New SSD boot drive, new Win10 install boots but 2nd drive not detected

I have a Dell desktop Core i5 PC about 3-4 years old with 2 SATA drives and 2 DVD RW drives. I had the boot drive (a Samsung EVO850 250Gb SSD) partitioned into two drives, C 150Gb and D about 85Gb. The other HD is a Seagate 2TB which is partitioned into 4 drives, E, 700Gb, F, 600Gb, G, 500Gb, H, 100Gb (sizes approx.). This configuration has been working well for about 2 years, since the time I installed the original SSD.

Recently, the SSD failed and had to be replaced by Samsung. (Their SSDs have a lifetime warranty.) While waiting for the replacement SSD to arrive, I put in a mechanical 320Gb SATA HD, installed Windows 10 Pro (the same OS I had on the failed SSD). Install went fine, but on the first reboot to the desktop, I discovered that the system did NOT detect the 2^nd HD, the 2Tb Seagate.

I removed the 2Tb and used a dock to connect it to by wife’s desktop, and her PC detected the drive.

However, after putting it back into my PC and restarting, the system DID detect the 2^nd HD, and I was able to access the files on all the partitions. On every restart since, I had no problem accessing the drive and all files.

Fast forward about a week. Replacement SSD arrived. Rather than start all over again, I tried to clone the C and D drives from the 320Gb temporary drive, and had the new SSD connected to a USB port via a dock. The cloning operation needed to reboot to actually begin copying to the new SSD, but I was unsuccessful because the system did not detect the SSD in the dock.

I then tried putting the SSD on the second HD SATA slot, but the cloning operation again failed. I then installed it back in my PC with no other HDs connected and, using a bootable USB made with the Microsoft Media Creation Tool, I did a clean install of Win10 Pro. Install went well, but, after reconnecting the 2Tb 2^nd HD, on first boot, the system did NOT detect the 2Tb HD. Fine, I thought, I’ll just reboot and it should see it then, just like with the OS installed on the temporary 320Gb HD. However, I have rebooted many times, and the system does not see the 2Tb HD

I again took out the new SSD and put the temporary 320Gb boot drive back in and it saw the 2Tb HD fine.

I again did the Win 10 Pro install, this time leaving the 2Tb HD connected while installing from the bootable USB to the new SSD. But, again, the system is NOT seeing the 2Tb.

At this point, I am out of ideas, but I’m pretty sure someone here will help me figure this out.

Thanks in advance for your insight, questions, etc.

Ken

Thanks CountMike for your response to my OP.

The system BIOS DOES show the 2Tb drive in the setup screen.

I have put several screen shots in a Word Document which is attached as Drive Info Screenshots.docx.

The first screen shot shows File Explorer view of This PC. Only C and D are shown, as well as a few removeable drives. The 2Tb drive has drives E, F, G and H, which are not shown.

The second screen shot is Device Manager showing the 2Tb drive.

The third screen shot is Disk Management. It shows Disk1 as Dynamic and Foreign. Right-clicking on Disk 1 gives the following choices in the context menu: Import Foreign Disks, Convert to Basic Disk, Offline, Properties and Help. All other choices are grayed out.

The fourth screen shot is a Command prompt window showing the results of DiskPart/list disk. DiskPart also shows the 2Tb HD as a Dynamic disk and shows it as Foreign.

Something tells me I either have to Import Foreign Disk or do a complete wipe, repartition and reformat. In either case, I think it prudent to back up all the files to removable media before proceeding.

Thanks for your interest in my problem and for whatever insight you can provide.

Ken

Thanks for your response Gordon.

I don't think it's an oxidation problem. The cables are making the connections, because the drive is showing up in the BIOS, Disk Management and Device Manager. It just doesn't show in File Explorer/This PC.

Thanks,
Ken

Thanks for the reference. I've read it and found lots of good info.

I think I will back up everything on that 2Tb drive and then try to do the IMPORT FOREIGN DISK process.

If that doesn't solve the problem, I'll wipe it, partition it, and set it up as a basic disk. Then I'll copy all my files back.

I will post the results of the above strategy. Might take a day or so until I get everything backed up.

Thanks again,
Ken

Link to Microsoft, Changing Dynamic to Basic disk + solution in pic. :

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...=ws.11%29.aspx

O.K nice you have fixed it, but how does a Basic disk suddenly change to a Dynamic disk by "itself" ? Very odd!