How to fix External Hard Disk not Detected in Windows?
If your external hard disk is not being detected by your Windows computer, there are several possible causes and solutions you can try:
- Check the connections: Make sure that your external hard disk is properly connected to your computer, and that the cables are not loose or damaged.
- Check the power supply: If your external hard disk requires external power, make sure that it is properly plugged in and turned on.
- Restart your computer: Sometimes a simple restart of your computer can fix the issue.
- Check Disk Management: Open Disk Management by pressing Windows + X and selecting Disk Management. Check if your external hard disk is listed there. If it is listed, but not initialized, you can right-click on it and select Initialize Disk. If it is listed, but without a drive letter, you can right-click on it and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
- Update drivers: Open Device Manager and check if there is any problem with the drivers. Right-click on the external hard disk and select Properties. Go to the Driver tab and select Update Driver.
- Run troubleshooters: In the Windows search box, type “troubleshoot” and select Troubleshoot settings. Select Hardware and Devices and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Test the external hard disk on another computer: If the external hard disk still does not work on your computer, try it on another computer to see if it is a problem with the hard disk itself.
If none of the above solutions work, it is possible that your external hard disk is physically damaged or faulty and may need to be repaired or replaced.
If you want to check the connections of your external hard disk, follow these steps:
- Make sure that your external hard disk is properly connected to your computer. Check that the USB or other cables are plugged in securely at both ends.
- If you are using a USB hub, try connecting the external hard disk directly to your computer’s USB port instead, as the hub may not be providing enough power to the hard disk.
- If your external hard disk requires an external power supply, make sure that it is plugged in and turned on.
- Try using a different USB port on your computer, as the port you are using may be faulty.
- If you have access to another computer, try connecting the external hard disk to that computer to see if it works. If it does, the problem may be with your computer’s USB ports or drivers.
- Check the USB cable for any damage, such as frayed or broken wires. If the cable is damaged, replace it with a new one.
- If you have tried these steps and your external hard disk still does not work, it may be a problem with the hard disk itself and you may need to seek professional help for data recovery or repair.
Disconnect the power supply:
If you need to disconnect the power supply, follow these steps:
- Save your work and close any open programs.
- Shut down your computer properly using the operating system’s shut down command.
- Unplug the power cord from your computer and from the wall outlet.
- If your external hard disk has its own power supply, unplug it from the wall outlet as well.
- Wait for a few seconds to allow any remaining electricity to dissipate.
- If you need to move the computer or external hard disk, handle them carefully and avoid dropping or jostling them.
- When you are ready to use the computer or external hard disk again, plug the power cord back into the wall outlet and the computer, and turn on the computer using the power button.
- If your external hard disk has its own power supply, plug it back into the wall outlet as well.
It’s important to properly shut down your computer before disconnecting the power supply to avoid any data loss or damage to the hard disk.
Restart your computer:
To restart your computer, follow these steps:
- Save any open files and close any programs you are using.
- Click on the Start menu (Windows logo) in the lower left corner of your screen.
- Click on the power icon in the lower left corner of the Start menu.
- Select “Restart” from the list of options. This will shut down your computer and automatically restart it.
- Wait for your computer to restart. This may take a few minutes depending on your computer’s speed and the number of programs you have installed.
- Once your computer has restarted, check if your external hard disk is being detected. If not, try other troubleshooting steps such as checking the connections or updating drivers.
Restarting your computer is a simple but effective troubleshooting step that can help resolve many common issues, including problems with external hard disks not being detected. It can also help to clear out any temporary files or settings that may be causing the issue.
Check Disk Management:
To check Disk Management in Windows, follow these steps:
- Right-click on the Windows Start button in the lower left corner of your screen.
- Select “Disk Management” from the list of options. This will open the Disk Management utility.
- Look for your external hard disk in the list of disks displayed in the utility. Your external hard disk should be labeled as “Disk X” where “X” is the number assigned to the disk by the utility.
- If your external hard disk is listed but is not initialized, right-click on it and select “Initialize Disk”. Follow the prompts to initialize the disk.
- If your external hard disk is listed but does not have a drive letter assigned to it, right-click on it and select “Change Drive Letter and Paths”. Follow the prompts to assign a drive letter to the disk.
- If your external hard disk is not listed in Disk Management, try checking the connections or updating drivers.
Checking Disk Management can help you identify whether your external hard disk is being detected by Windows and whether any issues, such as lack of initialization or drive letter assignment, are preventing you from accessing the disk.
Update drivers:
To update drivers for your external hard disk, follow these steps:
- Press the Windows key + X to open the Quick Link menu.
- Click on “Device Manager” from the list of options.
- In the Device Manager window, expand the category “Disk drives”.
- Right-click on the external hard disk you want to update and select “Update driver”.
- Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and wait for Windows to search for and install any available updates.
- Restart your computer and check if your external hard disk is being detected.
If Windows does not find any updated drivers for your external hard disk, you can try downloading and installing the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s website. Look for the model number of your external hard disk on the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver for your operating system.
Updating drivers can help ensure that your external hard disk is compatible with the latest operating system updates and can fix any bugs or issues that may be causing it to not be detected by Windows.
Run Troubleshooters:
To run troubleshooters for your external hard disk, follow these steps:
- Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
- Click on “Update & Security” from the list of options.
- Click on “Troubleshoot” in the left-hand menu.
- Scroll down and select “Hardware and Devices” from the list of troubleshooters.
- Click on “Run the troubleshooter” button and wait for Windows to scan your system for any hardware issues.
- Follow the prompts to complete the troubleshooting process.
- If any issues are found, follow the recommendations provided by the troubleshooter to fix them.
- Restart your computer and check if your external hard disk is being detected.
If the hardware troubleshooter does not fix the issue with your external hard disk, you can try running other troubleshooters such as the USB troubleshooter or the device troubleshooter to see if they can identify and fix the problem.
Running troubleshooters can help identify and fix any software-related issues that may be preventing your external hard disk from being detected by Windows.
Test the external hard disk on another computer:
Testing your external hard disk on another computer can help determine whether the issue is with the hard disk itself or with your computer’s hardware or software. To test the external hard disk on another computer, follow these steps:
- Connect your external hard disk to another computer using a compatible cable.
- Wait for the computer to detect the external hard disk.
- If the external hard disk is detected on the other computer, try accessing the files on the disk to make sure it is working properly.
- If the external hard disk is not detected on the other computer, try checking the connections, updating drivers, or running troubleshooters as you did on the original computer.
If the external hard disk works properly on the other computer, the issue is likely with your original computer’s hardware or software. If the external hard disk does not work properly on the other computer, the issue may be with the hard disk itself and you may need to consider data recovery services or replacing the hard disk.
Contact HDD Data Recovery Service Provider:
To contact Data Storage Solutions, a HDD data recovery service provider in Bangalore, follow these steps:
- Visit the Data Storage Solutions website at https://datastoragesolutions.in/.
- Click on the “Contact Us” page on the website.
- Fill out the contact form with your name, email address, phone number, and a brief description of the issue with your external hard disk.
- Click on the “Submit” button to send your request.
- Alternatively, you can also call Data Storage Solutions at+91 988-087-2536
- or send an email to helpdesk@datastoragesolutions.in.
- Explain the issue with your external hard disk and ask for a quote and turnaround time for the data recovery process.
- Compare the quotes and services offered by Data Storage Solutions with other data recovery service providers to make an informed decision.
- If you choose to work with Data Storage Solutions, follow their instructions to send your external hard disk to their facility for data recovery.
Data Storage Solutions is a reputable data recovery service provider with years of experience in recovering data from various types of storage media. They offer a range of data recovery services, including HDD data recovery, at reasonable prices.
Different situations of HDD have not detected errors:
Hard drive not detected error/issue can be caused by the following situations:
- The USB driver has become unstable, outdated, or corrupt
- USB ports become faulty, damaged, or broken
- Partition issues on your external USB device
- The USB device is malfunctioning or damaged
- The wrong file system in an external drive
- Virus-infected PC
If the problem still persists after implementing the above steps then possibility that your hard drive is severely corrupted or damaged. In that case, you can approach a reliable data recovery service provider.
