Hard Drive Recognized in BIOS but Not in Windows

Resolve the issue of a hard drive being detected in BIOS but not on Windows with these four methods:

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HDD Detected by BIOS but Not Windows

"I've been using an SSD for some time, but it's nearly full, so I acquired a new internal hard drive to complement it. I connected the SATA and power cables and entered the BIOS to verify the installation. The new drive appeared in the BIOS as expected. However, when I booted into Windows, it didn't show up. Not only in 'This PC' - I understand it requires configuration before being visible there - but it also doesn't appear in Device Manager or Disk Management. What could I be missing?"

If the hard drive is recognized in BIOS but not Windows, it indicates an issue that needs resolution. In this article, you'll discover how to troubleshoot this problem. Before diving into the solutions, it's essential to understand the possible reasons behind it.

Why Does My Hard Drive Appear in BIOS but Not in Windows?

Most reasons would lead to this error. If it's recognized in the BIOS but not in the operating system (OS), it's probable that the driver employed by the OS is incompatible with the drive. Alternatively, it could be that one drive is compatible with Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) while the other functions with legacy Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE). When AHCI is enabled, Windows disregards the IDE drive. Consequently, upon enabling IDE, you can boot from the IDE drive, but Windows will neglect the AHCI drive. There are other reasons that can also cause this error, which are as follows: 1. Incorrect or outdated storage controller drivers. 2. Inconsistent settings between the BIOS and the OS regarding the storage mode. 3. A corrupted system file related to the hard drive. 4. Incompatible hardware or firmware updates. 5. Issues with the SATA cable or port. 6. The hard drive might be failing or damaged. 7. Incorrectly configured RAID settings. 8. Mismatched or missing device drivers after a system update or installation. It's essential to troubleshoot these potential causes systematically to resolve the issue.

• Incompatible file system
• Missing drive letter
• Driver issues
• Damaged Master Boot Record (MBR)...

How to Resolve the Issue of BIOS Detecting the Hard Drive but Windows Not Recognizing It

Fortunately, we can show you some ways to help you solve the problem and potentially save your files.

Method 1: Initialize the Hard Drive

First, let's identify the source of the issue. If your hard drive is not showing up or recognized in File Explorer, you should verify whether the disk is brand new. Typically, an unreadable new hard drive will not appear in File Explorer. To initialize a hard drive, please follow these steps:

Step 1. Right-click on "This PC" (in Windows 10) and select "Manage".

Step 2. Open "Disk Management", right-click on your new hard drive, and select "Initialize Disk".

Step 3. Choose the disk and select MBR or GPT as its partition style, then click "OK" to begin.

Step 4. Right-click on the unallocated space on your new drive and select "New Simple Volume..."

Step 5. Assign the partition size, drive letter, and file system for the new hard drive.

Step 6. Click "Finish" when the process is complete.

Method 2: Change the Drive Letter

所有驱动器都分配了识别字母。

When drives are created, they are assigned an identifying letter. Sometimes, altering this letter might resolve the issue, provided that your BIOS recognizes the drive. To rectify the problem of Windows 10 not detecting the hard drive, follow these steps:

Step 1. Open "Disk Management", right-click on the disk partition that has no drive letter.

Step 2. Select "Change Drive Letter and Paths" from the context menu.

Step 3. Click the "Add" button in the popup window.

Step 4. Assign a drive letter to the partition and click "OK" to confirm.

Method 3: Format the Drive to a Compatible File System

As previously mentioned, selecting the incorrect file system can also result in the error where the hard drive is recognized in BIOS but not in Windows. In this case, formatting the hard drive to a compatible file system can help resolve the issue. You can format a disk using Disk Management; however, if your hard drive is larger than 32GB and you wish to format it to FAT32, you'll notice that the "FAT32" option is not available. Therefore, it's recommended to use a third-party tool that can overcome the FAT32 size limitation. Tools like AOMEI Partition Assistant can format a hard drive to FAT32, NTFS, or other specific file systems compatible with the Windows operating system.

• Right-click on the external drive or USB you plan to format and select "Format."
• Set the Partition label, File system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and Cluster size, then click "OK."
• Click "Yes" to proceed with the formatting.
• Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button and then click "Apply" to format the hard drive partition.

Method 4: Enable the Drive in BIOS

Another solution to fix the issue of Windows not detecting a disk partition but BIOS can is to enable the hard drive in the BIOS settings.

Step 1. Restart your PC and press F2 to enter BIOS.

Step 2. Access the Setup menu and review the system documentation to verify if the undetected hard drive is set to Off in the System Setup.

Step 3. If it's Off, turn it ON in System Setup.

Step 4. Reboot your PC to check if the hard drive is detected.

Bonus Tip - How to Retrieve Data from a Hard Disk Drive In case you accidentally delete important files or encounter a hard drive failure, here's a step-by-step guide on how to recover data from a hard drive: 1. **Stop Using the Hard Drive**: The first and most crucial step is to disconnect the hard drive from your computer if it's still connected. Further use can overwrite the lost data, making it irrecoverable. 2. **Backup Your Existing Data**: Before attempting recovery, ensure that your other data is backed up to prevent any potential loss during the process. 3. **Obtain Data Recovery Software**: There are several reliable data recovery tools available, both free and paid options, such as Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Stellar Data Recovery. Research and choose one that suits your needs. 4. **Install and Launch the Software**: Install the chosen software on a different drive (to avoid overwriting the lost data) and then launch it. 5. **Connect the Hard Drive**: Connect the problematic hard drive to your computer using an external enclosure or a USB-to-SATA adapter, ensuring it's recognized by the system. 6. **Scan the Hard Drive**: In the data recovery software, select the connected hard drive and initiate a scan. There may be different scanning modes like 'Quick Scan' for recently deleted files or 'Deep Scan' for more extensive searches. 7. **Preview and Select Files**: Once the scan is complete, the software will display a list of recoverable files. Preview them to verify their content before selecting the ones you want to recover. 8. **Recover the Files**: Choose the files, and specify a safe location on another drive to save them. Do not save them back to the original hard drive to avoid overwriting any remaining data. 9. **Check the Recovered Files**: After the recovery process, review the saved files to ensure they are intact and complete. 10. **Professional Assistance**: If the software fails to recover your data, consider consulting a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and expertise to handle complex cases. Remember, prevention is key, so always maintain regular backups of your important files to minimize the risk of data loss.

As formatting the drive might be necessary, there is a risk of data loss involved. Hence, it's advisable to recover data from your hard drive following the resolution of the issue where BIOS detects the hard drive but Windows does not. The Data Recovery Wizard tool simplifies the process of recovering data after formatting, deletion, and system failures. Download this data recovery software to retrieve lost files, images, documents, videos, and more from your hard drive.

Step 1. Select the drive where you lost your data and click "Scan".

Step 2. Use "Filter" or "Search" to locate the missing files once the scan is complete.

Step 3. Choose all the files you wish to recover and click "Recover". Next, browse for a different secure location to save them.

Conclusion

You can attempt the solutions outlined above to resolve the issue of "BIOS detects the hard drive but Windows does not." Incidentally, data recovery software offers numerous impressive features, such as RAW recovery, deleted recovery, and formatted recovery. Feel free to utilize this file recovery software whenever needed.