Cannot Detect Old HDD (USB Sata External) after restoring its backup
Hi to all
I successfully moved from my Source (HDD that ran Windows 10)
to my new Destination (Crucial M.2.)
I used an External SSD to create bootable media, and to store a Acronis (True Image 2019 build 21500) backup of Source.
I then unplugged source completely, and booted with External SSD, and ran a restore from its backup to the M.2.
So far so good. My system works off the m.2 and all my applications and data are in place.
Problem: when I connect my old source HDD through a USB-Sata Cable, I can see the drive in Explorer and Disk Management. However, I cannot format it, or explore it or use it in any way. In Explorer, I get message "Please insert a disk into Drive E". In disk Management I see a Removeable Disk No Media.
I cannot format or allocate or anything.
How can I reformat my HDD and use it for storage?
Thanks a lot for any suggestions and solutions.
Karthik

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Karthik, welcome to these public User Forums.
If the external HDD is visible in Explorer and Disk Management, then I would suggest trying the following.
- Open an Administrator level Command prompt window (CMD with Run as Administrator).
- Type the following commands:
- diskpart
- list disk
- (find the disk number for your external USB HDD drive)
- select disk x (where x is the number found in step 5.)
Note: please ensure that you have selected the correct drive as the next command does not ask for confirmation before wiping the drive of all partitions & data!!!
- clean
- exit (twice)
Once you have run the clean command for the external HDD, you should be able to go back into Disk Management and reformat the drive for use as a storage drive. Alternatively, you can type a few more commands after step 7. (clean)
- clean
- create partition primary
- format fs=ntfs quick
- assign
- exit
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Hi Steve,
Thanks so much for your reply, I tried out the steps you suggested.
When I hit the clean command, I got an error
Virtual Disk Service error:
There is no media in the device.
This is the same message I see in Explorer and Disk Management.
I compared the pins on my SATA SSD and my HDD. The HDD has more pins. When I plug it in, I hear no spinning or anything. The lights on the connector go up, but the HDD makes no sounds.
Is this a cable problem? Any way I can put this HDD back in its old spot and then clean it? The slot is empty as my new OS is on the M.2 slot.
Thanks once again
Karthik
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Karthik, what is the make & model type of the HDD and what size is the drive? Is this a desktop 3.5" drive or a laptop 2.5" drive type?
If you are not hearing the drive spin up when connected, then it is possibly needing more power than your connector can provide and needs a separate power supply or else you need to use a dock that is mains powered to hold the HDD.
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Hi again, Steve, thanks for the inputs. This is a 3.5 inch 7200 rpm drive seagate st500dm002. I have been looking for a connector with more pins/ This one has 4 pins more than the SSD that works with this connector. I tried looking for other connectors but no luck so far. Will look for a powered dock next.
Regards
Karthik
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I checked and you are right. This one needs external power. TYSM.
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Karthik, you need to use a dock such as:
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I got a powered Dock from Amazon, and sure enough, my HDD we detected. I formatted it and put it back in its normal location on my Desktop. Thanks, Steve.
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Good to hear Karthik, thanks for the update.
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Hi....What are you utilizing to interface the HDD to a USB port? Is it accurate to say that you are utilizing an outside hard drive caddy or fenced in area? Assuming this is the case, what make and model number is the fenced in area?
Have you really looked at Disk Management to check whether the HDD appears there?
Had you actually taken a look at Device Management. to check whether there are any gadgets showing interjection marks inside yellow triangles?
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