Initialize SSD/HDD for Free and Fix 'Disk Unknown Not Initialized' Error
To initialize a new SSD in your PC, you can follow these steps: go to Disk Management (Press Win + R, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter), select the SSD drive, right-click on it, and choose "Initialize Disk". This should resolve the "Disk Unknown is not initialized" error and allow you to create a new partition on the SSD. If you're still having issues, you can try restarting your computer or checking the SSD's firmware for any updates.
Why You Need to Initialize Hard Drive/SSD
If you're experiencing issues with your SSD or HDD, such as a non-responsive disk drive or an unallocated condition, you may be prompted to initialize the drive. This can be frustrating, but there are reasons and causes behind this behavior. The system may be asking you to initialize the HDD/SSD due to various issues, and it's essential to understand these reasons to resolve the problem.
- New HDD or SSD does not show up in PC
When a new SSD or HDD is connected to a PC, it may not be immediately visible in This PC/Computer. To make it detectable and usable for storing data, you need to initialize it. This process makes the drive accessible and ready for use.
- Disk Unknown Not Initialized error
An error message such as "Disk 0 is unknown, not initialized, unallocated" may pop up when trying to open a solid-state disk or hard disk drive, affecting Windows 10/8/7 systems, and the only solution is to fix the 'disk not initialized' error.
- The Logical Disk Manager is unable to access a disk because it has not been initialized, meaning it has not been formatted and prepared for use by the operating system. This is a common issue that can occur when a disk is newly added to a system or when it has been previously used for a different operating system.
If a hard disk or SSD is not initialized into MBR or GPT, the system may display an error message "You must initialize a disk before Logical Disk Manager can access it".
How to Initialize SSD/HDD in Windows 10/8/7 (3 Ways)
If you've added a new disk to your PC and it's not showing up in File Explorer, you might need to add a drive letter or initialize it before using it. In Windows 10/8/7, there are three ways to initialize a brand new SSD or HDD, allowing you to access and utilize its storage space.
- Tip
- 1. Go to Disk Management in Windows, or Disk Utility in macOS. 2. Select the disk you want to initialize.
Solution 1. Initialize SSD/HDD with Free Software
Qiling Partition Master Free allows for easy and quick disk initialization with just a few clicks. This free partition tool is designed to help users, both beginners and experts, manage partitions in Windows without data loss. It provides a straightforward way to initialize a hard drive or SSD.
Highlights
- Resize/move partition
- Format a hard drive
- Merge partitions
- Wipe disk data
- SSD 4K alignment
Follow the steps below to initialize HDD/SSD:
Step 1. To begin, open Qiling Partition Master and connect the hard drive or SSD to your PC. This will allow you to access and manipulate the drive's partitions. Once connected, you can proceed with the necessary steps to resize, reassign, or delete partitions as needed.
Select the target HDD or SSD and choose the appropriate initialization option, either "Initialize to MBR" or "Initialize to GPT", based on the drive's type and the desired partitioning scheme.
Step 2. A new feature will be added to initialize a disk to either MBR or GPT format, which can be executed and applied.
Solution 2. Initialize SSD/HDD in Windows 10/8/7 with Disk Management
Here's how to initialize a new disk using Disk Management.
For Windows 10/8 users:
Step 1. To access the Disk Management tool, press the "Win + R" keys on your keyboard, type "diskmgmt.msc" in the Run dialog box, and click "OK".
Step 2. To initialize a disk, find the HDD or SSD that needs it and right-click on it, then select "Initialize Disk" from the menu.
Step 3. To initialize a disk, select the correct disk in the Initialize Disk dialog box and click "OK" to accept the default partition style, or choose a different partition style (GPT or MBR) if desired.
1. Go to the start menu, type "Disk Management" and open it.
For Windows 7 users:
Step 1. Right-click Computer and select "Manage" to open Disk Management.
Step 2. Right-click on the not initialized disk (HDD or SSD) and select "Initialize Disk".
Step 3. In the Initialize Disk dialog box, select the disk(s) you want to initialize and choose between Master Boot Record (MBR) and GUID Partition Table (GPT) as the disk partition style.
To initialize the disk and create new partitions, you can simply reboot your PC. This will allow the system to recognize the disk and create the necessary partitions for storing new data.
Solution 3. Run CMD to Initialize HDD or SSD
If you're familiar with the Command Prompt, you can try this method. However, before proceeding, make sure to back up any important data on the device to another safe disk or external storage device to prevent loss.
Step 1. Press Win+R and type: diskpart and hit "Enter".
Step 2. To practice using the Command Prompt, let's go through a series of commands. First, we list the files and directories in the current directory using `dir`.
list disk
select disk 1
clean
convert gpt
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs
assign
exit
To initialize a disk to MBR, you can use the command "convert mbr" instead of "convert gpt" in the disk initialization process. This will complete the disk initialization.
Also read: How to Fix Disk Unknown Not Initialized Error.
How to Initialize SSD/HDD on Mac
If you're a Mac user running OS X El Capitan or later, you can also initialize your disk. However, please note that the procedure may differ from other OS versions.
Step 1. Connect your SSD to your Mac using a USB adaptor. When prompted with the message "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer," select the "Initialize" option.
Step 2. To open Disk Utility, click on the "Go" menu in the top left corner of the screen, then select "Utilities" and finally "Disk Utility". If it doesn't open automatically, you can also find it in the Applications/Utilities folder.
Step 3. To erase the SSD, select it in Disk Utility and then click on "Erase" at the top of the window. This will completely wipe the drive, making it ready for a fresh installation of macOS.
Step 4. To create a new partition, input your desired name, and if you plan to install Mac OS, choose OS X Extended(Journaled) as the format and GUID Partition Map as the scheme. After clicking "Erase", the partition will be created.
The SSD should now be visible on your desktop with the new name you gave it, and during the drive selection menu if you run an OS X installer.
Additional Information About Partition Styles - GPT and MBR
When initializing a disk, you must choose between MBR (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table) partition styles, both of which are accessible on Windows-based computers. Disks can be divided into multiple partitions, each requiring a partition style - either MBR or GPT. Windows uses this style to access data on the disk, and you can refer to the detailed table for their differences. Additionally, you can convert between MBR and GPT as needed.
| Comparison | MBR (Master Boot Record) | GPT (GUID Partition Table) |
|---|---|---|
| Supported Partition Numbers | Maximum 4 partitions. | Maximum 128 partitions. |
| Supported Disk Capacity | 2TB (for 512B sector), 16TB (for 4Kn sector) | No disk capacity limit |
| Supported Boot Mode | BIOS | UEFI |
| Supported OS |
|
|
Conclusion
Initializing an SSD is a crucial task, and knowing how to do it on both Windows and Mac can resolve uninitialized issues with ease. On Windows 10, 8, and 7, it's possible to initialize an SSD using free software, Disk Management, or DiskPart, and the process can be completed in just a few steps.
SSD Initialization Related Questions
The process of initializing a Solid-State Drive (SSD) is a crucial step that ensures the drive is functioning properly and securely. It involves formatting the drive, creating a partition, and setting up the file system. The initialization process also includes setting up the drive's security features, such as encryption and password protection.
How do I initialize my new SSD?
To initialize a new SSD:
Step 1. Download Qiling Partition Master and connect the hard drive or SSD to your PC.
Step 2. Right-click the target HDD or SSD and select "Initialize to MBR" or "Initialize to GPT".
Step 3. Execute the operation and click "Apply".
Do I need to initialize SSD?
When a new SSD or HDD is connected to a PC, it may not be immediately visible in This PC. To make it appear and function for storing data, it needs to be initialized. This process allows the PC to recognize and utilize the new storage device.
How do I initialize my Samsung SSD?
To initialize Samsung SSD in Disk Management:
Step 1. To open the Disk Management tool, press the Windows key + R, type "diskmgmt.msc" in the Run dialog box, and click OK. This will launch the Disk Management tool, allowing you to manage and configure your computer's disks.
Step 2. To initialize a drive, find the HDD or SSD that needs to be initialized, right-click on it, and select Initialize Disk.
Step 3. Select the correct disk to initialize. And then click OK.
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