How to Fix the Disk Signature Collision Error on Windows
If you’re encountering the “Disk Signature Collision” error message on your Windows PC, it means that two or more disks in your computer have identical signatures. This issue occurs when two drives have been cloned using the same disk image, and Windows is unable to differentiate them due to identical disk signatures. Thankfully, there are several ways to fix this problem.
Method 1: Manually Change the Disk Signature
The first method involves manually changing the disk signature of one of the disks. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Press the Windows key + X to open the Power User menu, and then select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
2. In the Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell window, type diskpart and press Enter.
3. Type list disk and press Enter to display a list of all the disks on your computer.
4. Identify the disk with the conflicting signature, and then type select disk # (where # is the number of the disk) and press Enter.
5. To change the disk signature, type uniqueid disk and press Enter. A new signature will be generated.
6. Type exit to close the diskpart utility.
7. Restart your computer and check if the error message has been resolved.
Method 2: Disconnect the Duplicate Disk
Another solution to fix the “Disk Signature Collision” error is to disconnect the duplicate disk from your computer. Here are the steps:
1. Shut down your computer.
2. Disconnect one of the disks with the duplicate signature. Depending on your computer setup, you may need to physically remove the disk or simply disconnect it using a USB cable.
3. Restart your computer and check if the error message has been resolved.
4. If the error persists, try disconnecting the other disk and restarting your computer again.
Method 3: Edit the Registry
If the methods above did not work, you can try editing the Windows Registry to fix the disk signature collision error. Here’s how:
1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control.
4. Right-click on Control and select New > Key.
5. Name the new key StorageDevicePolicies.
6. Right-click on the new key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
7. Name the new DWORD value WriteProtect, and set its value to 1.
8. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
9. Check if the error message has been resolved.
Conclusion:
In summary, the disk signature collision error is a common issue that can be fixed by manually changing the disk signature, disconnecting one of the duplicate disks, or editing the Windows Registry. However, it’s important to note that any changes made to the registry can be dangerous, and it’s always a good idea to create a backup before proceeding with any modifications. If you encounter any issues while attempting to fix the “Disk Signature Collision” error, consider seeking professional help.