Hard drive information retrieval problem

[Detale]

Right click on my computer>manage. In the left pane under storage you will see disk management. it will start the virtual disk service and you will have options there to initailize. What version of windows are you using BTW?

[Acid_death69]

Im running windows vista home premium 32bit. I still can't find what your talking about in device management. What OS are you running it might be a tad different from mine or something.

[clocker]

Click on the "Start" button.
In an empty space of your start menu, right click and hit "properties".
A new menu will appear with tabs at the top...choose the "Start Menu" tab and click on "customize".
Scroll down the option list and check "Display on the All Programs list and Start menu" for System Administration Tools.

Now, on the right hand side of the start menu, along with My Computer and whatever else appears there will be Administrative Tools...click it.
"Computer Management" will be one of the options...click it.

A new window will appear, in the lefthand pane find "Disk Management"...click it and all your drives/storage devices will appear.
At the top of the center pane, the drives are listed, below that is a graphical representation.
If your drive appears, you can right click it's graphical pic and a menu of options displays.
If it doesn't, look in the righthand pane and find "More Options"...click and another option list appears.
Find "rescan discs" and see if that brings it up.

[Acid_death69]

It won't allow me to anitialize it:\ it gives me these options and obv the options i do have aren't any good when i want to explore the hard drive.
Any thoughts?

[Cabalo]

I already gave you the solution, but you prefer to ignore it.
here goes another one, if you're cool with it http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php

[Acid_death69]

I didn't ignore it fella i just have no idea on how to use those pieces of software.

[Detale]

Have you tried data recovery software at all bud? I forget which one I used as it's on my main rig. I'm working off of the HTPC while I redo the rig.

[Cabalo]

I didn't ignore it fella i just have no idea on how to use those pieces of software.

just put it on a CD, boot with it, and there you have tools to access damaged or locked partitions.
The ubuntu live CD is a full featured OS, that can run from a pen, if you download the ubuntu netbook remix (also on their site). From there, it's a Windows like UI and you can navigate to the HDDs that don't show up. No need for more command line stuff.
If you have any doubt after running it, I can walk you through how to recover unreadable HDDs.

[Acid_death69]

kk i'll give it a try and i'll let you know if i have any difficulties

[Acid_death69]

Ive tried installing that prgramme you mentioned and made a bootable flash drive but it didn't work. Im trying it with an external hard drive that i know my pc has tried to boot from (accidently).