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- HP Z420 Workstation not recognizing 14Tb drives

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1 REPLY 1
11-14-2024 08:19 AM
Welcome to our HP Community forum!
So, your HP Z420 workstation isn't recognizing 14TB drives. There are a few things that may be causing this issue. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot:
Check BIOS/UEFI Compatibility:
- First, make sure that the BIOS or UEFI firmware on your Z420 is up to date. Large-capacity drives may require a more recent firmware version for compatibility. The most recent BIOS version available for your PC is 03.96 Rev.A, which you can find here.
- Once updated, access the BIOS setup by pressing F10 and see if the drives are now listed.
Confirm GPT Partitioning:
- Drives over 2TB must use the GUID Partition Table (GPT) instead of the older MBR partition scheme. If the drives are formatted in MBR, reformatting to GPT may be required.
- You can check and convert the partition style in Windows Disk Management or through a tool like Diskpart (use caution as converting will erase existing data).
Check SATA Controller Compatibility:
- Some older SATA controllers may not handle very large drives well. If your workstation has a secondary controller (e.g., an additional RAID card or a separate SATA controller), try connecting the drives to a different port.
- If you're using RAID, check that the controller supports large drives.
Test with a Different System or USB Dock:
- If possible, connect the 14TB drives to a different system to see if they're recognized there. This can help determine if the issue is with the drives or the Z420 itself.
- A USB-to-SATA adapter or docking station can be handy for testing drive recognition outside the workstation.
Update Storage Drivers:
- Ensure your operating system's storage drivers (such as Intel Rapid Storage Technology or other chipset-specific drivers) are up to date.
Initialize the Drives in Disk Management:
- In Windows, open Disk Management (type "Disk Management" in the Start menu search), and see if the drives are detected as unallocated. If so, right-click to initialize the drives as GPT.
Let me know if any of these steps reveal the drives, or if you’d like more detailed help with a specific step!
Kind Regards,
NonSequitur777
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