Windows Vista Unable to Access Harddrive

LoneWolf_Spike · 10-21-2009, 11:04 AM

Thanks in advance for any help,

Ok so originally i had a 500GB and 1TB HDD setup, both formatted in XP (likely as Fat32).
I backed up all my files onto the 1TB and proceeded to try and install Windows Vista on the 500GB HDD.
In the end I had to debug the 500GB and then I successfully installed Vista.

But... the 1TB backup can't be accessed by Vista because it is likely Fat32 and formatted in XP (note: is a backup so I'm not going to format it).
Apparently I can install the HDD in a computer running XP but that option is unfortunatly unavailable.

Here is a the view from disk management
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/imag...f17c725af0.jpg

It may seem that the drive is set as "active" and this is the cause for the problem but i assure you it is a compatibility issue.

So my goal here is to find a tool / way / method to access my hard drive and copy my files onto my 500GB hard drive and and external drive my aunt is letting me borrow. If anyone could help that would be largely appreciated.

My ideas are using recovery software or perhaps some type of command prompt. I am looking for freeware though.

I have many documents organised into a complex tree structures (I document everything, copy everything and have all my school work on the computer) so ideally i would like to find a way to access the files in their original tree structure.
(is this not possible because the tree structure wwas defined by windows XP???)

On a last note I can gurantee the files are still on the hard drive and are not corrupt, here is a view of a trial program i used to find the files (though it is a trial and i cannot recover them (and the tree and name structure is gone).

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/imag...f1a79c1099.jpg

Once again thanks for any help

**Cromewell** · 10-21-2009, 08:02 PM

It looks like you just need to map out a drive letter. Vista supports FAT32 just not booting from it.

LoneWolf_Spike · 10-22-2009, 09:57 AM

It was a technical support person from Micro soft that has described the problem.
He said that it was a compatibility issue and that Vista would only ever recognise my hard drive as "active" bootable but never as a secondary storage device. I can't actually assign a drive letter it is "greyed out", thanks anyway.

10-21-2009, 11:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
LoneWolf_Spike Bronze Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 46	Windows Vista Unable to Access Harddrive Thanks in advance for any help, Ok so originally i had a 500GB and 1TB HDD setup, both formatted in XP (likely as Fat32). I backed up all my files onto the 1TB and proceeded to try and install Windows Vista on the 500GB HDD. In the end I had to debug the 500GB and then I successfully installed Vista. But... the 1TB backup can't be accessed by Vista because it is likely Fat32 and formatted in XP (note: is a backup so I'm not going to format it). Apparently I can install the HDD in a computer running XP but that option is unfortunatly unavailable. Here is a the view from disk management http://www.freeimagehosting.net/imag...f17c725af0.jpg It may seem that the drive is set as "active" and this is the cause for the problem but i assure you it is a compatibility issue. So my goal here is to find a tool / way / method to access my hard drive and copy my files onto my 500GB hard drive and and external drive my aunt is letting me borrow. If anyone could help that would be largely appreciated. My ideas are using recovery software or perhaps some type of command prompt. I am looking for freeware though. I have many documents organised into a complex tree structures (I document everything, copy everything and have all my school work on the computer) so ideally i would like to find a way to access the files in their original tree structure. (is this not possible because the tree structure wwas defined by windows XP???) On a last note I can gurantee the files are still on the hard drive and are not corrupt, here is a view of a trial program i used to find the files (though it is a trial and i cannot recover them (and the tree and name structure is gone). http://www.freeimagehosting.net/imag...f1a79c1099.jpg Once again thanks for any help __________________ Mob: Asus Rampage Extreme X48 CPU: Intel Quad Q9550 RAM: 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz GPU: Radeon HD4870 1GB HDD: 500GB Samsung HDD: 1000GB Western Digital Case: Thermaltake Xaser VI Black VG4000BWS

10-21-2009, 08:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cromewell Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Canada Age: 26 Posts: 11,804	It looks like you just need to map out a drive letter. Vista supports FAT32 just not booting from it. __________________ You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in command here. www.userfriendly.org

10-22-2009, 09:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
LoneWolf_Spike Bronze Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 46	It was a technical support person from Micro soft that has described the problem. He said that it was a compatibility issue and that Vista would only ever recognise my hard drive as "active" bootable but never as a secondary storage device. I can't actually assign a drive letter it is "greyed out", thanks anyway. __________________ Mob: Asus Rampage Extreme X48 CPU: Intel Quad Q9550 RAM: 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz GPU: Radeon HD4870 1GB HDD: 500GB Samsung HDD: 1000GB Western Digital Case: Thermaltake Xaser VI Black VG4000BWS

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