If you install a new CORSAIR storage device into your Windows PC but it does not show up in File Explorer, you may need to initialize the storage device before using it. Once you initialize your storage device, you should be able to use it in Windows without issue.

NOTE: Initializing a storage device will erase everything that is currently on it.

How to initialize your storage device

To initialize your CORSAIR storage device:

1. Open Disk Management as an administrator.
   • If you are unable to open Disk Management as an administrator, try entering Computer Management in your taskbar's search engine, then go to Storage > Disk Management.
2. In Disk Management, right-click your CORSAIR storage device and click Initialize Disk.
   • If your CORSAIR storage device is listed as "Offline," right-click it and select Online to set it online first.
     
     
     
3. In the Initialize Disk window, make sure your CORSAIR storage device is selected and then click OK.
   • By default, the partition style for your storage device will usually be GPT.
4. Right-click the unallocated space on your storage device, then click New Simple Volume.
   
   
   
5. Click Next.
6. Specify the size you want to allocate; the default choice uses the entire drive, so you may want to stick with the default.
7. Specify the drive letter you want to assign to your storage device, then click Next.
8. Specify the file system you want to use (this will usually be NTFS), then click Next.
9. Click Finish to finish the initialization process.

If initializing your storage device still does not cause it to be recognized in Windows, contact Customer Support and we will provide further assistance.