The situation when the computer does not see the SATA hard drive is quite common. To make sure of this, it’s enough to just look at thematic forums: as a rule, there are a lot of topics that are somehow related to this problem.
Recommendations given in discussions sometimes allow you to restore functionality. Yes, and expand the horizons of the reader, answering the question "why the computer does not see the disk (HDD)." On the other hand, with some malfunctions, the hard drive has to be sent to a landfill. Unfortunately, the race for manufacturers of available disk space, performance and cost reduction has led to the fact that the reliability of modern hard drives is much lower than their counterparts 10-15 years ago.
Why does the computer not see the disk?
The reasons for this behavior of the system can be very different: from a banal disturbance of contact to a serious breakdown of the components of the hard drive itself. Accordingly, in order to answer the question “why the computer does not see the disk”, a small diagnosis is necessary.
In fact, all existing causes can be divided into two large groups. The first includes all those that are associated with the impossibility of determining the hard drive by the system with the outwardly normal operability of the drive. But the second, on the contrary: a suspiciously quiet hard drive is not seen by the motherboard. Let's consider each group in more detail.
Does the hard drive work?
To understand why the computer does not see the disk, you first need to determine whether the disks (the so-called pancakes) rotate inside the device. They are placed on the motor shaft and when the computer is turned on, they spin up to a steady speed. Thus, if, after power is applied, the shaft remains stationary, then the search for a problem is reduced to checking the power connector. To determine, in the off state of the system unit, remove the side cover, put your hand on the hard drive case (not on the electronic part!), And press the power button. A slight vibration is clearly felt - it is impossible to confuse it with anything. For difficulties with the determination, you can use the proven method: touch the metal part of the screwdriver to the HDD case, rest its handle on the palm of your hand, which, in turn, press it to your ear.
The shaft is stationary
If the hard drive does not spin up, then turn off the
system unit, remove the plug from the hard drive connector (comes from the power supply) and reinsert it. If after turning on the HDD everything still does not work, then you need to connect another plug to the disk (usually they are standard and interchangeable). If the disk does not spin up, then you need to carefully examine the soldering of the contacts of the power connector - there should not be any damage. With a negative result, most likely, you will have to purchase a new device.
The shaft rotates
A completely different situation, when pancakes are untwisted, but the device cannot be seen. In this case, you can try reconnecting the SATA cable or, even better, replace it with a new one equipped with a metal clip.
After that, you can check the BIOS settings. To enter the configuration utility, you must press the Del button several times immediately after turning on the computer. Here you should check the status of IDE / RAID / AHCI and switch the port to another mode. If all else fails, then you need to reset the BIOS settings using the jumper on the motherboard. The source of the problem may be the box for the hard drive - you need to check the performance without it.