When you turn on the computer, the BIOS checks its hardware. This also applies to hard drives. The BIOS does not see them if the hard drives have physical damage. In this case, a message appears on the monitor to indicate this. Some of the most serious problems can only be solved by specialists, but some of them can be solved by any user.
Most common causes
If the hard drive is not visible in the BIOS, the reasons may be software failures or hardware failures. The most common of these are the following:
- improper jumper setting on the hard drive;
- incorrect connection;
- hard disk damage;
- disabling it in the BIOS.
These reasons are mainly characteristic of HDDs, but to some extent also apply to SDDs. Below they will be considered in more detail.
Winchester connection incorrect
If the BIOS does not see the hard drive, the problem may be that it is not connected correctly to the motherboard. To eliminate it, you need to remove the protective cover from the system unit and check the connection of the hard drive cables. Remember that in case of incorrect connection, the hard disk is not visible in the BIOS. SATA cables often drop out of the connectors, so you need to check the reliability of their fastening. The length of such a cable should not exceed 1 meter. If ATA UDMA cables are used, their length should not exceed 45.72 cm.
Their connectors have different colors that need to be positioned correctly when connected:
- black is used for leading devices;
- gray - for subordinates;
- blue - to the motherboard.
Jumper settings
It is relevant for IDE disks. In this case, the BIOS does not see the hard drive when, due to jumpers, the primary and secondary hard drives are incorrectly detected. To do this, you need to turn it over and look at the label of the image Master and slave drives.
On SATA disks at their speed of 3 Gbit / s, it may not be detected by the controller with a maximum speed of 1.5 Gbit / s, and therefore this parameter on the hard drive should be reduced to these values. On some ATA disks, you can set the jumper parameter “Cable Detected”.
If the jumpers were oxidized, then you can do with them as follows:
- treated with an anti-corrosive solution intended for these purposes and sold in special shops;
- clean with emery cloth, and special care must be taken - one careless movement will result in the hard drive having to be replaced.
Verify Settings
If the system was not completed correctly, the BIOS does not see the hard drive on the computer for the reason that it made changes there on its own. Therefore, you need to check its settings. In different computers, access is carried out by pressing different keys, usually it is F2 or Del. If the BIOS does not see the SATA hard drive, the system will go to the Main section, and then to the Sata Configuration parameter. The value Enabled is set. After that, save the changes by pressing F10 and reboot the computer.
In addition, loading from the hard drive may not be carried out if it is not the first boot device. Also, the BIOS may not detect the hard disk if it is infected with viruses. You can try to reset all settings by resetting them to the factory settings.
This action can be done through the BIOS itself, as well as in other ways:
- The computer shuts down.
- The power cord is unplugged from the outlet.
- On the motherboard is Clear CMOS with a jumper mounted on a three-pin connector. In the working position, it stands at 1 and 2 contacts. It is removed and rearranged 2 and 3. After 20-30 seconds they are returned to their original position.
You can also reset the BIOS by pulling out the battery with the expectation of at least half an hour and returning it back.
Health check
If the BIOS does not see the hard drive on the laptop, you need to check if it has overheated, and remember if there have been any drops of this gadget lately. The drive, OS, or the laptop itself may become unusable over time. Check the health of the first one by connecting it to another device. If it is not recognized, you need to buy another hard drive. When working with a laptop, you need to keep in mind that it should not be placed on soft and uneven surfaces, free air access for the cooling system should be provided in its ventilation openings.
Defects are detected during a visual inspection. The following may be detected:
- malfunctioning of some parts;
- defects in the outer casing;
- damage to chips on the hard drive board.
Motherboard problems
In it, the northern or southern ports may fail or the contacts that are necessary to connect to the hard drive may burn out. In this case, the user himself is unlikely to be able to figure out the reasons. Qualified help from professionals is required. Therefore, a laptop or computer, if you don’t know how to get the motherboard, is handed over to a service center. To avoid problems with it, you need to check the connectors of it and the hard drive for the presence of displacement of contacts or bends. You need to connect one hard drive to one cable.
Lack of nutrition
This problem may occur after updating the computer, as well as in the case of installing a weak power supply. When purchasing a computer, it is better to plan to equip it with an appropriate device with a power reserve, so that in the future you can safely upgrade the main components. If the drive receives insufficient power, it will not rotate.
To identify whether this is the reason for the BIOS not being detected by the BIOS, you need to do the following steps:
- Turn off computer.
- Remove the cover from the system unit, disconnect the hard drive cable.
- Turn on the computer. Checking the rotation is carried out by light vibration emanating from the side of the hard drive. If it is not felt and not heard - it is not running.
- Connect power cables to a CD or DVD drive. This will let you know whether they are working or not.
- The power supply is checked to ensure that it provides the necessary power.
- If the disk does not start spinning, you need to check it on another device.
- Verification can be performed on a special SATA-USB enclosure.
- If all these actions do not cause the disc to start spinning, you need to take it to a service center under warranty or for after-sales service.
Factory defect and physical malfunction
Conventional hard drives with small damage quickly lose their performance. In this regard, the ASUS BIOS does not see the hard drive, as, indeed, of other laptops. The cause may be shaking, bumping or falling. The following may occur:
- magnetic plates are damaged;
- wedges engine bearing;
- magnetic heads stick.
In this case, the user will not be able to cope with the problems that have arisen, you need to seek help from professionals.
In addition, severe overheating can lead to the loss of a hard drive. As a result, the board may fail, which will also require specialist intervention. If a new hard drive was purchased at the store, but the BIOS does not see the hard drive, then, most likely, they sold it to you defective. Therefore, if there is still a guarantee, it is better to return it to a store or service center. Remember that with self-intervention, the warranty disc will not be accepted. You need to purchase hard drives in those outlets you trust in which you have already made purchases.
Finally
As part of this article, it was determined why the BIOS does not see the hard drive. This may be due to the fact that it is faulty for a physical reason, either because of a defect made in the production, or because the computer was upgraded, as a result of which the power supply was not enough. Also, one of the reasons may be problems with the motherboard. The disk may be malfunctioning, jumpers are incorrectly set. In addition, when you open / close the system unit, you can touch the cables, which will cause them to disconnect from the power or the motherboard. Also, the disk may be disconnected in the BIOS, or its incorrect settings are set.