Windows GPT Problem

[joshfrog]

Hi All

 

I have two 8TB Hard drives that arnt showing up in Windows 10, looked in Disk Management and it saying needs to be in MBR not GPT and that i need to reformat the drive.
Does anyone know a way to get the drive to work Windows reformatting the drive its a back-up of my server and im in the process of expanding my server and its the only copy of the data i have not on my server at the moment and dont want to risk it.

 

So if anyone knows how i can access the drives in Windows 10 that would be great, Thanks 

[homeap5]

Sorry, what? MBR for 8TB drives? No, it must be GPT. Or I don't understand your post.

 

Maybe you just need to add letters for them or made them online?

[joshfrog]

 

This is what i see when i put it in.

[homeap5]

Well, if it's new drive, everything is ok. Initialize as GPT and made partition. Use quick format and that's all.

 

If it's old drive and contains any data, something is wrong.

[joshfrog]

its happening on 2 drives both have data on them

[homeap5]

1 hour ago, joshfrog said:

its happening on 2 drives both have data on them

Are you sure these drives are not in raid or formatted on linux etc?

[joshfrog]

100% sure, one drive is about 2months old and the other is about a year.

have not being dropped, being looked after and both formatted on windows 10 and used only on windows 10 every month of so to put new data onto.

have tried two different usb docks both drives gives the same message other drives i put in them work fin just the two 8tb drives that show that.

[homeap5]

Wait a moment - you're using USB dock? Is possible that its controller do not handle that drives.

 

Use normal SATA cable and connect it directly to your computer without any USB docks.

 

If you need to connect / disconnect drives more often, use that type of hotplug enclosure:

[joshfrog]

yeah im using USB docks, and thats the first thing i though of or maybe there was a problem with the power supply for the dock but i tried two different docks and ii have always used these docks for the drives i would think its weird for it to be a problem now. 

 

but i will try connecting it to a SATA cable see if that gets it working.

[homeap5]

52 minutes ago, joshfrog said:

yeah im using USB docks, and thats the first thing i though of or maybe there was a problem with the power supply for the dock but i tried two different docks and ii have always used these docks for the drives i would think its weird for it to be a problem now. 

 

but i will try connecting it to a SATA cable see if that gets it working.

These external docks are like any other sata>usb converters - they contains their own controller that has some limitations. Like in typical USB drive enclosures producers says "up to 2 TB drives" (for example), in your case it may be similar. So it's nothing very strange.

 

Really, internal 2,5" or 3,5" enclosures are not that expensive. And SATA is hotplug, so you can also connect drives while your computer is working (probably even more than in some usb-sata adapters where you should first plug power, then usb). So unless you have no circus-style colorful pc case, consider buying that. I have three and they're great for any type of HDD/SSD.