Disk 1 Unknown Not Initialized on Windows 11 - 6 Solutions

Updated by

Cici 

Updated on Jul 27, 2024

• Method 1. Reinstall the Disk 
• Method 2. Reinitialize the Disk 
• Method 3. Check Disk Health 
• Method 4. Run CHKDSK
• Method 5. Rebuild MBR 
• Method 6. Upgrade Device Manager

Have you encountered the same problem? If so, you are in the right place. Several factors, such as incorrect installation, bad sectors, and MBR corruption, can cause this problem. Don't worry. We are here to help. This tutorial on EaseUS will provide you with practical ways to solve the problem. Read on to learn how to bring your disk back to work.

How to Fix Disk 1 Unknown Not Initialized on Windows 11

When you receive the message that says "Disk 1, Unknown and Not Initialized", you might fail to use the drive properly. In this tutorial, you will learn several fixes to solve this problem. You can use the Windows built-in tools to fix it or use an effective third-party tool. Read on to fix the issue.

Method 1. Reinstall the Disk 

Before you start to check the disk on your computer, you can try to physically replug the disk. The computer might fail to recognize your disk because it it not properly plugged. Thus, you can try to disconnect your drive from the Windows 11 PC and connect it once again to see if it is recognized successfully. If not. You can continue to read and try other methods.

Method 2. Reinitialize the Disk 

Guide 1. Utilize EaseUS Partition Master

One straightforward way to fix this problem is to try to reinitialize the disk. A new disk has to be initialized when you use it for the first time. There might be some problems in the initialization process, so you can try to reinitialize it. There is a simple tool for you to initialize it. A user-friendly partition manager software called EaseUS Partition Master can help you initialize the drive. You don't need to be an IT expert to use the tool.

Follow the steps to initialize your disk:

Step 1. Open EaseUS Partition Master and got to Partition Manager.

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

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

This is how you initialize a hard drive with the help of EaseUS Partition Master. You are welcome to download and fix the issue with your drive.

Guide 2. Utilize Disk Management  

When you receive the message that says "Disk 1, Unknown and Not Initialized" in Disk Management, you can try to initialize on Disk Management right after.

Follow the guide to do so:

Step 1. Open Disk Management from the Start Menu.

Step 2. Locate the disk with the "Disk 1, Unknown and Not Initialized" error. Right-click on it and select "Initialize Disk".

Step 3. In the new window, select your disk and choose the partition style.

💡Note: If the drive you are fixing is the OS drive, Windows 11 requires GPT as its partition style. If it is not, you can choose based on the disk storage. If it is larger than 2 TB, choose GPT. If not, you can choose MBR. Click to learn more about MBR vs GPT.

Step 4. Click "OK" to confirm.

However, if you find the button is grayed out and you can't initialize the disk, you can resort to the third-party tool to ensure the initialization.

Share this article with others to help them solve problems when their drive is shown as not initialized.

Method 3. Check Disk Health 

One possible reason for your disk not being recognized can be the bad sectors. If you have bad sectors on your disk, it may not function properly. Fortunately, the EaseUS Partition Master can also help you check the hard drive for bad sectors with the Surface Test feature. It will perform a thorough test on your drive. In addition, it can repair the errors automatically.

Here is how you can check the disk error with EaseUS Partition Master:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master and click the blue arrow to activate the "Disk Health" feature under the "Discovery" section.

Step 2. Select the target disk and click the "Refresh" button. Then, you can see the health condition of your disk.

Click to learn about problems regarding disk initialization.

Method 4. Run CHKDSK

You can also use the Windows built-in tool to check your disk when it shows "Unknown, Not Initialized" on your PC. The Command Prompt has a specific line for this, known as the chkdsk /f /r /x Command command. It can scan through your drive and fix the errors it finds in the process. Nevertheless, using the CHKDSK command can be difficult for beginners. You should type with caution.

Here is how you run the CHKDSK command:

Step 1. Press the Windows key and type cmd.

Step 2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose "Run as administrator".

Step 3. Type the command chkdsk C: /f/r/x and press Enter.

Remember to replace "C" with the drive letter of your disk that is not being detected.

Wait for the process to complete. Then, your disk can be repaired.

Method 5. Rebuild MBR 

Another possible reason for your disk to be shown as not initialized is the missing or damaged MBR (Master Boot Record). To fix MBR corruption, you can do it manually or choose the simple way with EaseUS Partition Master. The tool can access your computer and fix the boot code problem effectively.

Follow the guide to rebuild MBR:

Step 1. Create a WinPE bootable disk

• Launch EaseUS Partition Master, and click "Bootable Media" on the toolbar. Select "Create bootable media".
• Click "Next" to finish the process.

Step 2. Boot EaseUS Partition Master Bootable USB

• Connect the bootable USB or CD/DVD to your PC. 
• Press F2 or Del when you restart the computer to enter the BIOS screen. Set and boot your computer from "Removable Devices" or "CD-ROM Drive". And then EaseUS Partition Master will run automatically.

Step 3. Rebuild MBR

• Click "Toolkit" and choose "Rebuild MBR".

• Select the disk and the type of MBR. Then, click "Rebuild".

• After that, you can see "MBR has been successfully rebuilt on Disk X".

Don't forget to share this tutorial if you find it useful.

Method 6. Upgrade Device Manager 

If your drive is outdated, you can also have problems reading it properly on your PC. To fix this, you can update the device driver on your Windows 11 device so that it can be recognized.

Here is a guide for you:

Step 1. Press "Win + X" and select Device Manager to open it.

Step 2. Find your problematic disk and select "Upgrade Driver".

Step 3. Click "Search automatically for updated driver software".

Step 4. When the process is down, restart your computer.

Conclusion

In this article, we discuss several methods to fix the issue when you receive the message that says "Disk 1 Unknown Not Initialized" on Windows 11. There are some manual ways to fix this problem. In addition, the reliable tool EaseUS Partition Master can also help you fix the problem with several features. You can try those methods to make your workable.

FAQs about Disk 1 Unknown Not Initialized on Windows 11

Do you still have some problems regarding the error "Disk 1 Unknown Not Initialized"? If so, you are welcome to continue reading. The FAQ section will provide more information.

1. Why is my disk not initialized on Windows 11?

Your disk can shown as not initialized due to several reasons. Here are some for you to consider:

• Incorrect installation: If your drive is not installed properly, your PC might not recognize it.
• Bad sectors: When you have bad sectors on your drive, your Windows 11 PC can have a problem recognizing it.
• Outdated drive: An outdated drive might not be detected.
• Malware or virus attack: Your drive can have problems when it is infected with Malware or virus.
• MBR corruption: When the first sector where the MBR code is written is corrupted, it might have problems.

2. How do I force initialize a disk?

You can choose to initialize it with Windows built-in tools, such as Command Prompt and Disk Management. Or, you can use a third-party tool to make it easy for you. EaseUS Partition Master can help perform tasks with its simple interface.

3. Should I initialize a disk MBR or GPT?

If you are using Windows 11 as your current system, then you should initialize the disk which has the system stored on it into GPT. If it is a data disk, you can set it into MBR or GPT. If it has a storage size larger than 2 TB, you can choose GPT. If is smaller than 2 TB, you can choose MBR.