In this presentation, I am going to discuss one such daunting problem which is to have an “inaccessible C: drive” of your computer and practical solutions to get around it.

1. By David Rowe, Techability.com.au
LEARN HOW TO RESOLVE AN
UNDETECTABLE C: DRIVE

2. WHY IS C: DRIVE SO IMPORTANT?
 Your computer needs to access the C drive of
the hard disk while it boots (or when it is starting
) in order to load the operating system (e.g. Win
7, Win XP etc) which is located on the C Drive
 So if the operating system is inaccessible, you
won’t be able to use your computer.
 The operating system acts as an interpreter
between you, the user and the computer
hardware.

3. COMMON REASONS WHY C DRIVE REMAINS
UNDETECTED
 One of the probable causes of getting an
undetectable C drive is when the boot sequence
is incorrectly configured in the BIOS.
 BIOS (Basic Input Output System), is a program
accessed by the Microprocessor of your
computer, which manages all the peripheral
devices of your computer.
 Another big reason for this problem is a virus
attack.

4. COMMON REASONS WHY C DRIVE REMAINS
UNDETECTED
 If the master boot record area or the boot sector
is corrupted by a virus infection, the C drive
remains hidden.
 If C drive is inaccessible, then the operating
system won’t load rendering the computer
useless.
 It may also happen that your computer’s
operating system itself has got corrupted by a
virus, making the C drive inaccessible.

5. COMMON REASONS WHY C DRIVE REMAINS
UNDETECTED
 Due to lack of proper maintenance of the
computer, the communication between the
mother board and the hard disk can get
disconnected due to dust or other dirt particles,
which can also make the C drive inaccessible.
 If your computer is poorly ventilated, the
components will get worn out over a period of
time due to the high heat developed in the CPU
cabinet, making the C drive unapproachable.

6. COMMON REASONS WHY C DRIVE REMAINS
UNDETECTED
 If you have not protected your computer with
conditioned power supply using a stabilizer or
power back up, the hard disk may get damaged
due to a sudden voltage fluctuation or power
outage making the C drive inaccessible.
 Unstable voltage is a primary cause for
corrupting the operating system or other
important system files making the C drive
undetectable.

7. HOW TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM?
 As the first troubleshooting step, you can go to the
BIOS configuration to ensure that your computer can
access the C drive while booting.
 In order to go to the BIOS, press the F2 or Delete
button as soon as you switch on the computer i.e.
before the windows starts.
 Once you are in the BIOS, ensure that the boot order
is set correctly. The first boot device must be set to
CD-ROM drive and the 2nd should be the C Drive.

8. HOW TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM?
 Then try removing the dust that’s deposited
in the CPU cabinet by blowing it gently. Now
turn it on again to see whether the problem is
resolved.
 If it’s still unresolved, chances are that the
connection cable (or data bus) interlinking
the hard drive and the motherboard is faulty
or the hard disk itself is damaged.

9. HOW TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM?
 So try replacing the cable first and turn it on again, if
it is still remains undetected replace the hard disk
with a new one.
 If your computer is detecting the hard drive but not
the C drive then it may be due to a corrupted
operating system.
 The operating system can get damaged due to a
sudden power failure or a virus attack. If you have the
operating system CD or DVD, try repairing it or do a
complete reinstall.

10. SOME NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS THAT YOU CAN
TAKE..
 It is highly recommended that you always install
a licensed copy of the operating system and
Anti-Virus software on your computer to keep it
updated with the latest security updates and
patches, so that it stays shielded from majority
of the virus attacks and security vulnerabilities.
 It is also good to have an uninterrupted power
source or UPS for your computer so that your
computer is always protected from sudden
power failures and dangerous voltage
fluctuations.

11. SOME NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS THAT YOU CAN
TAKE..
 It is very important to carry out periodic
maintenance and dust removal in order to keep
your computer running at top notch condition
without any break downs.
 The above points will definitely help you take
the appropriate precautionary measures as well
as help you adopt the right troubleshooting
steps in case you ever encounter an
inaccessible C drive.

12. CONCLUSION
If you think this presentation would help you resolve an
undetectable C: drive on your computer, then please do
share it on the internet. And also please don’t forget to leave
your valuable feedback.
Thanks,
-David Rowe
About the author:
This presentation is from David Rowe, the owner of
Techability.com.au, that offers a range of IT services like
computer and laptop repairs, virus removal and data
recovery.