External Hard Drive Not Detected

1. Windows 10 Not Detecting External Hard Drive
2. Open External Drive On Windows 10
3. How To Fix External Hard Drive Not Detected
4. Wd External Hard Drive Not Detected

Drive fixer How to troubleshoot and fix external drive not detected issues on Windows 10 If your PC isn't detecting an external hard drive, use this guide to resolve the issue. For external hard drives not showing up, it's the USB cable, and possibly the SATA-USB bridging dongle connected to the drive. Sometimes tightening or replacing the SATA, if an internal hard drive not showing up in a computer is the problem, or USB cable, if an external hard drive not showing up is the problem, alone can work wonders. If your external hard drive is not working properly nor recognized in Windows 10 but was fine in the previous OS, then it's most likely because the driver software is outdated or broken. First, run Hardware Troubleshooting and check if it helps. 1) Type ' troubleshooting ' in the search box and open it. Specialized Drives; Explore Gaming Hard Drives & SSD's; Xbox Gaming Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X S Game Drive for Xbox SSD Game Drive for Xbox Game Drive for Xbox Cyberpunk 2077 Special Edition Game Drive for Xbox – Halo: Master Chief Limited Edition Game Drive for Xbox Game Pass Special Edition Game Drive Hub for Xbox.

Summary :

External hard drive not showing up? Windows doesn't recognize external hard drive? How to make such drives appear in Windows so as to access the files in it? In this post, we show you the most feasible solutions as well as more approaches that could help you recover data from external hard drive not appear.

While scanning forums, we find so many users are bothered with the external hard drive not showing up issue. Here is one typical case we extract from ccm.net:

Q: Seagate external hard drive not showing up in my computer
My 320 GB Seagate external hard drive is detected but not showing up in my computer. In cmd> diskpart> list volume it does not show up. In Device Manager it gets detected. In Disk Management it shows up as 'unallocated'. If I initialize it, will I lose all data on the drive? It had 4 partitions. In My Computer also it does not show up. Even BIOS recognizes it. What to do? I don't want to lose any data on the drive. If I initialize it in device manager will I lose data?

Are you also troubled by hard drive not showing up? Have you got the effective workaround? If not, we give you 10 possible reasons as well as solutions to help you address this issue.

A USB flash drive may also fail to be recognized by Windows 10, but don't worry, you can fix the problem and recover data from it in most cases.

You might also be interested in Hard Drive Space Is Missing? Take These Ways to Find It out

Case 1. The hard drive is not initialized

This usually applies to new hard drive not showing up. If you are using a brand new hard drive, please check out if this hard drive needs initializing. You may go to Windows Disk Management and have a check. If Disk Management shows the disk as 'unknown/not initialized' and pops up a window asking you to initialize it, this new hard drive really needs initialization before you can use it. Then, you will have to create new partitions on it to make the new hard drive appear on computer.

To make things easy, use MiniTool Partition Wizard to help you. Detailed steps are shown below:

Step 1. Run MiniTool Partition and choose Create Partition.

In this main interface of this free partition manager, distinguish the new hard drive by viewing the hard drive information. Since a new drive has no partition, please select the unallocated space and choose Create Partition from the action panel.

Step 2. Customize the new partition.

In the pop-up window, specify the partition label, partition type, drive letter, file system, cluster size, and partition size. Then click OK.

Step 3. Click Apply on the top left corner to start.

When you have created new partitions on the new drive, go to File Explorer to check. These should remove new hard drive not showing up error.

Case 2. The hard drive has no drive letter

External hard drive not showing up also occurs when the partition on the external hard drive has no drive letter. To make the hard drive show up, you just run MiniTool Partition Wizard and add a drive letter to it.

1. At the disk map, select the partition that has no drive letter and choose Change Drive Letter from the action panel.
2. In the pop-up window, drop down the drive letter box and choose a drive letter you like. Then press OK button.
3. Back to the main interface of MiniTool Partition Wizard, Click Apply on the tool bar to put this operation into effect.

Case 3. Hard drive is hidden

If the hard drive is hidden by some partition manager, it won't appear in File Explorer. However, this time you cannot fix this issue by simply add a drive letter to it. You should use that specific partition manager or MiniTool Partition Wizard to unhide that partition.

But how do you know the hard drive is hidden or not? Usually, hidden drives also have no drive letter, but cannot be fixed by adding a drive letter. You can open Disk Management, right-click the partition that has no drive letter, and see whether the feature 'Change Drive Letter and Path…' is greyed out.

If this feature is greyed out indeed, you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard to help.

1. In the main interface of MiniTool Partition Wizard Free, select the hidden partition and choose Unhide Partition from the action panel.
2. Select a drive letter from the pop-up window and then click OK. Step 3. Press Apply at the tool bar.

Case 4. Partitions are lost

If all partitions on the external hard drive are lost due to some reasons like virus attack and corrupted partition table, the external hard drive not showing issue occurs. In this case, the first trying is to recover all lost partitions by using MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro (not supported in the Free Edition).

Step 1. Adobe premiere pro cc 12. Go to Partition Recovery feature.

Run MiniTool Partition Wizard to the main interface. Then right-click the external hard drive and choose Partition Recovery from the tool bar.

Step 2. Choose scanning range.

Select the scanning range such as the full disk, the unallocated space only or specify the scanning range and click Next. It is recommended to choose 'Full Disk' or 'Unallocated Space' if you do now know the specific starting LBA and ending LBA for the lost partitions.

Step 3. Set the scanning range.

Choose Quick Scan first. If this does not work for you, the go back to choose Full Scan.

Step 4. Check all partitions you need.

After a while, MiniTool Partition Wizard will list all partitions it has found. Here you can double-click a partition in the list to check the files in it. After confirmation, check all partitions you want to restore. Please note that partitions not checked will be lost and MiniTool Partition Wizard cannot help you that time.

Step 5. Confirm the operation by hitting Apply.

If MiniTool Partition Wizard fails to find the lost partitions for you, you can try professional data recovery software which helps recover data from lost partitions. Luckily, MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro Ultimate just comes with such a powerful function. And you may just follow the guide below to have a try.

Step 1. Go to Data Recovery.

After installing this data recovery software, run it to get the main interface. Then right-click the partition of the external hard drive to choose Data Recovery.

Step 2. Check files you need.

MiniTool Partition Wizard will immediately start the scanning process and list the found files as well. During this process, you can unfold each partition folders to check what files are the one you need. Please make use of the Preview feature to help you determine when it comes to TXT files and images. However, to get the best disk recovery result, it is recommended to wait for the completion of the scanning.

Step 3. Save files.

Tick the ones you need and press Save to store the selected files to a safe location. Note that you should choose another disk instead of the external hard drive to be recovered.

When you have finished data recovery, you can recreate new partition on the drive to cope with hard drive won't show up issue.

Case 5. Unsupported or RAW file system

Windows 10 Not Detecting External Hard Drive

If the external hard drive has unsupported files system or hard disk become RAW, the partition bar won't show up in Windows File Explorer. You can only see the drive icon and drive letter there. If you try to access the drive, Windows requires formatting.

To fix this issue, you need to recover data from the external hard drive first, and then reformat the hard drive with FAT/NTFS file system. Please refer to Case 4 and use MiniTool Power Data Recovery (Damaged Partition Recovery) to help you recover data. Then use MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition to do the formatting.

Case 6. Drive not enabled in the BIOS

If hard drive is not showing up in Disk Management and Device Manager, it may be because it is not enabled in System Setup (BIOS). Some motherboard manufacturers disable unused ports in the BIOS by default, which is the common reason for the 2nd hard drive not showing up in Windows 10/8/7. You will need to enter BIOS to verify their current states and make sure all hard drives are enabled. Note that different computer manufacturers have different methods to enter system BIOS, please check your system documentation for specifics.

Case 7. Faulty cable or port

If the data cable is damaged or the connection is incorrect, the BIOS will not detect the SATA cables and can sometimes fall out of their connection. Be sure to check your SATA cables are tightly connected to the SATA port connection. The easiest way to test a cable is to replace it with another cable. If the problem persists, then the cable is not the cause of the problem.

Case 8. Troubleshoot drivers

Usually, Windows offers hard drive drivers and the manufacturer of your SSD may also have released some drivers to support your disk. However, it is possible that they are the causes of your hard drive not showing up problem. If the driver you use is outdated or problematic, you need to disable or uninstall it. If you are not familiar with the process, use professional driver tool to help you get rid of the worries.

Case 9. Virus attack

Some malware or viruses can lead to hard drive not showing up issue. It is possible that there are such malware or viruses on your computer. In this case, please run security software on your computer to scan out and remove these malicious programs. Then, check if Windows doesn't recognize external hard drive issue still persists.

Case 10. Faulty hard drive

If you have completed the above checks and the external hard drive is still not showing on your computer, you should send the hard drive to repair center and check whether it fails. If it is still in the warranty, please proceed to begin a warranty replacement.

We also recommend reading our guide Quick Fix 'SSD Not Showing up' in Windows 10 without Data Loss.

Summary

Above are the top 10 situations as well as the solutions for new hard drive not showing up/external hard drive not showing up. You may just have a try and see if they are helping. We hope you will never take the last one. If you have any questions or better suggestions, let us know by tying them in the comment section below. Or you can contact us via [email protected].

External Hard Drive Not Showing Up FAQ

1. Check if the hard drive appears in Disk Management and all the partitions do have a drive letter.
2. Check if the hard drive is properly installed.
3. Check if the hard drive is BIOS detected.
4. Connect the hard drive to anther interface or another computer.
5. Check if the hard drive is physically damaged.

1. Check WD external hard drive in Disk Management. Do all the partitions seem normal?
2. Try another USB port or another computer.
3. Troubleshoot the driver issue.
4. Format the hard drive.

1. Run diskmgmt.msc. In the pop-up window, you will find all disks connected to your computer.
2. Open This PC on Windows 10, then you will see all the partitions on your hard drives are shown up there. Be aware that only FAT and NTFS partitions can be accessed normally.

Connecting your hard disk to your PC and seeing that it is not recognized or returning an error is very unpleasant. Disconnecting and reconnecting the device this time did not work and it is necessary to act differently. This guide analyzes the best ways to format HDD and restore its functionality.

Warning: formatting is a simple but delicate procedure. This, in fact, will result in permanent deletion of data from the external hard disk.

Index

Format external HDD not recognized on Windows

Everyone knows Windows, but often not enough to be able to solve the problem alone or figure out which way to choose. Here is how:

Assign a new drive letter

These are extremely rare cases, but it is possible that the computer, confused by the continuous use of devices, can generate conflicts between the letters of unity.

In this case, whatever the version of Windows available, the steps will be simple but numerous. First, look for the partitions in the search bar and click on the result that best suits you. This will open the disk management where it will show the internal and external memories available to the PC at that time. It is now necessary to identify the external memory to be formatted. Under the heading Disk 1 there is the writing Removable. This is where the affected memory is located. At this point, right click and select (if selectable) Change letter and drive path.Assigning a new letter is simple and intuitive and should solve the problem. Choose the letter you want and continue by finishing the operation. Yes, but it did not succeed, then formatting is required by assigning a new file system.

Assign a new file system

If the drive letter was not the problem, it is clear that it is time to assign a file system: without it the operating system is unable to write any data on the external memory.

• Go to the disk management as described above and right click on the memory.
• If this needs to be initialized it will appear, in the drop-down menu, initialize,otherwise it will appear formatted.
• Then select what appears and in case of initialization check MBR and continue.
• Now to allocate the memory, then to make it accessible, you only need to select from the New simple volume drop-down menu. You will be asked to choose between NTFS and FAT32.

NB because the NTFS format could give compatibility problems with an Apple operating system. If the maximum file size to be inserted is 4GB then FAT32 is recommended. In a few moments the disk will be formatted and ready for use.

Command line

Avoiding the scams of the graphical interface is simple. It is also possible to format the hard disk from the command line ( CMD = Command Line Interface) using a utility already present in the operating system. This is DiskPart that requires expertise and concentration to avoid disasters.

Run diskpart.exe by first pressing the Win + R keys. It will open the command line where to type the list disk to have an overview of the available memories with their dimensions. Substantially it is this last detail that allows an easy identification of the memory of interest. After that, type select disk n(n = disk number) and press enter, then type clean and press enter again. Now the hard disk is totally empty, as if it did not exist. We need to allocate the memory by creating a primary partition. Type create partition primary and, after sending, format FS = FAT32 quick or format FS = NTFS quick ( quick identifies the quick format and can be omitted). Now the hard drive is ready. All that remains is to type exit to exit the utility.

Format external HDD not recognized on MacOS

The instructions for the Cupertino operating system are simple and traceable to those of the rival operating system. So let's see how to use Disk utility and diskutil.

Disk Utility

Disk Utility provides a graphical interface suitable for the average user. Search for the tool in the Spotlight search barand open it.The screen is more organized and understandable if compared to the same on Windows. Go in search of the external memory of interest, based on name and size, in the External section of the left column (see photo). After selecting the memory click on initialize. A form will appear where you can enter the desired file system. Enter the name of the HDD and select as an MS-DOS or EXFAT file system to maximize compatibility with other operating systems (MS-DOS corresponds to FAT32 and imposes limitation of maximum 4GB per file, unlike EXFAT does not impose such restrictions). If the initialize button is not active, just click on activate and complete the procedure as explained.

diskutil

The thrill of programming and hacking also invades MacOS. Open the terminal by searching for it with Spotlight and type diskutil. A list of the commands that can be given to the utility will appear. Among these will be used list. Then type diskutil list and a list of all the memories connected to the PC with the relative dimensions will appear. To identify your memory, consider only those that appear under the heading external. Once identified, remembering the ID (disk1, disk2, etc .), type diskutil eraseDisk FAT32 Name disk1 replacing disk1 with disk ID and namethe desired name. Wait for the procedure to be completed and verify the correct operation of the procedure by disconnecting and reconnecting the hard disk.

Format external HDD not recognized on Linux

Linux is the absolute operating system suitable for geeks. Probably the need to format a hard disk is due to an unsuccessful installation of a new OS or to some problem of unknown origin. Linux offers its users GParted and Fdisk from the command line.

Use GParted

It is a must in Linux operating systems and turns out to be the simplest of software compared to other OS. Since formatting is a delicate procedure, once the program is started, it will be necessary to authenticate itself by accessing it as an administrator. From the drop-down menu at the top right select the HDD you want to format and then right click on New partition. Now you need to enter the desired file system by choosing between FAT32 or NTFS. Keep in mind, as already mentioned, that the former has a better compatibility with other OS but a limit of 4GB maximum file size and that the latter is not compatible with MacOS but has no restrictions on the maximum file size. Enter the name and proceed with the termination of the operation. Now the HDD should automatically be recognized by the operating system. However, an error message may appear to warn of the lack of a partition table. Then run Devices> Create Partition Table, select MS-DOS and then apply. Once the operation has been completed, repeat the procedure described at the beginning.

Use Fdisk

Open External Drive On Windows 10

It is the equivalent of GParted, but on the command line. Open the Terminal by running it from the menu and type sudo fdisk -l. Now it is necessary to identify the affected memory, using the dimensions specified by the Size entry, also remembering the ID useful for the subsequent steps (eg ID = sdb). For formatting, type sudo fdisk/dev/ sdX replacing the previously marked ID with sdX. Type d + ENTER to delete the existing partition and then type n + 5x ENTER (5x = 5 times) + n + ENTER + w + ENTER. Now you need to set up a file system by typing sudo mkfs.vfat -n 'DeviceName' -I / dev / sdX1 + ENTER (FAT32) or sudo mkfs.ntfs -n 'DeviceName' -I / dev / sdX1 + ENTER (NTFS) (replace the previous ID to sdX1). You can also use other file systems such as EXT4, reiserFS, BTRSF, or HFS. In the general command sudo mkfs.filesystem -n 'DeviceName' -I / dev / sdX1 + ENTER then replace vfat, ntfs, reiserFS, btrsf or hfs as needed. Let's remember, once again, the properties of FAT32 and NTFS:

How To Fix External Hard Drive Not Detected

• FAT32: maximum compatibility, maximum limit of 4GB per file
• NTFS: not recognized by MacOS, no file limits

Wd External Hard Drive Not Detected

Now that the HDD is ready, just unplug it and reconnect it to make it work.