Normally, all of your internal and inserted external hard drives list in "This PC," where you can open a drive and access your files. Occasionally, an internal or external SSD not showing up there but instead shows up as unallocated in Disk Management. Relax, it can be fixed.
Before you fix the disk, remember not to initialize, format, or create a New Simple Volume. Instead, recover your file data to another disk. Data always comes first. If physical damage is suspected, stop further operations and either create a disk image or send the drive for professional repair.
You can choose the workaround based on your specific case. Check if your case is included in the table below:
| Scenario | Solution |
| New empty disk | Create a New Simple Volume |
| Used disk with files | Stop writing and recover files first |
| Lost/deleted partition | Recover lost/deleted partition |
| Disk unknown not initialized | Update the device driver or rebuild MBR |
| External USB/SSD connection issue | Try a new cable or USB port |
How to Recover Data from an Unallocated Hard Drive?
In case the unallocated hard drive is the one you used to store important files, it could be a nightmare for you, as you are on the verge of data loss. It disables you from accessing the files on the unallocated hard drive. In this case, you'd better recover data from the unallocated hard drive asap to avoid data overwriting or permanent data loss.
iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows is the one you can count on to recover file data from unallocated hard drives. It offers you Deep Scan feature to find almost any type of file, be it photos, videos, music, Emails, archives, office files, etc., from unallocated drives, as well as formatted drives, inaccessible/corrupted drives.
And its Partition Recovery module is designed to help you scan the whole physical disk (unallocated space included) to find deleted or lost partitions. You can have a preview and then recover deleted/lost partitions to another disk.
Note: You need to download and install this data recovery software onto another disk or partition to avoid data overwriting.
Recover data from unallocated hard drives with iBoysoft Data Recovery:
- Free download, install, and launch iBoysoft Data Recovery on your PC.
- Select a recovery module. You can choose the Data Recovery module to recover your file data to protect data safety. Or choose the Partition Recovery module if the unallocated drive is caused by deleted/lost partitions.
- Choose the unallocated hard drive, then click Next, and follow the wizard to scan the deleted or lost partitions.
- Preview the scanning results. Make a selection of wanted files, and click the Recover button to save them to a different destination.
Note: This Windows data recovery utility is able to recover a partition table. It can't restore a partition whose partition structure is already destroyed.
After recovering data from the unallocated hard drive, now you can move to the next part to fix the unallocated hard drive to make it usable again without losing data.
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How to Fix an Unallocated Hard Drive
Any unallocated space on a hard drive can not be used to store files. This is a waste of disk storage. Therefore, you have to repair the unallocated hard drive to make it usable again. Follow the methods described below to bring the unallocated hard drive back on track.
Update or install the disk driver
Always keep your hardware components updated with the latest firmware. And the outdated disk drivers on your computer may cause the partition to be invisible, and the hard drive to show the wrong capacity on Windows. Then update the disk driver to make the partition usable again.
- Right-click on Start, and click Device Manager.
- Expand the Disk driver and find the unallocated hard drive.
- Right-click on the disk and select Update Driver Software from the context menu.
- Reboot your Windows 10 computer and try to access the hard drive.
Use CHKDSK only if the drive still has a drive letter
File system corruption or disk error also makes your hard drive present as unallocated. Chkdsk, a cmd command, can check and repair logical errors on the drive, just like fsck for Mac.
- Type 'cmd' in the Search Box and the Command Prompt will pop up. Then, right-click it and select Run as administrator.
- Enter chkdsk *: /r in the pop-up window and press Enter. For example, if the inaccessible USB drive is disk H, enter chkdsk h: /r.
- Waiting for the chkdsk stages to finish.
- Reboot your Windows 10 computer and try to access the hard drive.
Check here if the cmd command CHKDSK is not available for raw drives.
Create a New Simple Volume
Regardless of whether the unallocated hard drive is a new hard drive or a hard drive in use, you can create a new volume on it and allocate the space to the partition. After that, the Windows system can recognize it and write data to it.
Note: This operation will create/format a new volume. It is suitable for a new drive or after the data has already been recovered; it is not suitable for an old drive if you still need to recover old files.
- Press the Windows and R keys. Now, type diskmgmt. msc, and hit the Enter key to launch Disk Management.
- For a brand-new hard drive, it will ask to initialize hard drive, just follow the onscreen guidance.
- Right-click on the unallocated hard drive and select the New Simple Volume option.
- Click Next to specify a volume size.
- Click Next to assign a drive letter or path for the unallocated hard drive. You should choose a letter different from other drives to avoid conflict.
- Click Next to continue to format the new partition. You need to set the disk information, including file system, allocation unit size, and volume label.
Read more:
Fixed! Extend Volume Greyed Out in Disk Management
Mac says not enough disk space but there is
What does unallocated mean on a hard drive?
It is quite common to find a new PC's internal hard drive or a new external hard drive unallocated, a state that they leave the factory in. It means the drive is not assigned to any drive letter or does not belong to any partition. And you can't store any files or programs on an unallocated hard drive.
Sometimes, the unallocated space appears on your in-use hard drive. It could be a partition or even the entire drive. If so, you can't store files on it as usual. Worse, it makes the external hard drive inaccessible on Windows 10, posing a risk of data loss. And such a case is the greatest concern of computer users.
Why is your hard drive unallocated?
For a brand-new hard drive, it is not surprising to find it unallocated. However, some Windows users commented that their well-functioning hard drives suddenly became unallocated for no obvious reason. If you have encountered the same situation, you can check the common causes outlined below.
- Outdated disk driver;
- Sudden power failure;
- Infection with a virus or malware.
- Corrupted partition table
- Accumulated bad sectors;
- Accidental deletion of a partition;
- Physical damage to the hard drive.
No matter what causes your hard drive to be unallocated, the first and foremost measure is to recover data from the unallocated hard drive. After that, you can apply the introduced methods to troubleshoot the failed hard drive. Unfortunately, none of them work, then the drive seems to be physically damaged. You can seek help with local repairs or consider a replacement.
FAQs about Unallocated Hard Drives
- QWill creating a new volume erase data?
-
A
Yes. It asks you to initialize your hard drive, which will erase your data.
- QCan CHKDSK fix unallocated disk?
-
A
CHKDSK can fix an unallocated disk only if the drive still has a drive letter.
- QShould I initialize an unallocated disk?
-
A
Initialize your unallocated disk if it's an empty or new disk. Otherwise, recover data using iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows first and then consider initializing your unallocated disk.