Access Without Formatting?

lukasfoz · 21-11-2006, 09:16 PM

Ive just upgraded my Pc with a new motherboard and processor and changed my hard drives around. I put a new 80gig one in and installed an OS and put my 300gig external hard drive inside the tower. All went well until it told me that 'the drive is not formatted' when i try to access it. This drive is full and I don't want to have to wipe it. Any way round this? Cheers, Luke.

megamaced · 23-11-2006, 05:27 PM

I assume you mean the 300GB external HDD is not being read? I would suggest you try the hard drive in another computer. If the outcome is the same then more likely then not your data has become corrupt

Big B · 27-11-2006, 04:48 PM

What OS? If you're using XP, you will need Service Pack 1 or later to recognize the full amount.

Omnicron · 02-12-2006, 02:22 PM

I have got this same problem. Ill guide you through it step by step.

I reinstalled windows XP.
Before doing this i unplugged my 320Gb SATA HD so that i didnt accidently format it.

Installed XP

Plugged in my 320GB hd once windows was up and running (not on sp2 though)

When i try and open it it says this drive needs formatting, format now yes/no
iv installed disk manager 8 and it says that the drive is invalid and wont let me create any partitions or anything. the drive is also showing as being split in two 127MB being the first part (as windows does this) iv made my C: drive show upto 200gb so windows is fine at seeing big drives.

for some reason its just showing my 320gb as not formated and being invalid.
BIOS shows it as 320gb.
As far as im aware all my data is still on there, atleast it better be, id be gutted to lose 300GB's of data !

So basicly the drive is there, and showing but when i try and access it it says need formatting, the status on left of screen in widnows shows 0bytes of data etc etc. yet in disk manager it shows it as being split in 2, but cant do anything to the drive, no access to it. fairly new sata, only unplugged for a few hours, suddenly showing as needs formating. CANNOT lose that data.

Anybody know what to do?

Big B · 03-12-2006, 01:47 PM

As mentioned before, you will need Service Pack 1 or higher for XP to properly recognize it. The 48-bit addressing requires hardware support, which has been in place for a few years now. It also requires the OS to acknowledge that.

I just reinstall XP so it'd be on my 160GB Seagate. It installed on the partition I created, but didn't recognize the full amount. I updated to Service Pack 2 and I had full access to the drive.

21-11-2006, 09:16 PM	#1 (permalink) Top
lukasfoz Geek Trainee Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2 Status: Offline	Access Without Formatting? Ive just upgraded my Pc with a new motherboard and processor and changed my hard drives around. I put a new 80gig one in and installed an OS and put my 300gig external hard drive inside the tower. All went well until it told me that 'the drive is not formatted' when i try to access it. This drive is full and I don't want to have to wipe it. Any way round this? Cheers, Luke.

27-11-2006, 04:48 PM	#3 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,636 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	What OS? If you're using XP, you will need Service Pack 1 or later to recognize the full amount. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

03-12-2006, 01:47 PM	#5 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,636 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	As mentioned before, you will need Service Pack 1 or higher for XP to properly recognize it. The 48-bit addressing requires hardware support, which has been in place for a few years now. It also requires the OS to acknowledge that. I just reinstall XP so it'd be on my 160GB Seagate. It installed on the partition I created, but didn't recognize the full amount. I updated to Service Pack 2 and I had full access to the drive. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

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23-11-2006, 05:27 PM	#2 (permalink) Top
megamaced Geek Geek Geek! Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 24 Male Posts: 3,467 Times Helpful: 352 My Mood: Fine Status: Offline My Computer	I assume you mean the 300GB external HDD is not being read? I would suggest you try the hard drive in another computer. If the outcome is the same then more likely then not your data has become corrupt

02-12-2006, 02:22 PM	#4 (permalink) Top
Omnicron Geek Trainee Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1 Status: Offline	I have got this same problem. Ill guide you through it step by step. I reinstalled windows XP. Before doing this i unplugged my 320Gb SATA HD so that i didnt accidently format it. Installed XP Plugged in my 320GB hd once windows was up and running (not on sp2 though) When i try and open it it says this drive needs formatting, format now yes/no iv installed disk manager 8 and it says that the drive is invalid and wont let me create any partitions or anything. the drive is also showing as being split in two 127MB being the first part (as windows does this) iv made my C: drive show upto 200gb so windows is fine at seeing big drives. for some reason its just showing my 320gb as not formated and being invalid. BIOS shows it as 320gb. As far as im aware all my data is still on there, atleast it better be, id be gutted to lose 300GB's of data ! So basicly the drive is there, and showing but when i try and access it it says need formatting, the status on left of screen in widnows shows 0bytes of data etc etc. yet in disk manager it shows it as being split in 2, but cant do anything to the drive, no access to it. fairly new sata, only unplugged for a few hours, suddenly showing as needs formating. CANNOT lose that data. Anybody know what to do?

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