How to Initialize SSD/HDD for Free | 3 Practical Methods

Hello! Do you know how to initialize a new SSD on a PC? I recently bought a new SSD and added it to my computer, but it won't let me create new partitions. It keeps showing me the message "Disk Unknown, Not Initialized." How can I fix this issue?

• 1. How to Initialize SSD/HDD in Windows 10/8/7 (3 Methods)
• 2. How to Initialize SSD/HDD on a Mac

How to Initialize SSD/HDD in Windows 10/8/7 (3 Methods)

If you've added a new drive to your computer but it's not showing up in File Explorer, you might need to assign it a drive letter or initialize it before you can use it. There are three ways you can initialize an SSD or HDD in Windows 10, 8, or 7.

Solution 1: Initialize SSD/HDD with Free Software

With the help of Partition Master Free, you can easily and quickly initialize a disk. This Partition Master Free tool allows you to initialize HDD or SSD with just simple clicks. Moreover, it is an excellent free tool designed to let everyone, whether beginners or experts, manage partitions in Windows systems effortlessly without data loss.

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Please initialize the HDD/SSD according to the following steps:

Step 1: Run Partition Master and get into the "Partition Management" interface.

Step 2. Right-click on the target disk - HDD or SSD, and choose "Initialize as MBR" or "Initialize as GPT." Click "Execute Task" and "Apply" to save the changes.

0:00-0:18 Initialize as MBR; 0:19-0:44 Initialize as GPT;

Key points

• Resize/Move partitions
• Format hard drive
• Merge partitions
• Wipe disk data
• Optimize SSD with 4K alignment

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: Press "Win + R," type "diskmgmt.msc" into the dialog box, and click "OK" to open the Disk Management tool.

Step 2. Right-click the HDD or SSD that you need to initialize and select “Initialize Disk.”

Step 3. In the Initialize Disk dialog, select the correct disk to initialize. Click OK to accept the default partition style (GPT or MBR), or change it as needed.

After that, reboot the computer to make the changes take effect, and your disk should work properly.

For Windows 7 users:

Step 1: Right-click "My Computer" and select "Manage" to open Disk Management.

Step 2. Right-click the unallocated disk (HDD or SSD) and select “Initialize Disk.”

Step 3: In the Initialize Disk dialog, select the disk you want to initialize and set the partition style to MBR or GPT.

Restart your computer, and the disk will be initialized so that new partitions can be created to store your data.

For detailed instructions on initializing an HDD, please refer to the link: How to Initialize a Hard Drive on Windows 11/10/8/7

Solution 3: Initialize HDD or SSD using CMD

If you're comfortable with the Command Prompt, try this method. As always, back up all important data to another secure hard drive or external storage device first.

Step 1: Press Win+R, type diskpart, and hit “Enter.”

Step 2. Enter the following commands one at a time in the command prompt, pressing Enter after each one:

List disks
Select disk 1
Clean disk
Convert to GPT format
Create primary partition
Format quickly with NTFS file system
Assign a drive letter
Exit

If you want to initialize as an MBR disk, type convert mbr instead of convert gpt in the command, and you have completed the disk initialization with the above command.

However, if you encounter issues while initializing the disk, refer to this page. The article provides several solutions for such problems.

Can't Initialize Disk: 5 Quick Solutions Here

It's common to encounter the "Can't initialize disk" issue in Disk Management. Many factors can cause this problem. But don't worry – this post offers 5 solutions to help you easily initialize HDD/SSD.

How to Initialize an SSD/HDD on a Mac

If you're using a Mac, you can also format the drive. This guide uses macOS Sierra or later. Earlier versions may be slightly different.

Step 1: Connect the SSD to your Mac using a USB adapter. When you see the message "The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer," select "Initialize."

Step 2: If Disk Utility doesn't open automatically, open it yourself. You should see your SSD listed under “External.”

Step 3: Select the SSD, then click “Erase” at the top of the Disk Utility window.

Step 4: Enter a name for the disk. If you're planning to install Mac OS on it, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format and GUID Partition Map as the Scheme. Click "Erase."

Now, the SSD should appear on your desktop with its new name, and that name should show in the installer's disk-choice menu when you run the OS X installer.

More information about partition styles, GPT and MBR.

When initializing a disk, you need to choose a partition style—MBR or GPT. MBR and GPT are two available partition styles on Windows-based computers. A disk can be divided into multiple sections called partitions. Each partition must have a partition style—either GPT or MBR. Windows uses the partition style to understand how to access data on the disk. You can learn more about their differences in the table below. Additionally, you can convert from MBR to GPT or from GPT to MBR as needed.

Why do I need to initialize a hard drive/SSD?

Are you also troubled by the unresponsive or uninitialized hard drive or SSD? Do you know why the system keeps prompting you to initialize HDD/SSD or even forces you to do so? Below are the reasons that lead to this issue and why you must initialize the hard drive or SSD:

• New hard drive or SSD not showing up in My Computer

When you insert a brand new SSD or HDD into your PC, you may immediately encounter the "SSD not showing up in Disk Management/This PC/My Computer" issue. You have to initialize it so that it can be detected and used for data storage.

• Unknown disk, not initialized error

When you try to open an SSD or HDD, you may encounter errors like “Disk 0 unknown, not initialized, unallocated,” and so on. This issue can happen on all Windows systems, including Windows 10/8/7, and the only way out is to fix the “disk not initialized” error.

"The Logical Disk Manager cannot access an uninitialized disk."

Sometimes, if the hard drive or SSD is not initialized as MBR or GPT, you might encounter an error message stating “You must initialize the disk before Disk Management can access it.”

Next, we will discuss three methods to initialize an SSD/HDD. Hopefully, this is helpful to you, and you can also share this page with others who need it.

Conclusions

Initializing an SSD is one of the essential tasks. Knowing how to initialize an SSD can easily resolve the uninitialized issue on Windows and Mac. You can initialize SSD and HDD on Windows 10, 8, and 7 using free software, Disk Management, or DiskPart. The process only takes a few steps.

Regarding SSD Initialization Issues

Here are some common questions about SSD initialization. Read on if you have more queries that need clarification.

How do I initialize my new SSD (Solid State Drive)?

Initialize a new solid-state drive (SSD):

Step 1. Download the partitioning tool. Connect the hard drive or SSD to your computer

Step 2. Right-click the target HDD or SSD and select “Initialize to MBR” or “Initialize to GPT.”

Step 3: Perform the action, and then click Apply.

Do I need to initialize my SSD?

When a brand new SSD or HDD is connected to your computer, it may not show up in “This PC” right away. You'll need to initialize it so that it can be detected and used for storage.

How do I initialize my Samsung SSD?

Initialize Samsung SSD in Disk Management:

Step 1: Press Win + R, type diskmgmt.msc, and click OK to open the Disk Management tool.

Step 2. Right-click the HDD or SSD you want to initialize and select “Initialize Disk.”

Step 3: Select the correct disk to initialize, then click "OK."