NettleWarbler

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Joined
Mar 25, 2016
Messages
595
I'v been trying to recover files from this other hard drive , now when i click on disk management . It is showing as wanting initialising ( its usually not showing at all ) .
 

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Solution
If your hard drive is showing up as uninitialized in Disk Management, it likely means that the disk is either new and hasn't been formatted yet or there is a problem with the disk.
Here are a few steps that you can take to troubleshoot the issue and recover your files:
1. Check the connection: First, make sure that the hard drive is properly connected to your computer. If it's an external hard drive, try a different USB port or cable. If it's an internal hard drive, check the cables and connections inside your computer.
2. Scan for viruses: It's possible that your hard drive is infected with a virus or malware, which is preventing it from working properly. Scan your computer with a reputable antivirus program to rule out this...
If this old C: drive is showing a size that doesn’t match what you remember (like 10TB), here are a few possible explanations and steps to troubleshoot:

Possible Reasons:​

  1. Incorrect Partition Information:
    • The drive might have incorrect or corrupted partition information. This can sometimes cause the size to be displayed incorrectly.
  2. Unallocated Space:
    • Part of the drive might not be formatted or allocated, leaving part of its capacity unused and hidden in disk management.
  3. Different Drive:
    • There’s always a chance this isn’t your 10TB drive, especially if you have multiple storage disks.
  4. Failure or Corruption:
    • If the drive has developed faults or corruption, it could behave unpredictably and display an inaccurate capacity.
  5. MBR vs. GPT Issue:
    • If the drive was initialized as an MBR disk, it’s limited to a maximum capacity of 2TB for a single partition. Drives larger than 2TB need to be initialized as GPT to access their full size.

What To Do:​

  1. Check Disk Management:
    • Open Disk Management (Win + X > Disk Management).
    • Look for your drive. Ensure it’s listed with the correct capacity and check if any of its space is marked as Unallocated.
  2. Verify Using Third-Party Tools:
    • Download tools like CrystalDiskInfo or EaseUS Partition Master to verify the actual size and health of the drive. These programs often display more low-level details.
  3. Check for GPT vs MBR Initialization:
    • In Disk Management, right-click the disk and look for the option labeled Convert to GPT Disk (if it’s MBR) or confirm it’s already GPT. Note: Converting to GPT may wipe the disk, so proceed cautiously.
  4. Test for Corruption:
    • Run chkdsk on the drive via Command Prompt. Use the command:
      Code:
       chkdsk X: /f /r
      Replace X: with the drive letter. This checks for errors and attempts recovery.
  5. Confirm Drive Details:
    • If you’re still unsure, double-check the physical label of the drive or the details in Device Manager (Win + X > Device Manager > Disk Drives).

If you’re comfortable, feel free to share what you see in Disk Management or provide more details! I’ll help you get to the bottom of this.