How To Fix External Hard Disk Drive Not Showing Up in Windows

Using a USB device like a pen drive, external hard drive, or memory card are an easy way to transfer or store data. Even though an external hard drive is easy to use, some users face the hard disk not showing up. In this guide, let’s find out how to solve the ‘external hard disk drive not showing up’ in the Windows issue.

Causes For ‘External Hard Disk Drive Not Showing Up’

The ‘external hard disk drive not showing up’ in Windows can occur due to several reasons. Let’s find out the possible reasons for this issue:

• Connection issue
• Physical damage
• Drive letter conflicts
• File system compatibility

Best Ways to Fix The ‘External Hard Disk Drive Not Showing Up’ Issue

Even though this hard drive issue can occur due to various reasons, you can implement some solutions to get rid of it. In the following section, let’s find out some effective ways to fix the ‘external hard disk drive not showing up’ issue:

Method 1: Disconnect the Power Supply

This hard disk drive issue can be solved by a simple method. In that case, you have to disconnect the power supply by following these steps:

• First, shut down your computer
• Disconnect the power cable and wait for a few minutes
• Reconnect the power cable and ‘Start’ your computer

Method 2: Disconnect USB Device

Sometimes, this error can occur because of the USB device. In that case, you have to disconnect the USB device:

• Disconnect the USB device from your computer
• ‘Restart’ your computer
• Wait for some time and reconnect USB devices to your computer

Method 3: Update USB Device Drivers

If all USB ports are working perfectly, there can be an issue with the latest USB driver. Similarly, some old drivers can prevent the drive from performing, causing the error. In that case, you have to update your USB device drivers by following these steps:

Step 1: First, press the Windows + R keys and type devmgmt.msc in the dialogue box before clicking OK.

Step 2: Expand the disk drives and right-click on the connected devices.

Step 3: Next, click on Properties and select the Driver tab.

Step 4: Once done, click on Update Driver Software and follow all the instructions. After that, boot your PC and check if the error is resolved.

Method 4: Change the Drive Letter

Another effective way to fix the ‘external hard disk drive not showing up’ issue is by changing the drive letter. Keep reading the following guide to learn the procedure:

Step 1: First, right-click on This PC and click on Manage to open Device Manager.

Step 2: Next, select the Disk Management option and right-click on the connected external hard drive before choosing the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.

Step 3: Next, click the Add button and assign a new drive letter before clicking OK.

Method 5: Fix the USB Root Hub

Sometimes, you can resolve this issue by fixing the USB root hub. Follow these steps to implement this method:

Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys and type devmgmt.msc in the box before clicking OK.

Step 2: Next, expand the Universal Serial Bus controller and right-click onthe USB Root Hub before clicking Properties.

Step 3: Once done, click Power Management and uncheck Allow the computer before clicking OK.

Method 6: Change USB Selective Suspend Settings

Some people also change USB selective suspend settings to resolve this issue. In this case, you have to follow these steps:

Step 1: First, go to the Control Panel and select the Hardware and Sound option.

Step 2: Once the new section is opened, select Power Options.

Step 3: Once the preferred power plan is opened, select Change Plan Settings

Step 4: Next, click on the Change advanced power settings option before expanding USB settings and USB selective suspend settings.

Step 5: As the drop-down menu appears, select Disable.

Step 6: Once done, click Apply and OK to complete the procedure.

Method 7: Run Troubleshooter for Hard Drives

Microsoft Windows has a built-in tool to fix this hard drive issue. Keep following these steps to run a troubleshooter to fix hard drives:

Step 1: Search for Command Prompt and right-click it to select the Run as administrator option.

Step 2: Next, type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic and press Enter to start troubleshooter.

Step 3: Now, choose the Advanced option and select Apply Repairs automatically. After that, follow the prompts to run the scan and fix issues.

Method 8: Formatting an External Hard Drive to NTFS

Another way to fix the ‘external hard disk drive not showing’ issue is by formatting it to NTFS. However, you have to back up your data first as formatting the drive will erase everything. Let’s find out how to implement this process:

Step 1: First, right-click This PC before selecting Manage. Then, select Disk Management.

Step 2: Next, find your external drive and right-click on it. Once done, select Format.

Step 3: After that, choose NTFS as the file system and follow all the prompts to complete the process.

Conclusion

Even though the ‘external hard disk drive not showing up’ error isn’t harmful to your computer, you can implement some effective solutions to resolve it. If any of these methods aren’t working, contact the Microsoft support team or seek help from an expert.

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