Update disk information

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To update disk information

  • Using the Windows interface

  • Using a command line

Using the Windows interface

  1. Open Computer Management (Local).

  2. In the console tree, click Computer Management (Local), click Storage, and then click Disk Management.

  3. Click Action, and then click Rescan Disks.

Notes

  • To perform this procedure on a local computer, you must be a member of the Backup Operators group or Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. To perform this procedure remotely, you must be a member of the Backup Operators group or Administrators group on the remote computer. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure. For more information, see Default local groups, Default groups, and Using Run as.

  • To open Computer Management, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.

  • Use Device Manager to scan your computer's hardware for changes. Then, use the Rescan Disks command if your disk configuration has changed but the changes do not appear in Disk Management. For more information about Device Manager, see Related Topics.

  • When Disk Management rescans disks, it scans all attached disks for disk configuration changes. It also updates information on removable media, CD-ROM drives, basic volumes, file systems, and drive letters.

  • Rescanning disks can take several minutes, depending on the number of hardware devices installed.

  • If you add a new disk to your computer and Disk Management does not detect it after you click Rescan Disks, you might need to restart your computer. New disks appear as Not Initialized. Before you can use a disk, you must first initialize it. For instructions describing how to initialize a disk, see Related Topics. If you start Disk Management after adding a disk, the Initialize Disk Wizard appears so you can initialize the disk.

  • If you create partitions using another program or utility and Disk Management does not detect the changes, you must close and then restart Disk Management.

Using a command line

  1. Open Command Prompt.

  2. Type:

    diskpart

  3. At the DISKPART prompt, type:

    rescan

Value Description

rescan

Locates new disks that may have been added to the computer.

Notes

  • To perform this procedure on a local computer, you must be a member of the Backup Operators group, Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure. For more information, see Default local groups, Default groups, and Using Run as.

  • To open a command prompt, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command prompt.

  • Use Device Manager to scan your computer's hardware for changes. Then, use the DiskPart rescan command if your disk configuration has changed but the changes do not appear in DiskPart. For more information about Device Manager, see Related Topics.

  • When DiskPart rescans disks, it scans all attached disks for disk configuration changes. It also updates information on removable media, CD-ROM drives, basic volumes, file systems, and drive letters.

  • Rescanning disks can take several minutes, depending on the number of hardware devices installed.

  • For more information about DiskPart, see Related Topics.

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

Initialize new disks
Refresh drive letter, file system, and volume information
Change a basic disk into a dynamic disk
Partition styles
Working with MMC console files
DiskPart
Reinstall a Plug and Play device
Device Manager overview