New HD just…disappeared on me

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Troubleshooting a Disappeared Hard Drive: A Personal Experience

It can be incredibly frustrating when a vital component of your computer suddenly becomes unresponsive. Recently, I encountered a situation that many might find themselves in—a new hard drive seemingly vanished into thin air. Here’s a detailed account of my experience, along with some insights that might help others facing similar issues.

The Setup

Approximately two months ago, I installed a large Seagate IronWolf Pro 20TB hard drive into my HP Pavilion TG01-2360, which is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5700G processor and equipped with 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM. I had designated this hard drive as my primary storage for a Plex server, where I stored a whopping 17TB of movies and TV shows. Up until today, everything functioned smoothly, allowing me to stream content without a hitch.

The Sudden Disappearance

While enjoying a program remotely via Plex, I encountered a disconnection that left me puzzled. Upon attempting to reconnect, I realized that the drive was no longer accessible. My first thought was to remote into my PC to investigate further. To my dismay, the drive simply wasn’t appearing. A quick reboot didn’t resolve the issue, prompting me to consult Disk Management. As I scanned the screen, it became clear that the drive was missing, although the system did invite me to initialize it—a step I hesitated to take.

The Hardware Check

There were no unusual sounds or signs of failure from the drive prior to this incident, which added to my confusion. Determined to troubleshoot, I physically inspected the PC. I powered it down and carefully disconnected and reconnected the hard drive. However, upon rebooting, I noticed the drive emitting unusual noises, almost as if it were struggling to start. Once the boot process was complete, the sounds came to a halt, but regrettably, the drive still remained absent from my system.

Seeking Solutions

If anyone has encountered a similar situation or has insights on potential fixes, I would greatly appreciate your advice. Whether I need to consider data recovery options or if there are steps I can take to revive the drive, any guidance would be invaluable. Thank you for your support as I navigate this concerning issue, and I hope to share a happy resolution soon!

Conclusion

In the world of technology, unexpected problems can arise at any time. Sharing experiences like these can help others troubleshoot their own

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BCAdmin1 Comment on 2 questions: 1. How to test a Backup Windows System Image, to ensure it’ll actually recover your backed up data? 2. If your backup skips some files because they are deemed “corrupt”, what are your options? Thanks! 😊

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  1. Potential Troubleshooting Steps for a Disappeared Hard Drive

    • Ensure all physical connections are secure. Sometimes, re-seating the drive or checking the SATA and power cables can resolve detection issues.
    • Check Disk Management again after reconnecting the drive to see if it appears. Be cautious before initializing it to avoid data loss.
    • Listen carefully to the drive during power-up. Unusual noises may indicate hardware failure; if so, consider consulting a professional data recovery service.
    • Update your motherboard’s BIOS and chipset drivers, as sometimes outdated firmware can cause hardware detection problems.
    • Try connecting the drive to a different port or via a different cable to rule out port or cable issues.
    • Test the drive on another computer if possible, which can help determine if the drive itself is faulty.
    • If the drive is recognized but data is inaccessible, avoid writing new data to it and consider professional data recovery options to prevent permanent loss.
    • Consult your drive manufacturer’s support page for specific troubleshooting guides or firmware updates.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider engaging a professional data recovery service, especially if the drive makes abnormal noises. Safety first—avoid attempting complicated repairs without proper expertise to prevent further damage.

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