How to Fix the Error: "Disk Offline Due to Signature Collision with Another Disk"

When connecting a new disk to your system, you may encounter the error: "Disk offline due to signature collision with another disk". This issue arises when the connected disk has the same signature as another existing drive, causing a conflict. In this guide, we’ll walk through steps to resolve this issue and make your disk accessible again.

What Causes Disk Signature Conflicts?

A disk signature is a unique identifier that the operating system uses to distinguish between connected drives. However, if two disks share the same signature (often due to disk cloning or image mounting), the system detects a conflict and automatically disables one of the drives.

Steps to Resolve Disk Signature Conflict

You can resolve this issue using the built-in Diskpart utility in Windows, which allows you to change the disk signature. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt

Launch the Command Prompt as an administrator. Press Win + X and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".

2. Start Diskpart

In the Command Prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. The Diskpart utility will load.

3. Identify the Conflicting Disk

Type list disk in Diskpart and press Enter. A list of all connected disks will appear. Locate the disk that is offline due to the signature conflict.

4. Select the Disk

Type select disk X, replacing X with the number of the disk with the conflict. Be sure to select the correct disk to avoid accidental data loss.

5. Change the Disk Signature

After selecting the disk, type uniqueid disk to view its current signature. Then, use uniqueid disk ID=NEW_ID, replacing NEW_ID with a unique hexadecimal identifier (e.g., 1234ABCD).

6. Exit Diskpart

To close Diskpart, type exit. After completing these steps, reconnect the disk and check if it is now available.

Alternative Solutions

If you prefer not to use the Command Prompt, you can change the disk signature with third-party software such as AOMEI Partition Assistant or MiniTool Partition Wizard. These programs provide a graphical interface and may be more user-friendly for less experienced users.