Check in Windows Disk Management. The disk should show as "GPT Protective Partition" if viewed in an older non-GPT-aware OS.
: Unlocks the full storage capacity of large hard drives on legacy Windows systems that cannot natively address more than 2.2TB.
: Provides an easy-to-use, step-by-step graphical user interface (GUI) to format and partition large drives safely. Hitachi Gpt Disk Manager Softwar
Select your connected Hitachi drive from the physical device list.
If you have a 3TB, 4TB, or larger Hitachi external drive (such as the Touro or Deskstar series), plugging it directly into a system with MBR will lead to two common issues: Check in Windows Disk Management
: The software does not support hardware or software RAID configurations.
Users have noted that installing certain drivers (like Intel Rapid Storage) can sometimes cause the drive to "hang" or revert to a 2TB limit even with the tool installed. Modern OS Support: Users have noted that installing certain drivers (like
: The software includes features to backup and restore GPT headers and partition tables, providing a fallback in case of table corruption. Historical Context
Disclaimer: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST) is now a subsidiary of Western Digital. This article discusses third-party software compatible with Hitachi hardware. Always back up data before modifying partition tables.
The software is designed to help you use large hard drives as secondary data drives . If you want to use a drive larger than 2TB as your primary boot drive (the C: drive containing your operating system), you need a modern system running a 64-bit OS and native UEFI firmware.