Windows 10 D/drive missing

[elfpattaya]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone can help me. I upgraded to Windows 10 a month ago and everything was OK, but today for no apparent reason my D partition has gone missing.

Anybody any ideas on why this has happened.

[Daffy D]

Hi

Is drive "D" a seperate physical drive or a partition of a drive?

Missing from where?

Click on "This PC" does the missing drive show up?

Right click on "This PC" in left pane click "Device manager" click "Disk Drives" does the missing drive show there?

Right click on "This PC" in left pane click "Disk Management" does the missing drive show there?

[mcfish]

Follow the advice above but drives fail regardless of OS and its probably just coincidental . I lost an SSD just a few weeks back after months of dissapearing , bought another ,problem solved

[Daffy D]

As "mcfish" said could be a faulty - dying drive

A couple of free programs that check on drive health:-

Crystal Disk Info:- http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/manual-en/KeyFeatures.html

Download:- http://crystalmark.info/download/index-e.html

Abelssoft check drive:- https://www.abelssoft.de/en/windows/System-Utilities/CheckDrive

Scroll down for free version.

[elfpattaya]

The drive is a 1 TB drive that I had in an old Desktop. When I bought a new Desktop, last September, I asked that they put this hard drive as D/partition for Music/Pictures etc.

I haven't got that much stuff any way and it's all backed up, so no big worries.

I think you could be right that it has actually died, as there is no sign of it anywhere on my computer.

The thing is that this HD is probably less than 2 years old, and is not the first or second one I have had die. It really seems to be pot luck on how long they last, as they are only guaranteed for a year and this is the third one I have had die in about 5years.

This one was not exactly overworked as there was only about 60 G/bit of stuff on it.

[JSixpack]

The device in questions has gone from D/drive to D partition to D/partition. From the muddled description above it appears that the drive once recognized as D: is a 2nd HD installed in your computer for backups.

Look for it in the Device Manager. If not there, you might also look for it in the BIOS. If there, go into the Drive Manager and see is you can assign it a drive letter or repartition & reformat and assign it a drive letter. (Try checking w/ Crystal Disk Info before repartioning etc.)

If you can't find it in the Device Manager or BIOS, then open your case and check the cable connections. Could be loose. Maybe the data cable went bad; try another cable. Try another SATA port on the motherboard.

[lostinisaan]

Go to your Windows Emblem, right click and go to " Disc Management".

You might have to "initialize it. Please report back if you see the drive with the correct size. make a screenshot, if possible. .

[elfpattaya]

Thanks for all your help, I have tried everything suggested, but there is absolutely no sign of it anywhere, it has gone, probably died.

I shall go back to the shop tomorrow and get it checked out. If it has died i will probably have it surgically removed and dumped.

I will not buy another. I will report back tomorrow.

[JSixpack]

Go to your Windows Emblem, right click and go to " Disc Management".

You might have to "initialize it. Please report back if you see the drive with the correct size. make a screenshot, if possible. .

Ignore that ignorant advice by one of our students. Disk has already been initialized.

[stoli]

Is "D" drive your DVD player? In February I went back to the states, ordered a new Dell, got back to Pattaya with it, and my DVD player works with Music CD's, but not with DVD's. I finally found out that Microsoft does not include the drivers for DVD players with new copies of Windows 10. (This news is online if anyone doubts this.) Microsoft will sell you the DVD drivers, through their Microsoft Store download, for $14.99. I guess Microsoft is very jealous of the money that Apple generates with their store. Sad but true.

[bendejo]

A little confusing in the terminology, OP.

Is there a physical disk drive other than the one that contains Windows? Device Manager will let you know.

If not, then it is the hdd that has either died or the connector came loose.

If indeed the hdd shows up in Device Manager then the Disk Management utility is your next step.

[aarn]

This problem can occur when the drive is not held in place sufficiently tightly/securely, and the machine is physically moved (or a gamer becomes overly excited). So no harm done opening up your machine, dusting the contacts, and resecuring the bracket (or whatever) that holds the drive in place. AA

[elfpattaya]

A little confusing in the terminology, OP.

Is there a physical disk drive other than the one that contains Windows? Device Manager will let you know.

If not, then it is the hdd that has either died or the connector came loose.

If indeed the hdd shows up in Device Manager then the Disk Management utility is your next step.

Yes it is a physical hard disk drive, completely separate from my windows drive.

I agree that it has either died or there is a loose connector.

The computer I bought is a Dell Vostro Desktop, and as I had a spare HDD from an old computer I asked them to use it as a D partition.

The Dell is still under guarantee, so I don't want to mess about with it myself.

I'm sorry if I've confused people.

[Daffy D]

Lots of repeated same advice

If the drive has suddenly stopped showing up anywhere, you said it was working before, then the first thing to check would be the connections, both on the drive and on the motherboard.

I realize you don't want to mess with the warranty of your new desktop but if you open the case have a feel of the missing drive and see if it is warm to indicate there that there is some life.

What make is the drive? Some time ago WD drives were having lots of problems, I believe they are better now, manufactures quality seems to go in phases. Google the drive model to see what others say about the performance of this drive.

Do you have a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) to protect your computer? Without a UPS each fluctuation and power cut will effect your computer electronics. HHD's especially don't this and this may explain your several drive failures.

[chrisinth]

A little confusing in the terminology, OP.

Is there a physical disk drive other than the one that contains Windows? Device Manager will let you know.

If not, then it is the hdd that has either died or the connector came loose.

If indeed the hdd shows up in Device Manager then the Disk Management utility is your next step.

Yes it is a physical hard disk drive, completely separate from my windows drive.

I agree that it has either died or there is a loose connector.

The computer I bought is a Dell Vostro Desktop, and as I had a spare HDD from an old computer I asked them to use it as a D partition.

The Dell is still under guarantee, so I don't want to mess about with it myself.

I'm sorry if I've confused people.

Depending on the terms of the warranty, you may have voided this already by adding the 1TB drive to the mainboard, not sure how Dell write it up.

However, in addition to the advice already given, if you already have the case open, remove the 'D' drive and mount it in an external 3 1/2" box if you have on available. Plug this into the same computer via USB and see if it is recognised. If not recognised as new software (What would you like to do with this drive...), open up your Disk Management (right-click on the start button and select) and see if you can see it there.

Doing it this way should rule out errors with your cables and MoBo connections. If still not recognised.....................

[elfpattaya]

Went back to Wattana (Pattaya) this morning and the Hard Drive had died as suspected.

But some good news apparently it was still under warranty even though it was just over 2 years old, so it's gone back to Seagate (I think) and they told me they would contact me in about a month.

I must say that the service at Wattana (Pattaya Klang) was excellent.

Thanks to everybody for their advice and help.