How to Fix an Undetected External Hard Drive
Quick Navigation:
- Method #1: Try a Different USB port to Fix the Undetected Problem
- Method #2: Try to Connect the External Hard Drive to Another Computer
- Method #3: Run CHKDSK CMD to Check and Fix Undetected External Hard Drive
- Method #4: Show Hidden devices from Device Manager
An external hard drive is a great choice to save important files, make backups, and take the files anywhere you go. However, it's terrible if you find that your hard drive is undetected by your computer. It means you're facing the possibility that all files might be trapped there. Actually, you should calm down in the first place and try to fix a hard drive not detected issue. Here 4 ways are covered to fix an undetected external hard drive.
Having an external device is a great option, especially when combined with cloud backups. While cloud storage is popular, an external hard drive remains a top priority. Using an external device is straightforward - simply plug it in and start using it. However, issues can arise, such as the drive not appearing on your PC, prompting the question "how to fix a hard drive not detected?" Fortunately, there are several methods to resolve this issue, making it easy to repair undetected external hard drives.
Method #1: Try a Different USB port to Fix the Undetected Problem
Try plugging the external drive into a different USB port or directly into the computer/laptop to rule out a faulty port. If using a USB hub, try plugging it directly into the computer/laptop. If it still doesn't work, proceed to the next step.
Method #2: Try to Connect the External Hard Drive to Another Computer
If a computer is not detecting a hard drive, it's unclear whether the issue lies with the computer or the hard drive itself. To determine the cause, try plugging the hard drive into another device. If the drive is not detected on the other device, the problem is likely with the hard drive, not the computer.
Method #3: Run CHKDSK CMD to Check and Fix Undetected External Hard Drive
CHKDSK is a command-line utility that checks and repairs file system errors on a hard drive. It can be used to verify the integrity of a drive, identify and fix logical errors, and recover lost data. To use CHKDSK, you can type the command in the Command Prompt, followed by the drive letter of the external hard drive you want to check and repair. For example, if your external hard drive is assigned the letter "E", you would type "chkdsk e:" and press Enter. The utility will then scan the drive and report any errors or issues it finds, and you can choose to repair them. It's worth noting that CHKDSK can be run in a read-only mode, which will only scan the drive without making any changes.
- Go to the Start menu, type "cmd" and open the Command Prompt window.
- To run a check disk on your F drive, open the Command Prompt as an administrator, type "chkdsk f:/h" (replace "f" with your drive's actual letter), and press Enter. This will initiate a disk check on the specified drive, verifying file system integrity and potentially fixing any issues.
- Now, type sfc/scannow and enter.
If the first method doesn't work, you can try using a different method to detect the external hard drive. This might involve checking the device manager, disk management, or other system settings to see if the external drive is recognized. If it is, you can try to initialize it or format it to see if it resolves the issue. If this method also fails, there are additional troubleshooting steps that can be taken to try and resolve the issue.
Method #4: Show Hidden devices from Device Manager
If methods were not successful, you can try going to the Device Manager. This can occur if Windows is experiencing a driver issue. To access it, go to the Start menu and type "disk manager" or enter "devmgmt.msc" into the Run dialog.
Click on the Disk drives category, look for devices with a yellow exclamation sign, indicating a driver issue.
To troubleshoot the issue with the device, right-click on it and copy the error message. Then, paste it into Google to find a solution. This should help you resolve the problem.
To save some time and effort, try to update the driver.
Also, you can right-To resolve the issue, click on the "Start" button, then select "Control Panel" and go to "Device Manager". In the Device Manager, find the problematic device, right-click on it, and select "Uninstall device". Confirm the uninstallation by clicking "Uninstall" in the pop-up window.
If your external hard drive is undetected, don't worry, as there are several ways to fix it. We've outlined the best methods for you to try, and if you're unsure, these steps will likely solve the problem. If you do lose data during the process, you can use the Deep Data Recovery tool to recover all your lost data.
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