Share via

HOW TO SET UP AN IDE HARD DISK IN WINDOWS 10

Anonymous
2018-10-01T00:08:23+00:00

I want to be able to access existing data from 5 No. old IDE Hard Disks by adding them externally to my new Windows 10 PC.

I therefore recently purchased a USB hard disk adaptor (with a separate power supply) that, in theory, should allow me to connect any IDE or SATA external hard disk via a USB port.

It works just fine with 3 of the IDE disks - but not with the remaining 2!  They are a Conner CFS425A (425Mb) and a Samsung SHD-3121A (125Mb).  They are both set up as ‘Masters’ , spin OK and I have no reason to believe that there is any fault with them (I have previously used them on old 486 PCs).

Windows 10 recognises both of them upon connection (with a ‘ding-dong’) but then fails to show them in “This PC”.  However, in Disk Management, it lists them both as “Disk 6” (when run separately of course) and adds  “Unknown” & “Not Initialised”.  My PC also shows them in “Device Manager” (including brand/model).

A fellow Community “good guy” very generously and expertly ‘talked me through” a somewhat similar problem earlier (involving setting up a SATA disk, with some “power use” of the Command Prompt), however, that disk had no data on it (and apparently  it would have been lost if there had have been) – these 2 IDE disks  do hold data and I want to retain/retrieve it!  I have seen reference to “mounting disks manually” – whether this is relevant or not I don’t know.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2018-10-01T03:02:40+00:00

    You're doing all the right things ... the problem is with the disks, not with anything you're doing. Unknown and not initialised means that the disks are unreadable for any number of reasons. The disk metadata could be damaged or the partitions could be messed up. Or the file system could be a format that Windows 10 can't read.

    This is often fixable but you'll need 'partition manager' software, which you install on Windows. Then attach the hard drives (via USB) and open the software, which will analyze the disks, tell you what's wrong and how to fix it (if indeed it's fixable.)

    I have not worked with this kind of software in several years, so I'm not the best person to advise you. I used Paragon Partition Manager, but there are lots of other choices. You can find them by searching the web for:   windows 10 partition manager software

    Partition manager software is very powerful and also very complicated. It's definitely not a matter of 'follow these three easy steps ...' You'll have a learning curve and you'll have to be extremely careful. There are no do-overs with this type of software. But - you can do it.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2018-10-01T08:03:35+00:00

    Dear BulldogXX

    Very many thanks for your input - of the three 'causes' you list, I think that the 3rd one may be the most likely but, either way, you've introduced me to the concept of a 'partition manager'.  I shall investigate that (if with not much enthusiasm!).

    P.S.   I just love your "mission statement"!

    0 comments
  3. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more