Kitz Forum
Computer Software => Windows 10 => Topic started by: aesmith on March 11, 2022, 12:11:23 PM
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Hi,
I wonder if anyone can give any pointers. My desktop PC has an SSD system disk, partitioned as C: and D: and a 2TB data disk E:. I was intending to replace the 2TB drive, which is starting to have issues, with a 4TB. The problem is that my Windows 10 doesn't see the disk at all. It is visible in the BIOS. When I disconnected both the existing drives leaving only the 4TB connected, I was able to boot off USB and install Windows 10 onto the disk
It just doesn't seem to be visible from my actual working Windows 10 installation.
Any ideas?
Thanks, Tony S
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It’s a limit of the partitioning scheme MBR. you can change to GPT and it should be recognised. Gparted should do this for you.
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Thanks. I must say I thought if that was the limit then Windows would have recognised it but only created a 2TB partition. That was what happened when I installed Windows onto it, so presumably that windows install would have configured it as GPT. Unless I completely misunderstand, but I am assuming the MBR vs GPT issue is on a disk by disk basis, not determined by the Windows system disk.
I'm trying Gparted just now, first attempt it just boots to the grub prompt with no particular indication of how to take it from there, all the notes seem to expect it to boot straight into the graphical application. Assuming I get it to work, what should I do with Gparted to make that change? Or is it self explanatory?
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Create a bootable gparted and launch. You should see all the disks in the system. Chose the 4tb one and partition GPT. Reboot into windows and it should be visible. You need to create from the gparted live iso.
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Cheers, I'm losing the battle with Gparted trying to use their Live CD image on a bootable USB. First attempt didn't go further than the grub> prompt. Second attempt brings up the menu but selecting any option comes up with the error that it can't find "/live/vmlinuz". Third attempt using "tuxboot" to create the USB, any menu option gives a great long list of files missing.
There are other partitions tools, but most seem to want to be installed on Windows, and I suspect that they won't work anyway if Windows simply doesn't think the disk exists.
I'm still unconvinced there isn't something else going on. Surely when I installed Windows onto the 4TB drive it must have configured that as GPT?
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It's dead easy to convert a system disk from MBR to GPT using this Microsoft tool: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt
Hint: Check the system supports UEFI and take a backup first just in case. :graduate:
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It's dead easy to convert using this Microsoft tool: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt
Hint: Take a backup first just in case.
Thanks. Will that work on a disk that Windows doesn't see? There's no data on the disk so no worry about data loss, so long as it's only that disk that it affects.
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It's dead easy to convert a system disk from MBR to GPT using this Microsoft tool: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt
Hint: Check the system supports UEFI and take a backup first just in case. :graduate:
Tricky to use in this case as Windows can see the disk. An external program is the solution
There are others AOMEI is apparently good but no personal experience.
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Wait, its not even showing in Disk Management? That's kinda nuts if true.
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Wait, its not even showing in Disk Management? That's kinda nuts if true.
Maybe a BIOS issue/limitation?
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Wait, its not even showing in Disk Management? That's kinda nuts if true.
That's correct. It is visible in the BIOS both under SATA info and as an option in boot settings. However once Windows has booted normally the disk doesn't appear at all within Windows (see screenshot). If I boot off the 4TB then it appears (of course) with a 2TB partition as C:, and 2TB unallocated.
Given that Windows was happy to install onto the disk, and can boot off it, doesn't that suggest it is already GPT, configured as such by Windows setup? Is there a way to confirm, that might save time trying to track down a tool only to find it's not actually the issue.
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How did you clone the drive? as this would lead to disk clash with both disks having the same Id signature therefore only one would show.... could be wrong here, but worth looking at.
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I haven't cloned anything, if I ever get the disk recognised I'll copy the data. The steps I've taken so far are ..
(1) Connected the disk and booted Windows, expecting to see it as unallocated, but instead finding that Windows doesn't see it
(2) Checked it's visible to the BIOS
(3) Disconnected the existing drives, booted off USB and installed Windows onto the 4TB
(4) Shutdown, reconnected the pre-existing drives, reset the boot order in the BIOS, and booted my normal Windows again.
Step 3 was suggested by one of the guys at work firstly to see whether it works, and secondly thinking that possibly once it had been formatted by Windows it might now be visible to my normal Windows.
I have a nasty feeling there is something about which mode the disk or disk controller is set to when Windows is first installed, and a vague memory that this can't be changed without complete reinstallation.
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I really think you need to get this sorted by a partition program. There will be no uncertainty using that method and you will see all the drives.
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What motherboard are you using? Check Bios settings to verify Booting MBR or Uefi, this is where I would start. Download Disk Genius, free version will be quite sufficient to identify any issues, and you can create a bootable version from this to access hardware outside Windows https://www.diskgenius.com/editions.php
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I really think you need to get this sorted by a partition program. There will be no uncertainty using that method and you will see all the drives.
You're probably correct, if only it was that easy to run something. I wasted a lot of time yesterday trying to get Gparted to work, and I'm not keen on anything that needs to be installed in Windows first, I'd rather find one where I can just download a bootable image.
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Disk Genius portable can also can be run on usb stick https://www.diskgenius.com/download.php so no installation required.
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@parkdale that’s a good recommendation as well.
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Disk Genius portable can also can be run on usb stick https://www.diskgenius.com/download.php so no installation required.
That did the trick! From normal Windows Disk Genius didn't see the drive at all. However when I booted from the 4TB, Disk Genius could see the disk, which I suppose isn't surprising. And it was set to MBR, so I converted to GPT. Back to my real Windows boot I could delete the partitions and format it as a single volume.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Next thing would be to make a bootable USB Disk Genus so I have that ready for next time.
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I have a nasty feeling there is something about which mode the disk or disk controller is set to when Windows is first installed, and a vague memory that this can't be changed without complete reinstallation.
Depending exactly what that is you can often change things in safe mode.
As an example I had a system that was configured as RAID despite being a single drive. To change it to "normal" I had to go via safe mode, changing the BIOS settings at the appropriate time. Safe mode then boots and loads the correct drivers for a subsequent normal boot.
Odd that Windows didn't see the disk initially and allow you to initialise it, but once it was initialised by another tool as GPT it did. ???
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Glad it's all fixed :)
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Great glad it worked out
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So another thing to add to the list of "stupid things Microsoft has done".
Makes absolutely no sense to not list a drive partitioned as MBR when all you want to do is format it to GPT.
In fact, I just plugged my PS5 formatted SSD into my Win11 box and firing up Disk Management popped up a window saying "you must initialise this disk" and gives me the choice of MBR or GPT. ::)
So a USB to SATA adapter would also have solved this.
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That's what mystifies me somewhat, the option to initialise should have appeared at the start irrespective of how it was connected, maybe there was something unusual about the disk initially?
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That's what mystifies me somewhat, the option to initialise should have appeared at the start irrespective of how it was connected, maybe there was something unusual about the disk initially?
The disk was brand new, and when I installed Windows onto it there was no issue or extra step needed, just completely normal. Once I'd done that I also can't understand why it didn't then appear in my production Windows, albeit as a 2TB partition.
This reminds me, I just used Disk Genius again for a completely different requirement - completely wiping partitions off a disk repurposed from an OEM installation, which had partitioning that Windows Disk Management wouldn't remove. I need to try the bootable USB version when I get a chance.
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I did rearrange my partitions to a more convenient layout :) had to get rid of Windows 7 and 8 recovery partitions.
These get placed at the front of the drive in Win 7, and the back in Win 8, Windows 10+11 will create new ones! making the others redundant, also my MSR was near the back, and I like it at the front, MSR is a real pain to move normally but DG portable did the job!
I do make a image using Macrium Reflect before, and you could just do the same with this... just drag an drop partitions in the order that you would like them, from the image onto a clean disk.
Then use fix boot command in MR to get things working again (Rescue Media you make after MR installation).
Moving/copying partitions is AYOR always make an Disk Image 1st :thumbs: