HELP! I restarted my computer while a file was copying, now Disk Manager says "initialize disk"...

Discussion in 'hardware' started by paulescobar, Feb 28, 2019.

  1. paulescobar

    paulescobar Registered Member

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    I was running a copy of files between two hard drives. Then I cancelled the copy job, but it wasn't cancelling and seemed stuck for way too long. Then I restarted my computer.

    Now the destination hard drive I was copying too has disappeared. When I go to Disk Manager in Windows 8.1, it says "initialize hard drive".

    I had lots of important files & projects on that drive. Is there any way to recover the contents?
     
  2. itman

    itman Registered Member

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    Here's a reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...shooting-disk-management#disk-not-initialized.

    Whatever you do, don't select Initialize Disk" or your existing data will be wiped from the disk.

    If the drive shows "Offline," try this:
    https://www.thewindowsclub.com/troubleshooting-common-disk-management-error-messages
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2019
  3. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    Which copying software were you using?
     
  4. paulescobar

    paulescobar Registered Member

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    Default Windows explorer, in Windows 8.1 Pro x64
     
  5. paulescobar

    paulescobar Registered Member

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    HEY GUYS GREAT NEWS! I had originally connected this drive via Esata. Then thanks to @itman's article...I got the idea to connect it to another port. Now it's reappeared after a restart! Originally it was asking to initialize & format. Now it shows up again like it's never disappeared!
     
  6. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

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    That is great news, Thanks for the feedback.
     
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