Hard Drive doesn't show up under "My Computer"

[White_Wolf]

I'm running WinXP, Service Pack3, in NTFS


I've got this problem. After a malicious program released some trojans and other nasty stuff, some of my system settings got messed up.

I've managed to destroy all the trojans and spyware with about a dozen different anti spyware/virus/trojan programs. But these malicious programs decided to mess up a lot of my Windows user settings from the Administrator level, such as disabling task manager and stuff like that.

Well I have just one problem left, just one unsolved mystery. My hard drive doesn't show up in "My Computer" or when I click "Search".
It shows my removable storage (floppy and CD drives). It shows my second drive, but not my first drive.
However, I can just go to any folder and type "C:" and press Enter and it takes me right to my C:/ directory. But I want the drive to show up under "My Computer" and in my Search.
Oh yeah, and My Documents, and Desktop, and all the folders I created on Desktop, show up as a recognized search location. But it's just the "Drive C" itself that isn't showing up.

Is this a settings issue, or a registry issue, or what? More importantly, how do I fix it?

One more thing, if I log on as Administrator, it displays both my drives. If I go to my other operation system on drive2, it will show both my drives. So it's only on my user account (the one that originally got infected with the Trojans) that this problem is occurring to.

 

[KSoD]

It sounds as if your user profile is corrupted. Try creating a new user and see if it still happens. It not then you can always import your old profile to the new one.

 

[willsko87]

From previous experience removing viruses from my computer, I would say there is some bad stuff still left in your registry. I had one that removed heaps of icons from my start menu, removed my access to properties etc.

I think that the malicious program may have created some sort of registry code that has removed your hard drive from your 'My Computer'.

Go to Start > Run
Type in regedit

Then navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies
(This is where they were for me)

If you want to post here the items that are in that Policies folder or in the Explorer/System folders beneath it then we might be able to find a culprit. I hope I'm on the right track.

 

[White_Wolf]

From previous experience removing viruses from my computer, I would say there is some bad stuff still left in your registry. I had one that removed heaps of icons from my start menu, removed my access to properties etc.

I think that the malicious program may have created some sort of registry code that has removed your hard drive from your 'My Computer'.

Go to Start > Run
Type in regedit

Then navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies
(This is where they were for me)

If you want to post here the items that are in that Policies folder or in the Explorer/System folders beneath it then we might be able to find a culprit. I hope I'm on the right track.

You hit the nail on the head!
Inside policies, explorer, there was "NoDrives" and it was marked as "C" I changed the value to "0" and now all my drives show up. Problem solved!

And Mak213, thanks for the advice, I may have tried doing that as a last resort.

 

[willsko87]

You hit the nail on the head!
Inside policies, explorer, there was "NoDrives" and it was marked as "C" I changed the value to "0" and now all my drives show up. Problem solved!

And Mak213, thanks for the advice, I may have tried doing that as a last resort.

Good news!

 

[michael japan]

noobie here. Will put an introduction post later. I have the same problem as described here. My drive is not showing up (secondary.) My C is showing but my second 500GB SATA is not showing in My Computer. XP Pro/Core 2 Quad 9450/4GB RAM. My son took the HD out an put it in another computer and it was fine, put it back in mine and it was fine for one day, but today again it doesn't show. I have navigated to the place that you said to go in regedit and under Polices/Explorer there are 2 entries"
1. Default REG_ SZ Value not Set
2. No Drive REG_ DWORD Auto 0x00000091 (145)

Is there something else I should do? Should I change this to something?

Thanks

Michael

P.S. Computer is under warranty but it is a DAW and I have work I must finish and can't send it in plus the thought of installing all my programs---ouch. Greatly appreciate any help.

 

[carnageX]

Have you gone into Disk management and looked to see if its assigning the 500GB drive a drive letter?

 

[michael japan]

thanks for the reply. Could you explain how to do this? I greatly appreciate your help.

Michael
but nothing
edit--so it booted eventually--made it to disk management and it says connecting but nothing is moving---yep, got the (not responding) prompt again.

 

[carnageX]

Start > right click 'My Computer' > go to 'Manage...' > click 'Disk Management' on the left-side pane > now on the right side pane, look for your 500GB drive to see if its listed under there...if it is, check to see if it has a drive letter assigned to it like the other drives...if not, right click on it and assign it a new drive letter.

 

[michael japan]

first time I tried it said (not responding), Now it's doing nothing.

now it just doesn't do anything-I click on manage and nothing happens.

I re-booted and it said that secondary HDD has error. Hit F1. I did. XP logo spins for awhile, and if it is like before it will eventually boot but without my second H

OK--so I finally got into Disk Management and the drive isn't there!!! Next?