The problem you're describing is indeed strange.
I'm not entirely sure that any other program (such as disk wizard) will identify your hardrive - if the windows Operating system cannot. I find this usually not the case.
Windows will typically at least SEE the drive (if not in the light we would want it to
)But give it a shot!
What makes this strange is that you say the bios sees it fine.
Thinking about your scenario I suspect that If i were in this situation, I would try:
1.Installing this new secondary drive as the primary drive (by itself) and try setting up a fresh OS on it (just to see if its functional - and to rule out anything else but a driver issue (RE: windows).
Once you see it boot - we'll have a more distinct idea of whats going on.
and
2.I'd also try fiddling around with the access methods the bios uses (found in bios config of course).
And whatever other options are there.
You should try the former (besides what was stated - it will allay your fears of having acquired a screwy HDD ;])
ok! - Great work.
So we've deduced that an OS with a FRESH install, cannot view this drive either. And that so far, no drive has worked as slave, but work perfectly as master.
Question for clarity - we're dealing with ONE controller here, with one PORT having primary / slave - and not ONE controller (primary and secondary) - correct? (the questions I ask later on will clear that up).
I want you to check:
Does either drive have the "cable select" jumper setting?.
Also, (for my question of clarity):
Go into windows - and to device manager.
Do you see any unidentified Devices there?
Also, Look under the IDE ATA/ATAPI section.
How many controllers do you see?
in the case that there is only one - open its property page.
Do you see Primary channel and Secondary channel?
Or is there just one channel?
Does this one channel have 2 drives?
If any of this sounds confusing - just go ahead and give me a run down of everything you can find under the ATA/ATAPI controller page of device manager - your last run down of settings wasn't confusing at all ^_^
btw - just for the heck of it (because I don't see why it SHOULD cause a problem) - change that SATA OPERATION MODE in bios from Enhanced - to Compatible.
OK. To clear up what I was asking. I'll explain in a sec, but first
Here are the jumper settings for your 160GB drive (contained in its manual)
http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/iguides/ata/10
On the first page - there are the settings.
yeah - you're getting what Im asking ^_^
One SATA controller, controlling 2 SATA HDDs, and 1 SATA CDROM (is the case with yours I think, seeing that its a recent laptop).
But the fact that is has support for 3 devices - must mean that is 3 ports. As it is SATA.
(my previous questions came into existence from my failure to take note of the fact that its a new laptop - and would most likely be using SATA, not PATA 
)
And considering that SATA controllers take one drive per port- Jumper settings wouldnt matter in this case.
- you've given clear info in your post ^_^. (gj).
Its mighty strange that 2 of your IDE channels disappear when you add the second device!
What I want you to check - after booting up with both drives, is channel 0.
Check to see how many connected devices you see underneath it.
ALSO - check to see if you can use your CDROM drive.
GL
Figured you'd loose your CDROM/DVD support :\.
No doubt the Primary HDD is the one listen under Channel 0.
Hm.
That IS a very curious observation of yours however.
For I assumed that perhaps because the system was designed to use no more than 3 devices (via onboard controller), it only had 0,1,and 5 (three of them).
But now you're saying its listed as under port 4 in bios!?.
This is interesting.. heh.
So - does your bios have 4 ports total (ie - does it have a port 3 that is empty?)
I think you should try setting up XP, and giving things a go there.
If that doesnt work - then i've found a problem that simple intrigues me -and MUST help to solve
