Help installing a new hard-drive

[Trivius]

OK, this is a bit of stupid question. Using Windows 7 Ultimate, how do you install a new hard-drive? Last night I wasted several hours trying to figure this out last night and got absolutely nowhere.

I have a WD 2TB Green drive, that I assume is not formatted. It shows up in the BIOS during boot with the serial number and size, it shows up in Windows under the Device Manager as one of the hard-drives, but I cannot do anything with it, it is just there in serial number only. I also tried to access it by a Thermaltake Blacx USB Dock, but it only shows up as a drive (without a drive letter designation) that I can choose to safely disconnect.

I also tried to enter Dos, but was unable to, I guess you cannot do that any longer in Windows 7 (e.g., command.com)?

I cannot figure out what I am missing. The only thing I can think of doing at this point is making it my boot drive and running the Windows install disk to see if windows will run on it, presuming that this will not cause any problems later when reformatting it, e.g., Windows locking directories, hiding files, etc.

Also to note, if this has any bearing on the issue I use an eSata connection for 4-WD RE4 500GB in RAID10 on a Sans Digital RaidTower for my only hard-drive.

What I am trying to accomplish is to temporarily install the WD Green as a spare drive so that I can transfer everything over from my current system to a new PC I am building (as I am not planning on using the external eSata RAID configuration at this point).

I had even considered placing the WD 2TB into the RaidTower as the fifth disk, but thought that it would either (A) just become apart of the array or (B) cause issues with the array because it is a different sized hard-drive.

 

[Culbrelai]

If its all hooked up and you can see it in bios you did it good.

You need to format it is what you need to do...

Go to Start Menu > right click on "Computer"

click Manage

click Storage

click Disk Management

then in the bottom there should be a breakdown of your disks, right click on the one you want to format (It should have all of its space clearly as unformatted)

and click format...

 

[Trivius]

Oh great, I will try that as soon as I get home. Wow, a right-click, I feel like a complete idiot now, heh. I had totally forgotten about that feature (instead I kept thinking that there was some sort of drive utility somewhere around, but I was absolutely certain it was in either in My Computer or the Device Manager); this is also where you can setup disk partitions and such, right?

Thank you.

 

[Culbrelai]

Yup it is where you set up disk partitions.

I felt the same way when I had to reorganize my disks, I asked a similar question a few weeks ago and someone (I forget who) here showed me that menu.

I swear with XP it used to be in the BIOS, or when you first set up the OS. Now its in a cranny you'd never think to look. I hate when Windows hides things from power users. Ugh.

You're welcome though.

 

[Trivius]

Cool. It is up and running now.