Windows 7 Problem with 2nd HDD

[gadgets96]

Hi guys, need some help here. I have this new rig installed with a SSD (for installations) and HDD (for storage). Initially, I could not get the Win7 to recognise the 2nd HDD. After surfing this forum, I managed to assign a letter and eventually 'found' HDD. But the problem is the 1TB HDD is 'System Reserved', size 'reduzed' to 99.9MB, and has 30MB being 'utilized' before I have even store files on it. A screen shot is attached.

I need help with:

1) setting my HDD as it should be
2) in BIOS, my SSD is in Ch 0 master and HDD is in Ch 1 master, but on screen it says HDD Disk 0 and SSD Disk 1. How do I 'reset' this?

Thanks.

 

[Saltgrass]

Your SSD looks fine, but the 1TB is not yet formatted. The system partition is not supposed to have a drive letter. You gave it one rather than the 1 TB drive.

As far as Disk 1 or 0 doesn't really matter, but what is in the bios does. I had one that a drive connected to one of the SATA III ports always showed after any drives connected to the primary SATA ports. It might straighten out after you format a partition on the 1 TB.

 

[gadgets96]

Tks Saltgrass. Now that I have assigned the HDD a letter, do I have to unassign the letter or I can just right click and format the HDD under Disk Management?

 

[Saltgrass]

You can remove the drive letter (should be a right click option) and partition the second drive in Disk Management. Be very careful about which partition you are working on. The small system partition contains the boot files for the system. If you aren't sure, leave the letter on the system partition until you make sure how to remove the letter. You do not have to format, just right click and change the drive letter.

 

[gadgets96]

Tks Saltgrass, those were most helpful, got my HDD working.

Just another query on the 'System Reserved' drive. Can I do without this? It seems I can shrink this to 84MB from 100MB but was thinking of removing totally. Dont remember I have this on my previous WinXP.

 

[Saltgrass]

No, I wouldn't mess with it. The space you might recover is not worth trouble and possible loss of system function...