Recently, subscribers often contact me with the following problem: after connecting to a computer, it is not visible external hard disk. The connection goes well, the drivers are installed without errors, but in the list logical drives Windows 10 explorer it does not appear. Why is this happening. There are several reasons for this trouble, both software and hardware.
Before starting troubleshooting, first try disconnecting the removable storage device from the computer and reconnecting it to an adjacent port.
On some models, the cable comes with two USB connectors on one side. The first one is used for the main connection, and the second one provides additional food... If the second one is not connected, then the device may simply not have enough power.
If you connected the gadget to uSB ports 3.0 and the computer does not see the external drive, then try connecting it to the usual ports. They differ in color. High speed connectors of the new standard are usually highlighted in blue or yellow. Like this:
The usual ones are gray or black. With this step you will exclude possible problems with a USB 3.0 driver on a computer or laptop, due to which the removable disk may not be visible.
Now let's move on to software-level reasons.
One of the most common cases when a removable external drive is not visible in explorer is that the Windows operating system did not assign a letter to the new logical partition when connecting. Accordingly in the list logical partitions he will not appear. It is easy to fix.
On the desktop, click on the computer icon right click and select the item "Computer Management."
This window will open:
We find the section "Storage Devices", and in it - the item "Disk Management". In the right part of the window, a list of logical and physical disk... In it, by volume, we find our external hard drive:
Select a free letter and click on "OK". Personally, I like to line up the letters from the very end of the alphabet - X, Y or Z.
Also, if there are problems in the operation of a removable USB drive, I would advise you to open the Device Manager and look in the "Portable Devices" section:
Your gadget should be displayed here. Click on it with the right mouse button and select the "Properties" item.
In the window that appears, on the "General" tab, look in the "Device status" field. There should be no mistakes, everything should be fine. Then open the "Driver" tab:
If you still cannot see the external hard drive in windows Explorer 10, then try updating the driver. In some cases it helps complete removal device and reinstall the driver.
P.S .: If all the recommended steps did not bring the expected result, then I would recommend trying to connect your removable drive to another computer or laptop and check its performance on it, since most likely there is a hardware failure.
External HDDs are a popular option for storing information. The volumes of built-in disks in modern PCs are huge and users, without hesitation, save all photos, films, music on them. But time passes and the volume of the built-in HDD becomes insufficient. What if you don't want to delete data? The answer is simple - buy a portable hard drive and throw everything you need onto it. Fortunately, the price has dropped and anyone can use a 1 terabyte external hard drive.
But when connected, the device may not be detected correctly and it will not work with it
Let's consider the main reasons why external storage does not work:
- nutritional problems;
- the required drivers are not installed;
- faulty USB ports or cords;
- viruses;
- physical damage.
It is difficult to restore a hard drive after a fall; this will require contacting a service center.
The situation is similar for other physical injuries. Only in case of software damage, specialized utilities will help to restore the external hard drive.
IF NO NEW EXTERNAL HDD SEE
When buying an external hard drive, users hope that it will work immediately and will not require additional configuration
This often happens. Windows latest editions are enough smart system and will automatically try to install the driver for the hard disk and activate it.
If this did not happen or the computer stopped seeing the hard drive, the first thing to think about is power. Typical signs that the power supply to the USB port is insufficient:
- noise, crackling, vibration;
- periodic loss of HDD;
- errors on indicators.
Try plugging the screw into a different port and using the supplied cable from another manufacturer. Sometimes the external hard drive is detected only when connected to two USB ports simultaneously.
This behavior is not typical for new hard drives. The main reason that the screw is not detected is in the absence of markings. It is performed independently by the user. Let's see how disk partitioning is performed:
- The first thing to do is go to disk management.
fig. 1. To do this, go to the PC settings and open the control panel
fig. 2. Find the Administration section in the system configuration and open the "PC Management" item
- Open the storage management item from the left column. The OS will display a list of all storage devices, including external ones.
Council. Often, the OS does not see the drive due to the wrong drive letter, which can be changed through the context menu in managing hard drives.
fig. 3. Changing the drive letter for a new HDD will not work
- Choose from context menu See Create regular volume. The data will be erased.
fig. 4. After creating a new volume, you need to format the external hard drive
- Select the appropriate item from the context menu and set the NTFS file system in the window that opens.
Another option due to which the new HDD may not be detected is a problem with the device drivers. You can fix it as follows:
- We check the operation of the USB port by plugging in a phone, USB flash drive or other storage device.
fig. 1. From the control panel, go to the device manager and look at the devices marked with a yellow exclamation mark
fig. 2. Update the configuration from the "Actions" section
An alternative to solving the problem are driver packs, but it is recommended to work with them only if you have experience in troubleshooting. In some cases, you will have to reinstall the OS.
Council. Avoid windows assemblies... They are the main cause of hardware detection problems.
IF THE OLD EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE IS NOT SEEN
Problems with drives already working in the computer also sometimes happen. They are often not caused by hardware problems and it is really possible to reanimate the hard drive without contacting service centers.
Consider the actions that a regular user can take:
- Change drive letter. To do this, follow the instructions for the new HDD.
- Check the drive for viruses. Malicious software disables access to the hard drive and sets locks for individual files... Maintaining current anti-virus databases will help avoid this problem.
- Verify that all devices in the OS are functioning correctly. To do this, open the device management and make sure that there are no yellow or red warning signs. If necessary, we update the drivers from the manufacturer's website and inside the OS.
- Reinstall Windows. It can help if the HDD is working properly on another computer.
- Check the cords and try changing the port. Some USB ports may be undervoltage. After changing the port, the drive returns to normal. This problem is relevant for Acer laptops and others.
Good day.
External hard disks (HDD) are becoming more popular day by day, sometimes it seems that very soon they will be more popular than flash drives. And it is not surprising, because modern models are some kind of box, the size of cellular telephone and contain 1-2 TB of information!
Many users are faced with the fact that the computer does not see the external hard disk... Most often, this happens immediately after purchasing a new device. Let's try to figure it out in order, what's the matter here ...
If the new external HDD is not visible
New here means the disk that you connected to your computer (laptop) for the first time.
1) First what are you doing - go to computer control .
To do this, go to control Panel then in system and security settings -\u003e administration -\u003e computer control ... See screenshots below.
2) Pay attention to the left column. It has a menu - disk management ... Let's move on.
All drives (including external ones) connected to the system should be displayed in front of you. Very often the computer does not see the connected external hard drive due to incorrect drive letter assignment. You then need to change it!
To do this, click on external drive right-click and select " change drive letter ... ". Next, assign the one that is not yet in your OS.
3) If the disc is newand you connected it to your computer for the first time - it may not be formatted! Therefore, it will not appear in "my computer".
If this is the case, then you cannot change the letter (you simply will not have such a menu). You just need to right click on the external drive and select “ create a simple volume ... «.
Attention! All data on the disk (HDD) will be deleted during this process! Be careful.
4) Lack of drivers ... (Update 04/05/2015)
If the external hard drive is new and you do not see it in either "my computer" or " disk management“, But on other devices it works (for example, a TV or another laptop sees it and detects it) - then 99% of the problems are related to the Windows OS and drivers.
Despite the fact that modern Windows 7, 8 operating systems are quite "smart" and when a new device is found, they automatically search for a driver for it - this does not always happen ... The fact is that versions of Windows 7, 8 (including all kinds of assemblies from " craftsmen ") a huge number, and no one canceled various mistakes. Therefore, I do not recommend excluding this option right away ...
1. Check the USB port if it works. For example, connect a phone or a camera, even just an ordinary USB flash drive. If the device works, it means uSB port nothing to do with ...
2. Go to Device Manager (In Windows 7/8: Control Panel / System and Security / Device Manager) and look at the two tabs: other devices and disk devices.
Windows 7: Device Manager reports that there are no drivers for the "My Passport ULTRA WD" drive on the system.
The screenshot above shows that Windows does not have drivers for the external hard drive, so the computer cannot see it. Usually, Windows 7, 8, when connecting a new device, automatically installs a driver for it. If this has not happened to you, there are three options for action:
a) Click the "Update hardware configuration" command in the device manager. Usually this is followed by automatic installation drivers.
b) Search for drivers using special. programs:;
c) Reinstall Windows (to install, select a "clean" licensed system, without any assemblies).
Windows 7 - device manager: drivers for external HDD Samsung M3 Portable are installed correctly.
If you can't see your old external hard drive
Old here refers to a hard drive that was previously running on your computer and then stopped.
1. First, go to the disk management menu (see above) and change the drive letter. This is definitely worth doing if you've created new partitions on your hard drive.
2. Second, check external HDD for viruses. Many viruses disable the ability to see disks or block them ().
3. Go to Device Manager and see if the devices are detected correctly. There should be no yellow exclamation marks (or red ones) that signal errors. It is also recommended to reinstall the drivers on uSB controller.
4. Sometimes reinstalling Windows OS helps. Anyway, check first hard work disk on another computer / laptop / netbook and then try reinstalling.
It is also useful to try to clean the computer from unnecessary junk files and optimize the registry and programs (here is an article with all the utilities: use a couple ...).
5. Try connecting the external HDD to a different USB port. It happened that, for some unknown reason, after connecting to another port, the disk worked fine as if nothing had happened. I noticed this several times on Acer laptops.
6. Check the cords.
One time the external hard did not work due to the fact that the cord was damaged. From the very beginning I did not notice this and killed 5-10 minutes in search of the reason ...
External removable media in the form of USB drives in recent times became as popular as regular flash drives. There is more space on them, but they are not insured against malfunctions and errors in work. There may be many reasons for this. However, it is not always possible to fix them manually. That is why it is recommended to use system utilitiesif the system does not see the external hard drive.
Causes of problems
First, let's consider the main reasons that can lead to the fact that the operating system does not detect an external hard drive. There can be quite a lot of them: system errors, wrong setting access, lack of power and even physical damage removable media surface.
BIOS settings
Before turning to the use of utilities, it should be said that no program for checking hard disk will not be able to identify it if the device is simply not included in the system. Often the reason may be precisely bIOS settings... For example, if in the "Control Panel" go to "Device Manager" and set the display hidden devices, the disk present in the system will be displayed in the list, but the system itself in the device properties will display a message about the need to reconnect.
Connecting an external hard drive, as a rule, is done in the BIOS settings, which are called up on computers or laptops by pressing the Del, F2 or F12 key. It all depends on the BIOS manufacturer and the computer terminal itself. In the Boot or Advanced section, you can select priority boot devices and other equipment components. In this case, an external USB hard disk must be connected to the connectors before turning on the terminal. In some cases, you may need to enable disk accessibility using the Enable parameter.
Driver problems
If the external hard drive is not detected, you may need to reinstall the drivers. You can do this in the same "Device Manager" or use the original driver disc that comes with the removable device.
Lack of food
Sometimes a lack of power can cause errors. If you have two power cords, both must be plugged in. In some cases, if the external hard drive is not detected, you can disassemble it and connect to the computer terminal directly. But if a person is not an expert in this field, it is not recommended to perform such a procedure himself.
Incorrect disk ID assignment
When the system does not see the external hard drive, the reason may also be in the wrong letter assignment this disk or a disk partition. It may well be that it is already being used by another device. In this case, you should go to the computer management system (disk management) and simply change the letter of the removable media.
Correcting errors using standard Windows tools
IN operating systemswindows has its own tools and utilities for checking or formatting disks and storage media of all types. Connecting hard uSB disk produced in a standard way... But sometimes a situation may arise when a removable hard drive is visible in the system, for example, in the "Device Manager", and access to it from "Explorer" or any other file manager no. In other words, the external hard drive won't open. In this case, errors can be corrected using standard operating system tools.
Volume creation
First, you need to go to "Disk Management" and select a removable media to which there is no access. By right-clicking the mouse, you can call the volume creation utility. But it allows you to use the "Create a simple volume" command and "Setup Wizard", in which you first set the media size, then assign a letter, and then format the external hard drive with a preliminary selection of the type file system... Please note that in this case, all data on the removable hard drive will be automatically destroyed. Upon completion of the "Wizard", all that remains is to click the "Finish" button, after which the removable medium with all its characteristics will automatically appear in the system.
If in the future you need to restore an external hard drive, you can use special applications that allow you to recover data on a removable hard drive even after full formatting... But even in this case, it is not always possible to recover information.
Disk check
One of the simplest standard tools operating windows systems is a program to check your hard drive. Right-click on the disk icon to open the "Properties" menu and select the "Service" tab, where you can find the "Check" button. At the beginning of work, you can set automatic fix bad sectors.
The program can also be called using command linewhich specifies chkdsk and the external media option. But this is the simplest and not always efficient way... In this case, it is better to turn to professional utilities that are offered for operating systems. Windows by third parties manufacturers.
HDD Scan software
Today, there are many specialized programs for checking hard drives of all types, including removable media. One of the most popular and most powerful utilities is the HDD Scan software product.
The first advantage hDD programs Scan is that it does not require installation, that is, it is released as a so-called portable version. The folder with the program can be placed anywhere on your hard disk or on the same USB flash drive. To start, the executable file of the same name with the extension .exe is used, after which you can proceed to the main operations.
For inexperienced users, the most preferred mode may be a system of "smart" scanning of removable media and correction of errors on it, called S.M.A.R.T. After choosing a hard drive, you just need to click on this button. Then the utility will issue detailed characteristics in the form of a table with parameters, in which attributes that are within the normal range will be indicated in green. Yellow and red colors indicate errors or some incorrect parameters.
An interesting enough function is the Surface Test command, which checks the surface of a removable hard drive. The bug fix is \u200b\u200bthat the file system clusters are moved to the undamaged areas of the disk, and the damaged surface is blocked and not used in the future.
In general, this utility has a lot of tools for working with disks of all types. But without knowledge in English you'll have to dig into the interface. This is due to the fact that the application itself has too many features designed for advanced users.
Norton Disc Doctor
No less interesting program for working with hard drives is the portable version of the Norton Disc Doctor (NDD) application. It does not require installation and does not create absolutely any entries in the system registry. It is also noteworthy that the size of the application is only 15.7 MB.
The operation of this application is very similar to the principles used in other programs, however, this utility is as automated as possible and is designed even for inexperienced users.
After starting the program, the main window appears, which lists all hard drives and removable media available in the system. You can check all the boxes or select one component. In this case, we are interested in an external hard drive. Put a check mark on it and run the check, after checking the box in the "Fix errors" box on the left side.
For more advanced users, there is a settings button on the right, where you can configure the program as you wish. But in most cases this is not required, since the factory settings are built in an optimal way for all types of hard drives.
Conclusion
Of course, this is just a small fraction of those programs and features that are designed to help computer and laptop users, if an external hard drive is not detected.
If we compare some programs with each other, then it is impossible to give preference to any one utility. Although each program uses almost the same algorithms for working with hard drives, it still has its own differences, advantages and disadvantages.
For example, it will not be easy for a beginner or inexperienced user to work with HDD Scan software. The interface itself may seem somewhat overloaded to many. And opportunities for fine tuning there are many.
To ensure efficient work with removable media, it is better to use applications like Norton Disc Doctor or Ashampoo HDD Control 2. However, it is worth noting that in the second case we are dealing with a paid program.
As for free utilitiesthen it is better to use software products from well-known manufacturers who have been leaders in the market of hard disk technologies for quite some time. In addition to using individual programs, you can give preference to whole complex solutions. But they will have to be installed on the hard drive, and they take up quite a lot of space, not to mention the fact that they have special "inspectors" working in real time. As a rule, the icon constantly hangs in the system tray (System Tray), and the processes of the applications themselves load the system quite heavily, occupying rAM and using the resources of the central processor.
Finally, it is worth noting that if the use of all these popular utilities does not lead to the desired result, problems with hard disk could be much worse. This is most likely physical damage to the removable media. So you have to carry it to repair.
