new hard drive not initialized?

Question

i just installed a new dvd-rw and hard drive. The dvd writer is working fine, but the hard drive isn't. It's a Western Digital 160GB WD1600BB. When I click my computer, the new hard drive isn't there. I do see the drive when i right click :c, click properties, and hardware. When I double click on the new drive, it says "this device is working properly" under device status.

When I then goto volumes, populate, it says type:unknown...status:not initialized. I went through the troubleshoot, and just can't figure it out. I assume I put the hard drive in correctly, since it shows up.

thanks for any help!

jimbach13 · Answer

ok... i just into computer management under the control panel, and saw my new hard drive there, but it had a red "-" minus sign on it, and it said it was off line. I clicked on it, and the minus sign went away, and it now says on line. But I still don't see the drive when i click on my computer. I just have the original c drive that came with the computer, and the d (dvd rom), and e (dvd-rw).

Am i getting close to getting this to work?

ejn63 · Answer

What system are you putting these into, and what operating system and service pack are you running?

ejn63 · Answer

Now create a partition and format it (with the disc administrator).

jimbach13 · Answer

i have dell 8100 Pentium 4, running XP, with sp 1

jimbach13 · Answer

that sounds easy enough. I assume formatting the new harddrive will not effect my old drive, right? And i can just do the format and partition through disc adminsitrator? thanks

ejn63 · Answer

That is correct - just make sure you're partitioning and formatting the additional drive, not the existing one.

jimbach13 · Answer

thanks for all the help...the new drive is working! There is 1 little problem, if you want to call it that. I put a few things on the new drive, but ended up deleting them, but when check the drive, it says there is around 9 GB used, when I only have a little over 4GB there. I deleted the files,and then cleared them out of the recycle bin. I am not too worried about it yet, since it's a 160GB drive...but it will eventually be a problem

thanks again!!

Storage, Drives & Media

new hard drive not initialized?

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