Solved! Windows 7 old laptop hard drive in external, with data into Windows 10 laptop?

[HelpMePlzzz]

Hi all thanks for any help

I put an old laptop hard drive into an external case. When I plug it into a different computer, it doesn't appear in windows explorer... but it does appear in device manager and when I go to disk management I get a popup saying"

You must initialize a disk before logical disk manager can access it, and than a MBR or GPT radio button

Do I select one? Will this erase data? I keep getting spammy links when I google.



It was formatted in Windows 7, trying to access in Windows 10

 

[AlHuneke]

This may or may not help (likely the latter), but open Disk Management, click on Disk Management and see if a disk that looks like your eternal disk show up (be careful to pick the right one). If so, it may show several partitions. Right click on the big partitions (likely your data) and see if you can assign a drive letter to access it.

However, I suspect you will need to learn about diskpart. Run this as an admin. A very dangerous tool unless you are very careful. Go slow. I've used it a lot but would not try to advise anyone else.

 

[AlHuneke]

Sorry--First thing you open is Computer Management, then Disk Management!!

 

[hang-the-9]

Hi all thanks for any help

I put an old laptop hard drive into an external case. When I plug it into a different computer, it doesn't appear in windows explorer... but it does appear in device manager and when I go to disk management I get a popup saying"

You must initialize a disk before logical disk manager can access it, and than a MBR or GPT radio button

Do I select one? Will this erase data? I keep getting spammy links when I google.



It was formatted in Windows 7, trying to access in Windows 10

A Win 7 drive, that is working normally and formatted, will work fine in Win 10. Sounds like this disk had issues in the other laptop to begin with is that correct? You can try using a data recover SW to scan the disk to try to get something off it. I like Recuva and also TestDisk or PhotoRec, all of those worked for me at times.

If you initialize that disk it will delete the data from it and may make it harder to get anything out of it. I would try using TestDisk to get the partition info back on it.