If your external hard drive is not being recognized, it could be due to a variety of causes. In this article, we’ll go over various troubleshooting steps that you can take to try and get your external hard drive working again.
Step 1: Check the Physical Connections
The first thing you should do when your external hard drive isn’t working is to make sure it is properly connected. Check the USB cable that connects the drive to the computer and make sure it is firmly seated in both the hard drive and the computer. If the cable is loose or damaged, replace it with a new one.
Next, check that the USB port on your computer is functioning properly by disconnecting the drive and plugging in another device, such as a flash drive or a mouse. Do the same thing with the hard drive in different USB ports until you find a port that recognizes the drive.
Step 2: Check Device Manager
If the physical connections are in order and your external hard drive is still not being recognized, the next step is to check Device Manager. To do this, type “Device Manager” into the Windows search bar and select the first result. Expand the categories until you locate the section for “Disk drives”.
When you locate the external hard drive in the list, right-click on it and select “Properties”. Select the “Driver” tab, then click “Update driver”. Windows should automatically detect the latest driver version and install it, if an update is available.
Step 3: Check Disk Management
If the driver is up to date, the next step is to check Disk Management. To do this, type “Disk Management” into the Windows search bar and select the first result. Here, you will see a list of all of your disks, including the external hard drive.
Right-click on the external drive and select “Change Drive Letter and Paths…”. If the external drive does not have a drive letter assigned, assign one by selecting it from the drop-down menu.
Once you’ve assigned a drive letter, click OK. This should cause the drive to appear in File Explorer, and you should now be able to access the files on the external hard drive.
Step 4: Check the Power Supply
Your external hard drive may not be recognized if the power supply is not working properly. To check the power supply, disconnect it from the computer and then connect it to a different power outlet. If the hard drive does not power on, there may be an issue with the power supply and you will need to replace it.
Step 5: Check for Corrupted Files
If the external hard drive is still not being recognized and all of the above steps have been taken, it could mean that the files on the drive are corrupted and need to be repaired. To check for corrupted files, download and install a disk recovery software application on your computer.
Once the software is installed, select the scan option to search the external hard drive for damaged or missing files. The software should be able to repair any corrupt files it finds and restore them back to their original condition.
Step 6: Contact Manufacturer
If none of the above steps have worked and your external hard drive is still not being recognized, the last resort is to contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer may be able to help diagnose and fix the issue remotely. They may also be able to replace the hard drive if it is defective.
Conclusion
If your external hard drive is not being recognized, the above steps should help you troubleshoot the issue and get it working again. Be sure to carefully follow each step and contact the manufacturer for help if the problem persists.