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[aesmith]

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

[g3uiss]

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.

[aesmith]

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?

[g3uiss]

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.

[aesmith]

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?

[HPsauce]

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. 

[aesmith]

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.

[g3uiss]

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. 

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.

[Alex Atkin UK]

Wait, its not even showing in Disk Management?  That's kinda nuts if true.

[HPsauce]

Wait, its not even showing in Disk Management?  That's kinda nuts if true.

Maybe a BIOS issue/limitation?

[aesmith]

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.

[parkdale]

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.   

[aesmith]

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.

[g3uiss]

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.

[parkdale]

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