My External Hard Drive Not Showing Up, How Can I Fix it?

I was checking my software purchase history on my Microsoft account when I stumbled upon something very odd that I didn’t remember purchasing: a hard drive. There was no name to indicate its purpose or what device it would fit into, so I immediately did a web search for it to find out what it was. Up popped a receipt for “New External Hard Drive”, which clearly indicated that this device was part of a new line of portable, external hard drives from a company called Seagate. The receipt explained that this hard drive was a replacement for a failed Seagate Barracuda hard drive that I had already purchased. The receipt also explained that the hard drive would come pre-installed on a new external hard drive enclosure from Seagate, and that it

You may have gotten a new hard drive for your computer and it didn’t show up in Windows Explorer, and you’re pretty sure you plugged in everything correctly. The problem may be your USB hub, or you could have a hardware issue. It’s very possible you have a dead drive, but you don’t know how to check, and you don’t want to purchase a new one until you have tried everything first.

I use a lot of external hard drives. While I do my best to always back up my data, every once in a while something will go wrong, and a drive will stop showing up in my computer. If this happens to you, you’ll want to do some troubleshooting. If your hard drive is a standard desktop hard drive, you’ll want to check to see if it’s physically connected to the computer. If it is, plug it in and see if anything happens. If not, it’s possible your drive is no longer recognized. If your drive is a portable hard drive, more trouble shooting may be required. I have tested this using a portable hard drive I use for backup, and it would not show up in my computer at. Read more about how to repair external hard disk not detected and let us know what you think.

If you’re having trouble with your external hard drive not showing up on your Windows PC or laptop, keep reading to learn how to fix the problem.

Hello there, blog readers. How are you all doing? I hope you’re all doing well. Perhaps you’ve been slacking on the new subject. Then you’re always right, and now I’m here to educate you on why your external hard drives aren’t showing up in your system and how to repair it without any hassle.

Yeah, now I’ll teach you a proper description for it, as well as its features and all you need to know about hard drives, including their lifespans, how to use them, and how to repair them when they stop working. And now, without further ado, let’s get down to business.

This article contains the following content:

What exactly is a hard drive?

It is an extra device that saves data on your PCs and Windows through electromechanical means. It permanently saves all of the data from the computer, including photos, files, and the most recent applications. A hard drive is responsible for all storage-related operations. It is known by several names, including hard disk drive, hard disk, fixed drive, and so on. Depending on how it’s used, it may function as both an internal and external drive.

Hard drive features include:

1. Storage is the most essential aspect since it has a lot of space and can store a lot of data like photos, files, and software, so it can save a lot of data.
2. The privacy of your confidential papers, pictures, and other information is a valuable asset that a hard drive may provide.
3. In hard drives, accuracy is required to ensure that data stored in the disk does not alter.
4. As the data is transferred to the other disk, your system’s performance will always be quick, making all jobs much faster.
5. It allows us to save more time since data storage takes less time.
6. If the life duration is lengthy, it will be extremely beneficial to the consumers.

The Importance of Using an External Hard Drive:

• Because it has a higher storage capacity of 1TB, you can save a significant quantity of data on it.
• It is compatible with all devices, including Apple, Android, and Windows.
• It is compact in size, making it simple to transport anywhere it is needed.
• Purchase cost is lower, and you get more features for a longer period of time.
• In comparison to previously, the files transferred to the disk system operates too quickly.
• To operate or utilize it, you just need a basic understanding.

How Long Does an External Hard Drive Last?

When it comes to the lifetime of a hard disk, According to my experience, one hard disk may be utilized for a maximum of 5 years and a minimum of 3 years. Also, I recommend that you verify that your data is secure on a regular basis. However, if you get a high-quality drive, it will survive for a longer time. It is preferable to get a high-quality drive such as Hitachi or similar. It is preferable to replace the drive as soon as possible. Ok, before we get into how to fix an external hard drive that isn’t showing up, let’s go over what a hard drive is and how to find it.

There are many reasons to conceal your hard disk in your system.

1. A broken USB drive, or damage within the drive, can cause your system to hide a disk.
2. Access to the drive-in system will be denied if there are corrupted files on the drive.
3. If the drive is brand new, it will be buried in the system, so you’ll have to dig through it.
4. Various files in various formats also contribute to the disk being hidden.
5. This will not appear on the screen until you upgrade the drive.

So these are the main reasons why your hard disk is hidden in your system. There’s no need to be concerned since the following are the different terms of sources to address such a problem:

How Do I Recover a Hard Drive That Isn’t Showing Up?

The majority of people experience the same issue on a regular basis, therefore here are some ways to help them overcome it. Why be afraid while I’m here? Haha

First and foremost, make sure the drive is operational. If it is, continue.

If the drive ceases to function, it will be the cause, and the drive will fail to read. As a result, you should check the drive regularly. You are also accountable for the issue if you neglected to preserve the drives. As seen in the stages below.

• When it comes to determining if the drive is functional or not, utilize the same hard drive with other systems. If yes, the drive is in working order; if not, go to the next step.
• If you try the same drive on another machine and it still doesn’t function, there is an issue with the drive.
• Check if the plug you’re using is in use or not, and whether the USB port is dead or not.

If the USB slot fails or is dead, the device will not function. It is thus preferable to put the USB port that you use often, as this will fix your issue. Change the USB port to a different one. It’s possible that there’s an issue with the USB slot; nevertheless, this won’t happen until the port slot is dead, in which case the situation will be complete.

• Check to see whether the plug slot is functioning once it has been installed.
• If the issue persists, go on to the next slot and try again.
• Make sure the USB system slots aren’t damaged on the inside.
• If the cable wire inside is damaged, replace it with a new one.

If you don’t clean the drive twice, it will crash:

If there is dust in the USB slot, it will be a significant issue, causing the data on the hard drive to crash. So, in a week, clean all of the system ones. To keep your device safe from such issues.

• Cleaning the drive with the dry brush will allow us to ensure that there are no issues.
• After cleaning, check the drive to see if you can detect that in your device.

As a result, cleansing your system at least once a week is required to avoid recurrence of the issue.

Need to double-check if the files on the drive are helpful or not:

• In the search box located on the home screen, enter disk management.
• Then it takes some time after you click the format.

Disk Administration

• Once you’ve completed the job, you’ll be able to begin the formatting procedure.

After the formatting is completed, all of the data in it will be wiped, and you must then recover all of the files that are needed.

It’s preferable to remove the drive and check the other option to see whether it’s working or not:

If the drive fails to function, check if there is another drive available and see if it works; if it does, there is an issue with the drive. As a result, get the sophisticated drive from a reputable provider. As a result, you won’t have to deal with the same issue again.

Then, if it meets the criteria, that will be the answer, and the drive choice will be detected on the screen. Based on my own experience,

If the date expires before the date specified by the vendor, you must buy a new one:

Once you purchase the drive, it will come with an expiration date. If the date passes, the drive will no longer function, and you will need to purchase a new drive system. So be certain that the date stated is correct, and that you recall the date preceding that.

Check &Fix the Drive in Disk Management

The external hard disk may not be recognized and therefore not appear on the computer, although it may appear in Disk Management.

We may look at a few examples to see if there is an issue with disk management.

• Unallocated external hard disk
• The hard drive has not been initialized.
• Offline external hard drive
• There is no drive letter.

Entering the Windows +X key and then clicking on the Disk Management option will bring up Disk Management.

Form a New Volume in Case 1

• To begin, choose the unallocated space.
• Select New Simple Volume from the drop-down menu.
• The next button is shown in the new basic volume wizard welcome box when you click it.
• Now click Next after finishing the Assign Drive letter or path.
• Now you must complete the Partition Format and click Next.
• The end button is shown in the window; click it.

Create a New Volume

• Waiting for the procedure to finish takes some time.

Case 2: Disk Initialization

• Right-click on the unfamiliar, uninitialized drive once the disk manager has opened.
• You must now choose Disk Initialization from the menu.
• You must also choose a partition style from MBR or GPT and confirm your selection by clicking the Ok button.

Initialize Disk

• Finally, you must wait for the procedure to be completed.

Set up a website in Case 3

• After opening disk management, right-click on the disk that is now offline.
• From the pop-up menu, choose online.

Set Online

Change the drive letter and pathways in Case 4

• To begin, open disk management and right-click on the disk partition that does not have a drive letter.
• Change drive letter and routes must be selected from the context menu.
• A pop-up window will open, prompting you to click the add button.
• To confirm, give the partition a drive letter and click Ok.

Change the letter of the drive and the paths to it.

• It will take some time for the drive to appear and start working again.

Run the Troubleshooter to see if there are any issues.

• Open Settings and choose Update and Security from the drop-down menu.

Click On Update&Install

• Now choose the Troubleshoot option.

Select Troubleshoot from the drop-down menu.

• Scroll down and choose Hardware and Devices.

Devices and hardware

• To run the troubleshooter, click the Run the Troubleshooter button.
• It takes some time to detect, but after it is done, it will provide a list of problems.
• Finally, choose the problem you wish to resolve and click Next.

The driver should be updated or uninstalled.

• To begin, hit the start+X key on your keyboard to launch the device manager.
• Select Device Manager now.
• Option to increase the number of disk drives.
• Then it displays all of the drives, so choose the one that isn’t working.

Choose between updating and uninstalling.

• It displays choices for updating the driver or uninstalling the device.

Install the USB Controller again.

• Expand USB Controller in Device Manager.
• Select Uninstall device from the menu by right-clicking on the device.

Remove all drives from your computer

• In the pop-up window, click the uninstall button.
• Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all devices under USB Controllers have been uninstalled.
• Finally, restart your computer, and Windows will automatically install the USB Controllers.

Disable the USB Selective Suspend setting on your computer.

• Type Power Plan into the search box.
• From the search results, choose a power plan.

Change Plan Settings by clicking on it.

• Change plan settings by clicking on it.
• Change advanced power settings by tapping on it.

Modify the Advanced Power Options

• To expand, go to USB settings and select the + button.
• Disabled must be selected in the options.

Change Settings & Click on the Apply Button

• To confirm, click the Apply button and then click Ok.

If none of the above solutions worked, restart your computer:

If you’re tired of performing all of the activities above, go on to the next step, which is to restart your computer. All of the aforementioned procedures, in my opinion, have been completed, and the drive will be recognized in the device after the system has been restarted. The hard disk will then be recognized by your computer.

How can I get my things back? Is it anything that exists on the drive?

• To begin, connect the drive to your computer, whether it’s a Mac or a Windows machine, and so on.
• After two system refreshes, the symbol appears on the screen.
• If not, use the steps outlined above to locate the drive icon.
• Then, after clicking on the drive icon, a page will appear.
• Go to the search option now.
• And then type “rescue lost files” into the search box.
• Finally, choose the necessary files, pictures, and so on.
• When you choose the recover option, the job is completed.

FAQ’s

• 1) What should you do if your USB hardware is damaged?

Answer: You’ll need to upgrade the USB hardware.

• Question 2) What can I do if the external hard drive port is damaged?

Clean your port with a gentle brush and test it again to see whether it works.

• Question 3) What should I do if USB was recognized but no data was found on it?

Answer: In our post, we have a solution for that problem, so kindly read it.

• Question4) Is there a risk of losing data if the aforementioned techniques for detecting the drive are used?

Answer: We cannot guarantee the accuracy of your data, however it is possible that your data will be formatted incorrectly.

Final Thoughts:

According to the inquiries, the majority of people are having the same issue. I believe the hard drive’s failure to appear on the screen was due to the expiration date. And if the drive fails to function, it is possible that it has been damaged unintentionally, in which case it will stop working, and cleaning is an essential job that a large number of users have experienced.

I reasoned that buying a decent long-lasting drive, regardless of cost, would be a good way to avoid such a situation. I believe that after reading this post, you will be able to quickly resolve the External Hard Drive Not Showing Up issue.

Thank you for selecting OM Geeky; for more information, go to OMgeeky.com.

My name is Pardhu, and I’d like to introduce myself. At OMGeeky, I work as an Editor and Author. Actually, I am a techie who is constantly eager to share tech-related information with my users. Apart from that, I like traveling, I enjoy sports, I am a good listener, I am a team player, a photographer, I am a graduate, and I enjoy hill climbing.

It’s time to replace your old external hard drive. It’s a life saver, but it’s also an expensive piece of tech. You’ll want to keep it out of harm’s way, but you also don’t want to spend more money than you have to. Or maybe you don’t even know what your old drive looks like, or even what it’s called. If so, you’re not alone. We can help you out.. Read more about external hard disk not detected in windows 7 and let us know what you think.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my external hard drive not detected?

This could be due to a number of reasons. The most common is that the external hard drive does not have enough power to work with your computer. If this is the case, you will need to purchase an additional power adapter for your external hard drive.

What do I do if my hard drive is not detected?

If your hard drive is not detected, you will need to remove the power cord from your computer and plug it back in. This should fix the issue.

How can I fix my external hard drive?

You can use a USB to SATA adapter to connect your external hard drive to your computer.

Related Tags

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