Windows 10: can't start my Windows 10 PC after removing an internal hard drive

I have a Windows 10 PC using an SSD drive as the C: boot drive.I also have 2 internal SATA drives as storage/backup for media photos, videos, etc.One of these is 10 years old and still working fine. To pre-emptively avoid failure problems I planned to replace it.But it went wrong when I removed the internal HD. I realise now I did something stupid by simply disconnecting the HD when switched off rather than clicking on the "safely remove hardware and eject media" icon first.When I switched on again, without the removed HD my problems started.Windows attempts to start, showing "preparing

:)

 

No drive found on my internal hard disk on Dell Latitude E5430.

Hello,My laptop (Dell Latitude E5430) was working perfectly till yesterday. But yesterday night, it restarted on its own and ever since, it's stuck at this screen:



Also, inside the BIOS, no UEFI bootable hard disk drive is being listed.



The UEFI flash disk option shown above is that of my bootable pen drive with Windows 10 installation copy.I googled this issue a bit and the results were as follows:

1. one thread suggested that I should run Dell's internal diagnostics to see if there anything wrong with hard disk. I did that but every component, including the hard disk one, passed these internal test.
   
   
2. a second thread suggested that I should try to remove and reseat the hard disk. I did that following Dell's user manual.
3. another thread suggested that I should reinstall my windows 10 afresh. But when I try to do so, the windows installation wizard doesn't list any drive in the hard disk. It's as if it doesn't detect hard disk at all.
   
   

In a nutshell, while the hard disk is being detected, but none of its drives is. However, the hard disk consisted of 3 drives:

1. C: with the windows' and applications' installations,
2. D: with all of my data,
3. E: which was recovery drive.

Any troubleshooting suggestions?I'm sorry I am not able to help you guys with any logs and stuff because I don't know how to get them when I can't get my Windows to boot. I'm not even sure if this is the correct section where I should be posting this thread.. I'm just so confused right now. *cry

A few weeks ago, I had upgraded (not fresh installation) from windows 10 version 1607 to 20H2. The version 1607 installation was a clean one (from scratch, after formatting the hard disk and creating new partitions).

 

Converting an internal hard drive to an external backup

I want to remove a 3.5 inch internal hard drive from a problematic (dying) desktop and use it as an external backup for a different PC via a USB 2 connection. How do I prepare this hard drive for removal and re-use?

My (few) friends frequently tell me that I know only enough to be dangerous. You folks are apparently very knowledgeable individuals, and I would very much appreciate any assistance you can provide. Perhaps you could just point me in the right direction for reference material, tutorials, etc.

The hard drive in question is a 100GB Seagate ST3100011A (Barracuda 7200.7). According to Seagate's instructions on how to interpret their model numbers, the drive has a 2MB cache and an ATA (IDE?) interface.

I've found a fairly highly-rated external enclosure (Rosewill RX355-U) from a reputable retailer that seems to fit my needs, but I am open to any alternatives you might suggest.

I am completely ignorant as to what I need to do to the hard drive before removal from its sick host. Caches, partitions and the like are totally Greek to me.

I assume the Windows XP operating system installed on the drive will have to be removed at some point in the process, but there is data on the drive that I would like to preserve if possible. The PC for which the hard drive will serve as a backup is running Windows 7.

 

internal hard drives showing as external removable devices

Here are some suggestions: Internal drive wrongly shown as removable - Windows 10 Forums