Hiding a hard drive in your Windows 10 computer can prevent others from seeing your private files.
You may need to do this.
But do you know how to hide a drive in Windows 10?
For many reasons, you may want to hide your files on your Windows 10 computer.
For example, you dont want other people to see your confidential files on the hard drive.
Or you dont want others to touch your important file on the hard drive.
The best method to hide your files is to directly hide the entire drive in your Windows 10 computer.
How to Hide a Drive in Windows 10?
How to Hide a Hard Drive Using Disk Management?
By using this way, you know which folder is the drive but others dont know.
Here is a guide:
Step 1: Remove the Drive Letter
1.
Right-click onThis PCand selectManage.
SelectDisk ManagementunderStorageon the pop-up interface.
Right-press the drive you want to hide and selectChange Drive Letter and Paths….
4.
On the pop-up interface, you’re gonna wanna click theRemovebutton to continue.
Another interface will pop up, reminding you of the risk of removing a drive letter.
you’re gonna wanna click theYesbutton to confirm the operation.
Step 2: Mount the Drive as a Folder
1.
Now, you go back to the Disk Management interface.
Again, you gotta right-choose that drive and selectChange Drive Letter and Paths….
2.
Click theAddbutton to continue.
SelectMount in the following empty NTFS folder.
On the next interface, see to it drive C is selected and then click theNew Folderbutton.
Name the newly created folder as your wish.
Here, I name the foldersecretdrive.
Now, you’re gonna wanna go to drive C to find the newly-created folder.
But first, youd better clickViewfrom the top toolbar and make sureHidden itemsis not selected.
When you see the following interface, you should probably selectApply changes to this folder only.
Click theOKbutton to continue.
You go back to Properties.
ClickOKon it to save the change.
Now, thesecretdrivefolder is hidden.
Only you know this secret.
If you want to see that drive, you might uncheckHiddenin step 12 to show that folder.
Tip 1: How to Show Hidden Drives in Windows 10?
Go to Disk Management.
Right-tap the target drive and selectChange Drive Letter and Paths….
3.
ClickYeson the pop-up interface to confirm the operation.
Right-punch the target drive again and selectChange Drive Letter and Paths….
6.
Click theAddbutton to continue.
Assign a drive letter for that drive.
ClickOKto save the change.
Tip 2: How to Only Hide the Drive?
But in this way, no one can see it in File Explorer, including you.
The corresponding function isHide Partition.
This feature is free in this software.
Do you know how to back up individual Registry keys Windows 10?
Now, this post will show you a step-by-step guidance to do this job.
Go to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
4.
Right-hit the empty space on the right side.
Then, go toNew > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name the newly-created DWORDNoDrivesand pressEnter.
Double-smack the new DWORD to open it.
Enter the decimal number that represents the drive letter you want to hide into the box underValue data.
We take drive E as an example and we type16under Value data.
If you want to hide more than drives, you better bang out the sum of the decimal numbers.
That is, the number you oughta key in is 48.
ClickOKto save the changes.
After these steps, you should probably cycle your system to apply all the changes.
Then, you cant find the drive in File Explorer.
But this doesnt mean that that drive is inaccessible.
How to Revert the Changes?
How to Hide a Hard Drive Using Group Policy?
Unlike the above two methods, you could only hide certain drives using this method.
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer
4.
Scroll down to findHide these specified drives in My Computer policyand double-click it.
On the pop-up interface, selectEnabled.
Under theOptionssection, pick the drive combination according to your needs from the drop-down menu.
you’ve got the option to note that only some certain drives can be hidden.
You dont need to reset your machine by using this method.
How to Recover Data from a Hidden Drive in Windows 10?
Due to some reason, you may lose your important files in the hidden drive.
Well then, is it possible to recover data from a hidden drive?
Of course, yes.
The drive is hidden, but the files are normal as others.
So, there are two methods to recover files from a hidden drive:
Method 1.
It is very simple to do this:
The select files will be restored to their original locations.
In a situation like this, you should probably use third-party data recovery software to get them back.
you’re free to use MiniTool Power Data Recovery, afree file recovery tool.
This software is specially designed to recover data from all kinds of drives.
It can detect the hidden drive on your setup.
you’ve got the option to just select a suitable method based on your needs.
