanks,

 

[jumanji]

Strange .... Another Disk becoming unknown and not initialised.

Can a faulty motherboard cause this? I am not sure and haven't come across such a case. I would elicit the opinion of other experts on it.

I only wish your boot disk also does not go that way.

Off to bed now. See you tom.

 

[Marie SWE]

Most often, when a motherboard/chipset breaks down so it only affects the hard drives, everyone stops working at the same time. it's little on or off.. not little in between. that's my experience over the years that I've encountered different types of hardware breakdowns.
I think more about the driver or operating system itself.
Viruses and malware can also cause a lot of phenomenons as well

 

[jumanji]

Thank you Marie SWE for chipping in. I do need these inputs.

This sure doesn't look like a fault in either of the HDDs but an insufficient/defective Windows installation.

There are two ways to check on it.

1. Remove the HDDs and install those on another working Windows 7 desktop. Most probably those will show as good. ( OP can also put those inside a working external case and try it on another PC)

or

2. Boot into Live Linux on the present desktop and check whether the HDDs are accessible.

( If accessible ( 1 or 2), the OP is advised to back up all data in those HDDs)

3. The OP has to check that he has installed all the motherboard drivers - chipset drivers, storage controller drivers etc. It is best to get all these drivers from the motherboard manufacturer's website.

4. If need be, after removing the HDDs, he should shift the Boot SSD to SATA 0 port - the first SATA port - and reinstall the OS/ all drivers

5. He should if the HDDs are shown to be working good, make the OS partition in the HDD which is no longer used as inactive.

I derived some of the inputs here from this bleepingcomputer thread Unable to Initialize Disk - Internal Hardware This again was a strange case. The OP there needed to initialise and format his HDD as a gpt drive after a clean wipe.. It was inexplicable even to the expert who was guiding him in that thread. Nevertheless he did a wonderful job and the OP's "Unknown, Not initialised " MBR drive was resurrected.

With these comments, I shall now go into watch mode and will come in again only if it is established without doubt that the HDDs have gone bad and data needs to be recovered. ( most unlikely)

The OP may post the screenshots asked for in my post #2 plus any other information he may want to present after going through the bleepingcomputer thread referenced above.

 

[DiWiT]

Thank you guys. I will try all those suggestions in the next coming days (the computer is not currently with me) and keep you posted.

I hope the disks are ok (which looks quite possible) and it is just a matter of OS reinstallation.

Thanks!

 

[jumanji]

You are most welcome. And yes, keep us posted giving a shout and let us hope for the best.

 

[DiWiT]

Well, when I could finally get my hands on the computer I found that the BIOS does not recognize the 1TB HDD and will be stuck for a good few seconds in the "trying to detect disk1..." message.

If I unplug that disk and leave the other 2 disks, the system boots fine and all seems to be working perfectly.

Tried a different SATA cable, power cable, different SATA port on the motherboard... still nothing. Then plugged the disk on to another computer, won't see it in the BIOS either. The disk does not do any clack-clack noises, so probably the logic board on it is gone.

Replaced that disk with another 1TB one and all is good again.

Anyway, I reinstalled the nVidia drivers in case they were corrupt or something, as I don't like the fact that Disk0 showed as being bad as well.

Took a screenshot of MiniTool Partition Wizard without the bad HDD connected, not sure this is of any help now:



Don't think there is anything that can be done with the damaged disk, other than trying to replace the logic board on it with another one from a disk of the same model, right?

Thanks, regards.

 

[jumanji]

If the BIOS does not see the disk, then we can't do anything. No data recovery software can see it too. Live Linux also will not see it. You have to seek professional data recovery agencies for data recovery.

The other 500GB disk which also you said had turned "unknown and not initialised" seems to be fine.

And so that is it. ( In the past few weeks, I have only been seeing electronics-failed drives and so practically I am helpless and doing nothing. )

 

[DiWiT]

If the BIOS does not see the disk, then we can't do anything. No data recovery software can see it too. Live Linux also will not see it. You have to seek professional data recovery agencies for data recovery.

The other 500GB disk which also you said had turned "unknown and not initialised" seems to be fine.

And so that is it.

yep, that's what I thought too. Fortunately, that disk was the backups disk, so now I just need to backup everything to the new 1TB disk again and we should be fine.

Thanks anyway for all your help!