Windows 10: reinstalled windows 10, but secondary HDD not recognized, how to get it back?

In classifying this question I may have chosen the wrong topic, but it is the closest option to what my issue is.


Began with a PC with windows 10 Pro on SSD "C", a DVD/CD drive "D", and all programs, etc on secondary HDD "E". A problem developed a few days ago which necessitated reinstalling Windows 10 from a repair and recovery disc, but now drive E does not appear, though it is installed in the PC. Current configuration shows as: Local Drive: C, System Reserved: D, and DVD drive: E.


Drive C has almost doubled in size (space occupied), and I don't know why System Reserved is showing as a separate 350 Mb physical drive when it hadn't before.

All of my programs and stored files were/are on a physical HDD formerly named Drive E, but now not shown as present at all, although it's contents are shown as "windows old", but there is no HDD disc visible to move/return the old contents to, although that disc is physically installed.


I have thought of one way to try to recover the former, now invisible, drive E, and that is by disconnecting it, rebooting, shutting down then reconnecting the drive and rebooting in the hope that Windows will then discover it. I'm a relative amateur at all of this, does it make sense to anyone? And does anyone have any suggestions how I can reclaim my old E drive with all my data?


Windows 10 Pro; 64bit, Intel Quad CPU 2.66 Ghz, 8GB Ram, Windows on SSD; one DVD drive; one HDD formerly drive E, but now not visible.

:)

 

Secondary HDD not found by Optimize and Defrag

Hello,

Upgraded to Win10 a few weeks ago. I have a 240G primary SSD (C and 1TB internal secondary HDD (E, plus a 1TB external USB backup drive (J. I wanted to determine why the internal 1TB HDD seems to have some 'missing' space so I opened Optimize Drives.
But Optimize Drives only lists the SSD (C, USB drive (J and a System Reserved drive. It doesn't list the internal 1TB HDD.

So far my searches have turned up problems where extra drives aren't recognized at all, but mine works fine for everything else (I've moved Libraries there, created system images there, it shows in Explorer, etc.)

Edit: Device Manager indicates no issues with the drive. I've also right-clicked from Explorer > Properties > Tools > Optimize, and the list is still missing this drive.

Can anyone explain this or provide a solution?

Thank you!

Stephen

 

Formatting secondary hdd from Windows

Check the link out below. It's really quite simple when you follow the steps. Go down the page to the title that says "Formatting a Secondary Hard Drive". Best of luck!

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unlock hdd