Only 3 Steps! Easy Data Recovery From Unknown Partition

Why Partition Becomes "unknown" and "not initialized"?

Sometimes, when connecting a hard drive or SSD, Windows shows it as "Unknown" and "Not Initialized." This often signals a serious issue with the disk's structure or health, and understanding the reasons behind this can help with data recovery from unknown partition and effective troubleshooting.

1. Corrupted or Missing Partition Table

The partition table tells the system how to access partitions. If it's damaged by viruses, failed updates, or improper formatting, the disk may become unreadable and appear as "Unknown" and "Not Initialized."

2. Disk Connection Problems

Loose or damaged cables, bad USB/SATA ports, or power supply issues can interfere with the system’s ability to recognize the disk structure.

3. Improper Disk Conversion or Partitioning

Errors during MBR/GPT conversion or using third-party tools can break the partition scheme, making the drive unreadable.

4. Malware or Virus Attacks

Malicious programs can modify or delete partition metadata, leading to unallocated or missing partitions.

5. Power Failures or System Crashes

Sudden shutdowns or restarts during disk operations may interrupt writes to the partition table, corrupting it and making the disk status show "Unknown."

6. Boot Configuration Problems

In dual-boot systems, misconfigured bootloaders or incompatible partition formats may also cause recognition failures.

How to Recover Data from Unknown Partition?

When a disk shows as "Unknown" and "Not Initialized", it means Windows has lost access to the partition structure, and all files on the drive are invisible and inaccessible. In this situation, you won’t be able to open the drive, read its contents, or even assign it a letter.

However, this doesn’t mean your data is gone for good. In most cases, the data still physically exists on the drive and can be recovered as long as you avoid initializing or formatting the disk prematurely. To safely retrieve your files without risking further damage, it’s highly recommended to use a professional data recovery tool like MyRecover.

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Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Server

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It is able to:

🌈Scan and search for lost, missing or deleted partition.

🌈Preview recoverable files before beginning the recovery process.

🌈Recover data from RAW, unallocated, or unformatted partitions.

🌈Work with all major file systems (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, ReFS).

🌈Compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7 and Server 2025/2022/2019/2016/2012.

🌈Recover data from 500+ devices: HDD, SSD, USB flash drive, SD card, camera, drones, etc.

🌈Cover 1,000+ file formats across documents, images, videos, audio, archives, and other common data types.

Step 1: Select the Unknown Drive

Install and launch MyRecover. It will automatically detect all connected disks, including the one marked as "Unknown" or "Not Initialized". Select the target disk and click on "Scan" button to begin scanning.

If you don’t see your unknown drive in the list, try "Partition Lost Recovery" under the "Advanced Recovery" section. It can search all lost or missing partitions on your system.

Step 2: Scan for Lost Data

It will search through the unrecognized partition structure to find all recoverable files—documents, images, videos, audio, and more. After the scan, browse the results, preview files, and select what you want to restore. To save time, apply filters to display only certain file types, such as documents, photos, or videos. For example, to recover videos from drive, you can tick the "videos" in filter. Then click "Recover" button.

Step 3: Save Files to a safe location

Now, choose a safe location to save the recovered files. Do not choose any location on the unknown partition to avoid data overwriting.

Upon completion of the recovery process, a mini window will pop out, indicating the success count and destination path of all restored files. Just click on the path link or "Browse" button and you can directly access the files.

Troubleshoot Unknown Partition After Data Recovery

After recovering your data from the "Unknown" and "Not Initialized" disk using MyRecover, you can now focus on fixing the disk itself. Based on common causes, here are targeted fixes.

1. Rebuild a Corrupted or Missing Partition Table

If your disk became "Unknown" due to a damaged or missing partition table, you’ll need to rebuild it using third-party tools. Or, you can use DiskPart to clean and repartition the disk. (⚠️This method erases all partition info and is only safe if you’ve already recovered your data.)

Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press "Win+X", choose "Command Prompt (Admin)".

In the elevated window, type diskpart and enter "Press", then type:

• list disk
• select disk X (replace X with your disk number)
• clean
• convert mbr (or convert mbr, depending on your needs)
• exit

Then open Disk Management to initialize and create a new partition.

2. Check and Replace Faulty Hardware Connections

Sometimes, the problem isn't with the disk itself—it may simply be a hardware connection issue. A loose, damaged, or low-quality cable can prevent the system from correctly detecting or initializing the drive. In this case, try replacing the SATA or USB cable with a new one to rule out physical faults.

You should also test the drive using a different USB port or connect it to another computer altogether to verify whether the issue persists. Avoid using USB hubs or extension adapters, as they may not provide stable power or proper data transfer. For best results, connect the drive directly to a port on the motherboard or laptop.

3. Fix Improper Disk Conversion or Partitioning

If the disk was converted from MBR to GPT (or vice versa) improperly, Windows may not recognize it. If possible, reverse the improper conversion using tools like `mbr2gpt` or partition managers. Enter BIOS/UEFI to make sure boot mode matches the disk format (MBR = Legacy, GPT = UEFI)

4. Remove Malware or Virus That Damaged Partition Info

Malware can corrupt partition metadata. Cleaning the system is essential before attempting to fix or reuse the disk. Scan your entire system with "Windows Defender".

5. Check and Fix File System Errors

If the disk was actively writing data when the system suddenly crashed or experienced a power outage, it's possible that the partition table or file system became corrupted. In such cases, the first step is to ensure the drive is connected to a stable power source to prevent further damage. Then, open a Command Prompt window as administrator and run the  command (replace "g:" with your actual drive letter): chkdsk g: /f /r

This will scan the drive for file system errors and attempt to fix them automatically. If the damage is limited to logical errors, this may restore access to the partition without needing to reformat or recover data separately.

6. Fix Bootloader or Format Conflicts in Dual-Boot Systems

If you're using Windows alongside Linux or in a multi-boot setup, a misconfigured bootloader can interfere with how partitions are recognized by the system. This may result in drives appearing as "Unknown" or partitions going missing. To resolve this, you can use the built-in Windows command-line utility "bcdedit" to repair or rebuild the Windows boot configuration.

If the issue prevents Windows from booting, boot into Windows Recovery Environment using installation media and open Command Prompt. Then run the following commands in order to repair the boot records:

• bootrec /fixmbr
• bootrec /fixboot
• bootrec /scanos
• bootrec /rebuildbcd

For systems involving Linux, it’s recommended to boot from a Linux live USB and use tools such as "TestDisk" to inspect, recover, or repair hidden or overwritten partitions.

Summary

By understanding why a partition becomes "Unknown" and "Not Initialized," and following the appropriate recovery and repair steps, you can effectively finish data recovery from unknown partitionand restore disk functionality. Even better, with MyRecover, users without any technical background can easily retrieve lost data from an unknown partition in just a few simple clicks. To use such an amazing tool on unlimited devices with one license, please try its Technician edition.