third ide hdd

hi iv just been given a third ide hhd. i have two ide hdd already on one cable and a second cable with a dvd/rw on as master. to save time i put the third ide hdd on the second cable as slave, in the bios it pics it up but when comp boots up it does not appear i my computer. so i cannot get to it. i only no a little about bios so i could have missed a simple step any help would be great cheers.


mobo asus p5vd1-x
winxp sp2
pd 820
1g ram

ide1 80g seagate
ide2 200g seagate
ide3 80g west dig (this is the second hand one ).

 

This is a software issue if the Bios correctly identifies the new HDD.
But first the hardware stuff. If you have attached it to the DVD cable the cable will be the wrong sort (thick ribs or 40 wire) for an 80GB HDD. This will work but will slow it down considerably - get an 80 wire (thin ribs) IDE cable.

Now the software

Windows will only see partitions in my computer, not hard drives. you need to partition and format the drive.

Start > Run > type in

diskmgmt.msc

The disk manager opens (if you are the administrator) and shows you the drives.

Choose the 3rd HDD and right click on the free space.

Choose bew logical drive

The New Partition Wizard starts Follow the instructions

Studio T

 

hi i did wot you said but when i got to the third hdd there was no free space, at the side of the third hdd was four partitions all heathly but unknown. when i right click only option is to delete or props, and i would nt mind looking in them. cheers.

 

Don't know where the third hd came from but if XP cant view them they are not windows compatible. If you want to use the disk you will have to clear them out and start again.

Something about cake and eating it?

Studio T

 

ok pal point taken ill delete the stuff and try again. cheers

 

If windoze isn't recognizing the partitions then the drive probably came out of a system with a Mac, Sun or Linux OS running. Funny thing is, Linux recognizes them all just fine (at least some distros do). Do you know anybody with a Linux OS loaded? maybe that would let you see what is there so that you can decide if you want to keep any of it.

 

too late all gone, but good news is now i have a hdd that works and best of all it cost nothing. once again pal thanks for your help.

 

Subject closed we can all go for a beer

Studio T