Win 7 Not Reading External Drive (with backup data)


  1. Skizza
    Posts : 13
    Vista
       New #1

    Win 7 Not Reading External Drive (with backup data)



    I used a Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus to backup data in Vista 32bit, then formatted HDD and did clean install of Windows 7 64bit over it. Now when I go to "Computer Management > Disk Managent, it says "You must Initialize a disk before Logical Disk Manager Can acess it". Because it's asking me which partition style to use (MBR or GBT) I'm assuming that "initializing" will wipe my data....Is that true?
    Last edited by Skizza; 23 Dec 2009 at 02:20.
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  3. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #2

    Yes, do not initialize the external HD.

    Plug external into another computer to see if it sees the data.

    Did you leave the external plugged in during Win7 install?

    It should not have been affected as Win7 installer will not recognize external HD's.

    Can you post back a screenshot of your full Disk Management map as it exists now, using Snipping Tool in start menu, attaching file using paper clip in reply box?
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  4. Skizza
    Posts : 13
    Vista
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    I figured it out. HD was password protected and Maxtor doesn't have software that would allow me to unlock it in 64-bit windows, so I had to re-install Vista, unlock HD, remove password protection, then Windows 7 would allow me to access drive.

    I could of simply plugged into another PC running Vista or XP and used Maxtor software to unlock it, but didn't have access to another PC at the time.
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  6. DanP
    Posts : 13
    Windows 7
       New #4

    Do Maxtor have support for Win7? I was thinking about using that feature myself.
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