How to Fix and Recover Data From Unallocated Hard Drive? [Proven Solutions]

In a Windows computer, when you open "This PC" or "My Computer," you typically see a list of partitions and drives, providing easy access to your files stored on each of them, including external drives. However, there are instances when a partition or an external drive doesn't appear in the File Explorer under "This PC" or "My Computer." Instead, you may find it listed as an unallocated drive in the Disk Management tool.

So, what does this issue mean? and how you can fix the unallocated hard drive issue. Furthermore, what about the data trapped in the unallocated drive—how can you recover it? These questions may be causing some concern, but fret not. We've got the solutions you need to address and recover data from an unallocated hard drive. Continue reading to learn more.

• What Does it Mean When a Hard Drive is Unallocated?
• How to Recover Data From an Unallocated Hard Drive?
• Steps to Recover Data From an Unallocated Hard Drive Using Remo Recover
• How to Fix an Unallocated Hard Drive?
• Method 1: Scan Your Unallocated Drive for Malware
• Method 2: Update or Reinstall Driver
• Method 3: Run DiskPart Command to Fix the Unallocated Hard Drive
• Method 4: Extend an Existing Partition to Fix Unallocated Hard Drive
• Method 5: Create a New Partition from Unallocated Space
• Top 10 Situations Where Hard Drives Become Unallocated
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Does it Mean When a Hard Drive is Unallocated?

An unallocated drive means a hard drive that is not assigned to any drive letter or a hard drive that does not belong to a partition is called an unallocated hard drive. So, while installing the Operating System on your new computer, you need to partition that unallocated hard drive since you can't use a hard drive without allocating a drive letter and file system.

How to Recover Data From an Unallocated Hard Drive?

Attempting to repair unallocated space on a hard drive can be risky as it may unintentionally result in data loss. Fixing an unallocated drive typically involves formatting the drive, which permanently erases all stored data. Therefore, it is very important to prioritize data recovery as the initial step.

If you have a taken backup of the data saved in the unallocated hard drive, and saved it on multiple locations. Then, I recommend you restore that data upon completion of the Unallocated hard drive fixing process.

If you don't have a backup. Then, you need a professional data recovery tool like Remo Recover to recover data from an unallocated hard drive.

Steps to Recover Data From an Unallocated Hard Drive Using Remo Recover

• Download and install the Remo Recover tool on your computer. Once installed, launch the tool to begin the recovery process from your unallocated hard drive.

• After launching the tool, select the unallocated hard drive from which you want to recover data. If you wish to recover data from your unallocated external hard drive, ensure it is properly connected via a USB cable. If you cannot locate the drive, you can initiate a manual search by clicking on the "Can't find the drive?" option.

• Click on the Scan button to initiate the scanning process. This tool will perform a Quick Scan, and after its completion, it will automatically run a Deep Scan. The deep scan will thoroughly examine your drive sector by sector to recover the maximum number of files.

• Once the scanning process ends, this tool will list all the recovered files under the lost and found folder or lost partition folder. You can Double-click on any file to Preview and judge the condition of the file for free.

• At the end, select the files you want to recover and click the Recover button. Now select a safe location where you want to save the files and click on the OK button to complete the recovery process.

Now that you have ensured that you have safely recovered your data from the unallocated hard drive and stored it in any external location. It's time to start with the fixing process.

How to Fix an Unallocated Hard Drive?

Once you have successfully recovered the data from the unallocated hard drive, you can now begin the repair process. Below, we have provided five proven methods to fix the unallocated hard drive:

Method 1: Scan Your Unallocated Drive for Malware

Before diving into technical solutions, it is a good idea to eliminate the possibility of a virus or malicious scripts causing the problem. Just install and run reliable antivirus software to clean up any viruses or malicious scripts that may have infected your hard drive.

Method 2: Update or Reinstall Drivers

Outdated or corrupted drivers can often lead to an unallocated hard drive. Drivers play a crucial role in communicating between your storage device and other hardware components. To resolve driver-related issues, follow these steps:

• Right-click on the Start menu and select "Device Manager." 

• Expand the "Disk drives" section, right-click on your disk drive, and choose "Properties." 

• Navigate to the "Driver" tab and click "Update Driver." 

• Select "Search automatically for drivers." 

• If no updates are found, proceed to the next step. Close the window and then uninstall the device. 

• Restart your computer to trigger the automatic reinstallation of the drivers.

Note: If the unallocated drive issue occurs on a removable device, you can simply disconnect and reconnect the storage device after restarting your computer.

Method 3: Run DiskPart Command to Fix the Unallocated Hard Drive

DiskPart is a powerful command-line tool that provides greater flexibility for managing your computer's drives. It allows you to create a new partition to occupy the unallocated space. Follow these steps to create a new partition and format it:

• Open DiskPart, type in the below commands, and press Enter key after each
• list volume

• select volume C (replace C with your unallocated hard disk drive letter)
• delete volume
• list volume
• select volume C 
• delete volume 
• delete volume override 

Now, open Disk Management and right-click on your unallocated hard drive. Create a new partition and assign it to a new file system.

Also Read: How To Fix and Recover Data From Corrupted Hard Drive?

Method 4: Extend an Existing Partition to Fix Unallocated Hard Drive

If only a portion of your hard drive is unallocated, consider allocating that space to an existing partition for added storage. Here's how:

• Right-click on the Start menu and select "Disk Management." 
• Locate the existing partition, right-click on it, and choose "Extend Volume." 

• Follow the on-screen instructions to allocate the unallocated space to the existing partition.

Method 5: Create a New Partition from Unallocated Space

When a significant portion of your hard drive becomes unallocated, it's practical to turn that space into a new partition. This enables you to format it with a file system and start using it for data storage. Here's how to create a new partition from unallocated space:

• Right-click on the Start menu and select "Disk Management." 

• Locate the unallocated space, right-click on it, and choose "New Simple Volume." 

• Follow the on-screen instructions to assign a drive letter and format the partition with the NTFS file system.

By following these methods, you can efficiently resolve unallocated hard drive issues, recover lost storage space, and get back to using your device without any data loss or inconvenience.

Also Read: How to Recover Deleted Files From External Hard Drive?

Top 10 Situations Where Hard Drives Become Unallocated

Scenario	Description
💽 New Hard Drive Installation	When you install a new hard drive in your computer, it typically comes unallocated and needs to be initialized and partitioned before use.
🧩 Disk Management Utility	Unallocated drives may appear when you open the Disk Management utility in Windows or Disk Utility on macOS if they haven't been set up with partitions.
💾 Formatting or Reformatting a Drive	If you format a drive or perform a full reformat, it can become unallocated as it erases all existing partitions and data on the drive.
⚠️ Disk Failure or Corruption	When a hard drive experiences failure or corruption, it may become unallocated, making it inaccessible until you repair it or initialize it.
🔄 Repurposing an Existing Drive	When repurposing an existing drive for a new use, you might delete existing partitions, leaving the drive unallocated until you create new ones.
🖼️ Cloning or Imaging a Drive	When you clone or create an image of a drive, the target drive may initially be unallocated, requiring you to allocate and format it afterward.
🖥️ Connecting an External Drive	When you connect an external hard drive to a computer, it may show as unallocated if it hasn't been configured with partitions for that particular system.
🔄 Disk Migration or Replacement	During the migration or replacement of a hard drive, the new drive may be unallocated until you set it up with partitions and transfer data to it.
🛠️ Recovery from Data Loss	In some data recovery scenarios, unallocated space may be encountered when trying to recover lost or deleted partitions and data.
🚫 Accidental Deletion of Partitions	Accidentally deleting partitions using disk management tools can lead to unallocated space on a drive.

Conclusion

With all the above-mentioned methods, you can fix the unallocated hard drive and recover data from the hard drive that says unallocated. Please let us know your thoughts on the above-mentioned solutions to fix the unallocated hard drive issue in the comment section below.

Frequently Asked Questions on Unallocated Hard Drives

About the Author: John Harris

With a decade of experience in data recovery, John Harris, Senior Editor at Remo Software, is your go-to specialist. His focus includes partition management, Windows solutions, and data troubleshooting, delivering insightful content that serves both users and search engines. John's expertise shines through in illuminating blog posts, untangling data loss intricacies across diverse storage platforms.…