Desktop won't recognize Hard Drive

[Steva55555]

Hello everyone, I have an HP Prodesk G6 MT. The computer was bought new and didn't work for a couple of months until it got stuck on the update loop. My solution was to replace the hard drive and upgrade it to 512GB. Although now my problem is that neither the bios nor the window installation see the new hdd. Does anyone have any advice on what to do? thanks in advance

[BeemerBiker]

There are a number of different G6, can you provide the Product ID?

Have you run diagnostics?
Tap the ESC key after powering on and press F2 to run diagnostics.
Do not allow any updates if disk or memory fail, especially a BIOS update.

If you pass diagnostics then your 512gb drive is probably good

[Steva55555]

yes,of course CZC021CX1B

when I try to do diagnostics I get the message "hard drive not detected". i can't update bios or anything because the computer is offline. There is no system. I tried all the "tactics" I read on the forum but nothing helped. The hard disk is new and according to the specifications, the maximum is 1T.

[BeemerBiker]

I found your product ID 7EM14EA and guessed at the country code but was unable to find cloud recovery at the below site

https://d34z73bbtpzgej.cloudfront.net/

You can try but I suspect there is no cloud recovery.

Can you put the original 256gb NVME back in and boot windows?  I assume it came with windows and not FreeDos.

If so, then you can clone the 256 to the 512 or you can install and run the Client Recovery 

and create a backup to use to install on the 512.  

The clone procedure is better.  Did you by chance make a recovery image as discussed above?

------there is another option-----

using another system download the  "client recovery"

download your recovery app using another computer

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp142501-143000/sp142993.exe

After installation bring up windows -> All-Apps -> look for the HP folder and client recovery

use a 32gb flash drive to create a bootable USB..  This assume your 512gb drive is good.

[Steva55555]

I still have the old hard drive that came with it from the factory, but as I told you, as soon as I try to boot over it, it just gets stuck on a update loop, resets and starts all over again. So now I have the option of just using the new hard drive,but the windows installation does not recognize it. 

is it perhaps some driver missing?

[BeemerBiker]

Yes, probably the intel rapid storage driver or and AMD driver that is used to access the NVME.

However that driver (if there is one needed) is in the cloud or client restore.

The old drive is stuck in the repeat loop but is seen by BIOS and Windows.  Correct?

The new drive is not stuck in any loop and is not seen by BIOS nor by Windows.  Correct?

If the old drive passes the disk diagnostics then we should be able to repair it unless the partitions were damage by (for example) a clean install of an OS that failed to install.

When doing the windows install, at any point does the install ask for a driver?  If it does not ask for one it there is no way (that I know of) to supply it so we are limited in our options and need to have the driver in the install package.    I do not know of any way to get a driver into an install procedure if the install is not asking for it.  Our senior expert, @Paul_Tikkanen has a set of Intel drivers that are the ones typically missing.  Does the install ask for a driver?

There are 3 possibly way to fix this yourself. 

You can attach the new 512 to a USB3 adapter, use another laptop or PC even one not HP and clone its disk drive to your 512 drive.  I have seen this work.  It is messy as a lot of drivers are wrong and need to be updated but eventually it can be activated as win10 or 11 and be back registered as your system.

You can do a cloud install using the Cloud Client I mentioned earlier . It will require you to use another computer and you must be admin on that computer.,

You can put the original 256 back in, assuming it is not corrupted beyond repair, and try a repair that uses advanced options such as shown in the document  HP PCs - Windows Safe Mode (Windows 10) | HP® Support

let me know what you want to do else

contact the closest authorized service center

[Steva55555]

That's right Sir, the old hdd is recognized and the new one is not. No installation was attempted on the old one, nor can I access diagnostics because as soon as I connect it, the update starts, stops at 50%, turns off and so on. On the new installation, when it does not see the hdd, there is an option *Load driver*, the computer does not ask for it, but I see that there is an option for that wia USB device.

I don't have a usb adapter for the hdd, but I can get one.

[BeemerBiker]

Possibly you can  install the intel drivers.  Your bios should be in AHCI mode and not RST mode as you do not have opteron memory according to the parts list here.  Please verify the BIOS is set to AHCI. If nothing is listed in the BIOS then it is AHCI.

I went here as your CPU is a 9th generation

and I used the following command to obtain the drivers

.\SetupRST.exe -extractdrivers C:\RST\

I zipped up the drivers and named them: Windows10-x64.zip

The file is too big to post here so I had to use my own web page

https://stateson.net/Images/Windows10-x64.zip

Download the file, unzip it into a USB and insert it into a USB port when the install asks for a driver.

The driver is either in the AHCI folder or in the RAID folder.  if the install cannot find it on its own then have it browse and look for iaAHCIC.inf in the AHCI folder or for iaStorAC.inf in the RAID folder.

If this does not work you need to use the Cloud Client.

If they do work, then let me know if AHCI or RAID so I can reduce the size of the zip for the next person that has this problem.

[Steva55555]

thank you, but unfortunately it didn't work, I tried several times. What do you suggest as the next step?

[BeemerBiker]

Put the original drive back in and try a repair install

You tried the windows repair, it did not work, and you cannot get your system to boot. Try a windows install with the option to keep files

Basically you download the latest window 11  create a USB boot drive, boot up the USB version of Windows, do the install, but select the option that preserves all your data.  You will need to know if using Windows Home, Pro or some other version.  

Using another system go here and download the windows installation media.  Specify the 16gb flash and be sure to check the 'Create installation media (USB)' and uncheck the 'Use the recommended options for this PC'/  You may already have a boot USB so just it as explained:


Insert the USB in to the system you need to repair and turn it on. Press ESC or DEL or F12 so that you can get into the bios and change the boot device. For example, the one with the dark bar highlight.


After the USB boots up select the language and agree to the fine print, if any.

Once you agree the option to either install or repair will be shown. Since the repair did not work then chose install.

You must then pick the OS that was licensed. If there is no option for the correct OS you forgot to uncheck the 'Use the recommended options' earlier.

The next screen will ask if you want to upgrade and preserve files or do a clean install and lose all your stuff.

If the above does not work then do the client recovery that I first mentioned.