Glad you got it working. I didn't see you're "Please advise" post until just now.
A trick I've had to do in BIOS for added items that showed in BIOS but not Windows - If the item is checked, uncheck it and click Apply. Then recheck it and click Apply.
It was something odd - when I went into the window which shows drives to format, there was only the C drive 'healthy' and possibly the D drive, optical drive.
There was also confusion because the new drive is E, yet a usb key I used yesterday was also labelled E, which came up under recent history. And of course - that drive is gone from the pc today.
BIOS is very unfriendly, you have a split second to hit F2 or 10 boots. Continually hitting F2 doesn't help either, you have to get it as soon as Windows offers it - a split second - tap before or after, & you've missed it.
It's not Windows that offers BIOS access while booting. Hit F2 when you see the Dell splash screen. There's normally a few seconds of that screen.
If your system boots too fast to access BIOS due to using bootable SSD, you may have to unplug the SSD that it boots from. Then turn on and access BIOS.
bradthetechnut
7 Technologist
•
9.4K Posts
1
August 23rd, 2020 18:00
Optiplex 790 Tech Guide
Optiplex 790 MT Owner's Manual
Find the 790 MT MB layout in the Tech Guide. Plug it into either unused 4, 5, 6, or 7.
kr236rk02
2 Intern
•
258 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2020 21:00
Thank you - will update.
kr236rk02
2 Intern
•
258 Posts
0
August 25th, 2020 08:00
Have added 2nd drive & connected power supply plus sata cable - but no 2nd drive is showing, nothing under Disk Management.
Used the spare Sata3 connector.
I do not wish to format the 2nd drive - it has archive data on it.
Please advise.
Thank you.
kr236rk02
2 Intern
•
258 Posts
0
August 25th, 2020 09:00
Got into BIOS
System Information showed the 2nd drive.
Came out of BIOS
There was the 2nd drive - relief!
bradthetechnut
7 Technologist
•
9.4K Posts
1
August 25th, 2020 10:00
Glad you got it working. I didn't see you're "Please advise" post until just now.
A trick I've had to do in BIOS for added items that showed in BIOS but not Windows - If the item is checked, uncheck it and click Apply. Then recheck it and click Apply.
kr236rk02
2 Intern
•
258 Posts
0
August 25th, 2020 11:00
It was something odd - when I went into the window which shows drives to format, there was only the C drive 'healthy' and possibly the D drive, optical drive.
There was also confusion because the new drive is E, yet a usb key I used yesterday was also labelled E, which came up under recent history. And of course - that drive is gone from the pc today.
BIOS is very unfriendly, you have a split second to hit F2 or 10 boots. Continually hitting F2 doesn't help either, you have to get it as soon as Windows offers it - a split second - tap before or after, & you've missed it.
Why do they do this?
bradthetechnut
7 Technologist
•
9.4K Posts
0
August 25th, 2020 12:00
It's not Windows that offers BIOS access while booting. Hit F2 when you see the Dell splash screen. There's normally a few seconds of that screen.
If your system boots too fast to access BIOS due to using bootable SSD, you may have to unplug the SSD that it boots from. Then turn on and access BIOS.