- Cannot Recognize External Hard Drive
- Why Won't External Hard Drive Show Up
- Pc Cannot Recognize External Hard Drive
- Windows Not Seeing My External Drive
- Computer Won't Recognize External Hard Drive
When you try to access data on an external USB hard drive, you may receive the following error:
If the external hard dive is a brand-new hard drive, and there is no partition on the drive, the system cannot recognized the drive size, which would cause the hard drive detected but not accessible. It is too old of your driver software. You may find your external hard drive recognized in Device Manager, but not in Disk Management. If the hard drive vibrates when the computer is turned on, it means it is still in service. If there are no sounds, most likely it is dead and you cannot do anything about it. In this case, the best solution is to restore all the data from it (it is better to use this drive as an external drive) and buy a new hard drive.
If Steam does not recognize your games after completing the instructions that are listed above, it is recommended that you completely reinstall the games in question. Preventing this issue. External Hard Drives. External hard drives are not recommended for use with Steam or Steam's games. Aside from many potential performance issues, external.
'USB Device not recognized: One of the devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and windows does not recognize it.'
Cause
Print screen active window. This issue can be caused if any of the following situations exist:
The currently loaded USB driver has become unstable or corrupt
Your PC requires an update for issues that may conflict with a USB external hard drive and Windows
Windows may be missing other important updates hardware or software issues
Your USB controllers may have become unstable or corrupt
Your external drive may be entering selective suspend
Your PC motherboard may need updated drivers
Cannot Recognize External Hard Drive
Resolution
To resolve this issue, follow the steps in the methods below in the order listed. If the first method does not fix the problem, proceed to the next.
Method 1: Uninstall and then reconnect the external hard drive
This method resolves issues where the currently loaded USB driver has become unstable or corrupt.
Select Start, type Device Manager in the Search box
Select Device Manager from the returned list.
Select Disk Drives from the list of hardware
Press and hold (or right-click) the USB external hard drive with the issue, and select Uninstall.
After the hard drive is uninstalled, unplug the USB cable.
Wait for 1 minute and then reconnect the USB cable. The driver should automatically load
Check for the USB drive in Windows Explorer
Note Connecting your USB external hard drive into a non-powered USB hub can cause a lack of enough power to operate the external drive. Instead, plug it directly into your computer.
If this method does not resolve your issue, proceed to Method 2.
Method 2: Install Hotfixes that resolve issues that may exist on Windows 7
The hotfixes in this method can resolve a known conflict with a USB external hard drive and Windows.
Go to KB 976972 You encounter problems when you move data over USB from a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer that has an NVIDIA USB EHCI chipset and at least 4GB of RAM.
Under Update information, select Download the update package now that corresponds with your version of Windows 7.
If you're unsure of which version of Windows 7 you are running, select the Start button, press and hold (or right-click) Computer > Properties.
If '64-bit Operating System' is listed next to System type, you're running the 64-bit version of Windows Vista or Windows 7.
If '32-bit Operating System' is listed next to System type, you're running the 32-bit (x86) version of Windows Vista or Windows 7.
Select Continue. If a User Account Control permission, select Yes.
Select Download > Open.
The download should start in 30 seconds. If it does not, select Start Download > Open.
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the download and installation.
Go to KB 974476 The computer stops responding when an USB device resumes from the USB Selective Suspend state in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2
Select View and request hotfix downloads > Select hotfix.
If prompted, review the license agreement. If you agree to the terms, select I Accept.
Check the box next to your version of Windows 7, then enter your email in the boxes below.
Enter the word verification, then select Request hotfix.
Check your email. You will soon see an email from Microsoft with a download link for the hotfix. Selet the link and follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the hotfix.
Restart your computer.
If your problem still persists, proceed to Method 3.
Method 3: Install the latest Windows Updates
This method will install the latest device drivers for your USB external hard drive.
Select the Start button, type Windows Update in the Search box, and then select Windows Update in the results pane.
Select Check for Updates. After the scan is complete, select Review optional updates.
Select the check box next to the updates, then select Install updates.
If prompted, review the license agreement, then select I Accept.
Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the updates.
If prompted, reboot your computer.
If your problem still exits, proceed to Method 4.
Method 4: Reinstall USB controllers.
This method resolves steps where the currently loaded USB driver has become unstable or corrupted.
Select Start, then type device manager in the Search box, and then select Device Manager.
Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers. Press and hold (or right-click) a device and select Uninstall. Repeat for each device.
Once complete, restart your computer. Movies edited with adobe premiere. Your USB controllers will automatically install.
If your problem still exists, proceed to Method 5.
Method 5: Disable USB selective suspend setting.
This method prevents your USB external drive from powering down.
Select the Start button, type power plan in the Search box, and then select Choose a power plan.
Next to your currently selected plan, select Change Plan Settings.
Select Change advanced power settings.
Select the box to expand USB Settings > USB selective suspend settings.
Select Plugged in, select the drop down menu, and then select disabled.
If you're using a laptop, select Battery, select the drop down menu, and then select disabled.
Select Apply > OK.
If this doesn't resolve your issue, proceed to Method 6.
Method 6: Install your motherboard's latest chipset drivers.
This method updates your motherboard's chipset drivers, so your computer will recognize your USB external hard drive.
Review your computer's documentation which should contain the name of the motherboard manufacturer.
Visit your computer manufacturer's support website. For a list of computer manufacturers' support sites, see Computer manufacturers' contact information.
Navigate their website to find the appropriate drivers for your motherboard. For assistance, contact your computer manufacturer.
If your issue still exists, we recommend contacting Microsoft product support. For information on how to get assistance from Microsoft, see Products.
More Information
For more information about Windows Update, visit Windows Update.
Nov 23, 2020 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions
When you plug in your external hard disk to your computer, you may find that your hard drive is detected by the operating system, but you're not able to open.
Such a problem can occur due to multiple factors, and if you're worried that you won't be able to reaccess the drive and thinking 'how to fix the external hard drive, not opening?'
If this doesn't resolve your issue, proceed to Method 6.
Method 6: Install your motherboard's latest chipset drivers.
This method updates your motherboard's chipset drivers, so your computer will recognize your USB external hard drive.
Review your computer's documentation which should contain the name of the motherboard manufacturer.
Visit your computer manufacturer's support website. For a list of computer manufacturers' support sites, see Computer manufacturers' contact information.
Navigate their website to find the appropriate drivers for your motherboard. For assistance, contact your computer manufacturer.
If your issue still exists, we recommend contacting Microsoft product support. For information on how to get assistance from Microsoft, see Products.
More Information
For more information about Windows Update, visit Windows Update.
Nov 23, 2020 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions
When you plug in your external hard disk to your computer, you may find that your hard drive is detected by the operating system, but you're not able to open.
Such a problem can occur due to multiple factors, and if you're worried that you won't be able to reaccess the drive and thinking 'how to fix the external hard drive, not opening?'
There is no need to start panicking! You can follow our complete guide to learn the reason behind your hard disk inaccessibility, and we will also guide you through the process of how to repair that external hard drive and recover the erased data along the way too.
Part 1. Why External Hard Drive Recognized But Not Accessible?
There could be several reasons why your external hard drive may fail to respond to your Windows PC. It can be caused by some technical glitch in your operating system, or it might be due to the drive's internal hardware failure. It can also occur when you fail to plug in the device through the USB port properly.
Most of the time, such an issue gets resolved when you re-plug the drive into the PC or restart the system again entirely. But if such a problem with your hard drive persists and it remains visible on the system but doesn't open, even if you connect it to another computer system. Then there might be a deeper problem at play with the hard drive. Here is the list of issues that could be behind the problem with your external Hard Drive.
- Presence of bad sectors caused by inappropriately removing the drive from PC without following the removal protocol.
- Mechanical failure is caused by dropping the drive on the ground.
- Virus or Malware is caused by opening an ill-conceived website or file.
- Driver issue caused by some software glitch.
Whatever may be the reason behind this problem, in this article, we will help you repair your hard drive, which will allow you to access the important files within.
Part 2. How to Fix External Hard Disk Detected But Not Opening?
Before initiating the process to fix the issues with your hard drive, some external drives have power cables or a physical power switch, which should be ON at all times for you to perform operations on the disk. It is a simple step, but you should check it before anything.
After checking the ON/OFF switch, you can proceed further to perform other solutions to fix the inaccessibility problem.
Solution 1. Check the External Hardware:
Before performing any step, it is advised that you check the health of the external hardware of your system and the drive's accessories, which are as follows:
1. USB port.
2. Power/Data cable.
Please follow these steps to check whether the problem is with your drive or with your computer.
- It is advised that you plug in the external hard drive on some other System to check whether there is some kind of issue with your PC.
- Please try to Re-Plug the device on some different USB port, as the frequent usage of one port might have caused some wear and tear which could have loosened the hinges.
- Try the Data Cable of your external drive on some other device to see that it is functioning correctly. The casual and repeated use of the power cable may cause it to lose its functionality.
Solution 2. Restart your PC:
Restarting is perhaps the most natural solution to our hard drive being unresponsive. This fix usually solves the error half of the time. There are many ways to restart your computer, but we will try it the conventional way, so please follow our guide to perform this solution.
Why Won't External Hard Drive Show Up
- Open Start menu.
- Click on Restart.
- After restarting the system, try plugging the device into the PC to review the issue at hand. If the problem persists, then hop onto the next solution.
Solution 3. Update Driver of the Disk:
If you continue to remove your device casually from the computer, it may cause some sort of damage to the driver of your hard drive. This hassle can be fixed by reinstalling or updating the external hard drives, which can fix any problem with your storage device.
The Hard Drive's Driver:
The driver of the external disk is very similar to, the internal HDD on a computer, which consists of a rotating platter with a magnetic surface that rapidly stores digitally encoded data. It also provides the means of communication between the drive and the computer to which it is connected. It functions by giving the hard drive's serial/model number as well as physical information (sectors, heads, and the storage capacity) to the operating system so that it can recognize it.
Follow our step-by-step solution guide to check your drivers.
- Open Device Manager on your computer by entering the name in the search bar.
- Right-click on your Hard Drive's driver.
- Click on Properties.
- Click on the Driver tab and click on Update Driver.
- Click on 'Search automatically for updated driver software', or you can click on 'Browse my computer for driver software' if you have the driver file on your PC.
- The system will start searching for your diver software, you can also uninstall the device and reinstall it, using the same utility.
- Your PC will automatically update the software if there is a new update. Otherwise, it will notify you that 'The best drivers for your device is already installed'.
- If the issue persists after that, click on Close and jump to the next solution.
Solution 4. Fix it by Disk Management and Format it:
You will be able to access the properties and storage of your external storage drive with the help of the Disk Management utility. It can create a new partition within the device, if there is unallocated space and assign it a new letter to enable access. Follow our solution below:
- Open Disk Management through the Start menu.
- Right-click on your external drive's icon.
- If you find unallocated space, then click on New Simple Volume and click on Next.
Pc Cannot Recognize External Hard Drive
- Assign a letter to the drive and click on Next.
- Select the Do not Format option and push Next.
- Click on Finish.
- You can also format the device by right-clicking on the icon of the drive and selecting Format.
Solution 5. Run Windows Troubleshooter:
You can fix specific problems through the Windows troubleshoot utility, which automates the diagnosis and repairs the problem with your computer system. Follow our guide to use the windows troubleshoot utility, which may fix the hard drive inaccessibility issue.
- Open the Start menu and click on Settings.
- Click on Troubleshoot and find Hardware and Devices.
- Click on Run the Troubleshooter.
- The troubleshooter will start scanning for irregularities in the PC.
- It will notify you after finishing the scan and will advise you to apply the fix if any problem is detected. Choosing the option will prompt you to restart the computer.
Solution 6. Run CHKDSK to Repair Disk:
You can use the CHKDSK facility by using the command prompt on your PC. Before using the check disk command, it is important to know what type of functions it performs to fix specific disk-related problems.
1. It scans the integrity of the file system and file system metadata on a disk volume.
2. It fixes all types of logical file system errors that it finds during the scan.
3. Through its disk scan, CHKDSK detects the good and the bad sectors of the selected disk.
Follow our procedure to run the check disk command on your external hard drive to detect problems.
- Open Command Prompt on your PC through the Start menu.
- Run the program as an administrator.
- Your Command prompt window will open, type the following command inside the display, and hit Enter.
chkdsk X: /r /f where X is the external hard drive letter and /r & /f are the parameters of CHKDSK.
- The command will run its scan. Once the scan is complete, remove the drive and re-attach it again with the PC to see whether the procedure worked or not.
Part 3. How to Recover Data from Hard Drive Not Detected?
If you select the solution of formatting the external drive, then it will erase all the data. If the files inside your hard drive are irreplaceable and you intend to use those again, then you can recover all of your data. The data can be recovered until you overwrite the drive's memory with new data. To retrieve the files, you are required to perform a recovery operation by using a data recovery tool for Windows, and there is none better than Recoverit Data Recovery Tool by Wondershare.
Features of Recoverit:
- Works on every type of portable device (USB, HDD).
- It recovers data in more than 1000 file formats known in the tech world.
- Recoverit supports all types of File system formats like exFAT, FAT32, HFS, NTFS.
- It keeps your data secure and retrieves it with 96% efficiency.
- It is available on both macOS and Windows PC.
To recover all of your files, you are required to follow our three-step process to recover deleted files after installing the app.
1. Select the Location:
Windows Not Seeing My External Drive
Please follow the steps mentioned below to begin.
Computer Won't Recognize External Hard Drive
- Launch it from the Start menu.
- Select the 'Location' of your external hard drive.
- Click on the 'Start' button for the process to begin.
2. Scan for Lost Data:
- The scanning process will start. It will take some time for the scan to finish, depending on the storage space of your external hard disk.
- A scan completion pop up will appear on the screen with a beep tone.
- There is also a Pause and Stop button, which enables you to stop the scanning process.
- The results will be displayed, which you will be able to view them from the File Type and File Path section.
- You can pause or stop the disk recovery scan by clicking the Pause/or Stop button.
3. Recover the Lost Data:
- Recoverit allows users to Preview the recovered files, which will enable you to check the authenticity of the erased data.
- You can select your files and retrieve them by clicking on the 'Recover' button to reclaim your data back.
Closing Words:
It is entirely up to your personal maintenance, and handling of your computer's hardware and how you keep your PC protected by using some good antivirus. You are advised to check the way you plug in the drive inside the USB port. You are also required to press the eject button before removing the disk from the computer. It is also important that you check the health of your external storage device regularly by scanning it through the CHKDSK utility.
Now you know six possible solutions to fix the hard drive if any such issue ever arises. However, if you still aren't able to access your files or have formatted the drive entirely, then you can recover those files by using the Recoverit Data Recovery program to gain access and recover all the important data.
What's Wrong with Drive
- Recover Your Drive
- Fix Your Drive
- Format/Wipe Drive
- Know Your Drive
