My External Hard Drive Not Showing Up, How Can I Fix it?

If you are facing External Hard Drive Not Showing Up Issue on your windows PC/Laptop, then read more to know the methods to Fix External Hard Drive Not Showing Up Error.

Hello blog seekers. How are you all hope all doing well? Maybe you are quite slacking for the new topic. Then you are always correct today I am here to provide awareness about the external hard drives not showing in your system and how to fix it on your own with no confusion.

Yeah, now I will show you a correct definition for it and its characteristics and each and everything about the hard drive and life span of hard drive and how to use it and how to fix it when it is not showing. And what you are waiting for let’s get into the topic.

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What is Hard Drive?

It is the additional device that stores data electro-mechanically to your PCs and windows. It always stores the data from the computer permanently all the pics, files, and latest software are stored on the hard drive. All the activities related to storage belong to a hard drive. It has various names hard disk drive, hard disk, fixed drive and etc. It may act as both an internal and external drive as per its usage.

Features of Hard Drive:

Storage is the most important feature as it is large in space it can store much info such as pics, files, the software so mass data can be saved in that device.
Privacy of your secret files or photos and ext. is the precious thing that is available with the help of a hard drive.
Accuracy is mandatory in hard drives that if you save data in the drive then there will be no change in it.
The performance of your system will always be fast as the data moved to the alternative drive so all the tasks will be very faster.
It helps us to save more time as it consumes less time to store data.
The life span is for a long time then that be very helpful to the users.

Vital Reasons to Use External Hard Drive:

As it contains a larger space that is 1TB u can store a huge amount of data in it.
It can be used for all the devices such as Apple devices, android, and windows.
It is smaller in size so it is easy to carry where ever it is required.
Less expensive to purchase with many features for a longer duration of time.
As the files moved to the drive system works too fast compared to before.
Minimum knowledge is enough to operate or use it.

The Lifespan of External Hard Drive?

Coming to the lifespan with its usage of a hard drive. As per my experiences, the maximum of 1 hard drive will be in use for 5 years and the minimum it can be used for 3 years. And I suggest you check frequently that your data needs to be safe. But if you purchase a high standard drive then it lasts for a longer duration period. It’s better to buy a high standard drive such as Hitachi and etc. It is better to change the drive within the given time. Ok, before going to Fix External Hard Drive Not Showing Up Issue, read all about Hard Drive hiding in your system.

Various reasons to hide hard drive in your system

The damaged USB or damage inside the drive will lead to hiding a drive in your system.
Corrupted files present in the drive will not allow to access the drive-in system.
If the drive is new then that will be hidden in the system so you need to search in the system.
Different files with different formats also lead hide the drive.
Unless you update the drive that will not be shown on the screen.

So these are the major factors of reasons that hide the hard drive in your system. No need to worry here are the various terms of sources to solve such a problem as follows;

How to Fix a Hard Drive When it is Not Shown Up?

The major users face the same problem frequently so here are some solutions to overcome in such situations. Why fear when I am here! Haha

First of all, you need to check whether the drive is working or not if yes then,

If the drive fails to work then that will be the reason then that will fail to read the drive so coming to that you are supposed to check the drive frequently. And if you are failed to save the drives then you are responsible for that situation. As the following steps.

Coming to the process to check whether the drive works or not use the same hard drive with other systems. If yes, then there is no problem with the drive if no, then check the below step.
Check the same drive one more system then even it doesn’t work then there is a problem with the drive.
Be sure that the plug which you are using is in use or not to make sure that the port of USB is dead or not.

If the slot where the USB is placed fails or is dead then that will not work so it’s better to place the USB slot which you use frequently then that will resolve your problem. Change the port of the USB to another. Maybe there is a problem with the slot of USB it doesn’t occur maximum if the port slot dead that will full fill the situation.

Once the plug slot is placed check whether the slot is working or not.
If still facing the same problem then try the next slot and
Be sure that the system slots of the USB are not broken inside.
Then use the new cable wire if broken inside.

Clean the Drive Twice, If Not, Then the Drive Will Crash:

If there is dust in the USB slot that will be the major problem, which leads to the files crashing on the hard drive. So clean all the system ones in a week. To protect your device not to face such problems.

Clean the drive with the dry brush that will enable us to make sure that there is no problem with it.
Check the drive after cleaning you may detect that in your device.

So daily cleaning of your system at least once a week is mandatory for not facing the same problem.

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Need to Check the Files Present in the Drive are Supportive or Not:

Click type disk management in the search box present on the home screen.
Then after clicking the format then it takes some time.

Once you are done with the task then the process of formatting will be done.

After the formatting does the files in it will be cleared after that you are supposed to recover all the files which are required.

It’s Better to Remove the Drive and Check With the Other Alternative to Confirm that it is Working or Not:

As the drive fails to work then if there is any other alternative drive check whether it works if that is shown then there is a problem with the drive. So purchase the advanced drive from the well-renowned company. That leads you not to face such a problem again and again.

Then if that fulfills the reasons that will be the solution and detect the drive option on the screen. As of my experience

If the date expires by the date given by the seller, then you are supposed to purchase the new one:

Once you purchase the drive that will come with expire date if it crosses the date then that won’t work so you need to buy the new system of the drive. So be sure that date mentioned better remember the date before that.

Check &Fix the Drive in Disk Management

Sometimes, the external hard drive is not detected so not shown on the computer but it could appear in Disk Management.

We can check some cases to detect the problem in DISk management.

External hard drive unallocated.
Hard drive Not initialized.
External hard drive Offline.
No drive letter.

We can open Disk Management by entering Windows +X key then clicking on the Disk Management option.

Case 1: Create a New Volume

First, click on the unallocated space.
Now choose New Simple Volume.
The new simple volume wizard welcome window shows the next button click on it.
Now finish the Assign Drive letter or path and click next.
Now you have to complete the format Partition and click next.
The window shows the finish button click on it.

It takes some time to wait for the operation to complete.

Case 2: Initialize Disk

After the opening of the disk manager right click on the unknown, not initialized disk.
Now you have to select Initialise Disk from the menu.
Moreover, you have to Choose a partition style from MBR and GPT and click on the Ok button to confirm.

Finally, you have to wait for some time to complete the operation.

Case 3: Set Online

Open disk management next right-clicks on the disk which shows offline.
Now select online from the pop-up menu.

Finally, wait some time.

Case 4: Change Drive Letter and paths

First of all open disk management and right-click on the disk partition which has no drive letter.
You have to select from the context menu, select change drive letter and paths.
Now a pop-up window will appear to click on add button.
Assign a drive letter to the partition and click Ok to confirm.

It takes some time, the drive will show up and work again.

Run the Troubleshooter

Open Settings and select Update and Security from settings.

Click-On-Update&Install — Click On Update&Install

Now click on Troubleshoot tab.

Tap-On-Troubleshoot — Tap On Troubleshoot

Select Hardware and Devices by scrolling down.

Hardware-and-devices — Hardware and devices

Click on the Run the Troubleshooter button.
It takes some time to detect, once the scan is completed it will list issues.
Finally, you have to choose the issue you want to fix and click Next.

Update or uninstall the driver

First of all, you have to open the device manager so press the start+X key on the keyboard.
Now choose Device Manager.
Expand Disk drives Option.
Then it shows all the drives so click on the problematic drive.

Select-Update-or-Uninstall — Select Update or Uninstall

It shows options choose from it, for update driver or uninstall the device.

Reinstall USB Controller

Open device manager and expand USB Controller.
Right-click on the device and choose Uninstall device from the menu.

Click on the uninstall button in the pop-up
Repeat step 2 and step 3 until to uninstall all devices under USB Controllers.
Finally, restart your computer and windows will install the USB Controllers automatically.

Disable USB Selective Suspend Setting

Open the search box and type Power Plan.
Select choose a power plan from the search result.

Click-On-Change-Settings-Plan — Click On Change Settings Plan

Click on Change plan settings
Tap on change advanced power Setting.

Change-Advanced-Power-Settings — Change Advanced Power Settings

Now find USB settings and click on the + button to expand.
You have to change settings to Disabled.

Change-Settings-&-Click-on-the-Apply-Button — Change Settings & Click on the Apply Button

Click on the Apply button to confirm and click on Ok.

If all the Above Solutions Fail to Overcome then restart your system:

If you are fed up by doing all the tasks above then go for the next task that is nothing but restart your system. As per my point of view, all the above tasks are done then once you restart the system then the drive will be detected in the device. Then the hard drive will be detected in your system.

How to recover items Does that exist in the drive?

First of all, connect the drive to your particular device whether it may be mac or windows and etc.
Refresh the system twice then the icon is available on the screen.
If not then do the above solutions to detect the drive icon.
Then click on the drive icon then there comes a page.
Now Go for the search option.
And enter retrieve the lost files.
Finally, select the required files or photos and etc. Then
Click on the recover option then the task fulfills.

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Frequently Asked Questions?

Question 1) What is the solution if USB hardware is damaged?

Answer: You have to change the hardware of the USB.

Question 2) If the external disk drive port gets damaged what can I do?

Answer: Clean your port with a soft brush and try again it working or not.

Question 3) If USB was detected but not showing data on it, give a solution to this?

Answer: We have provided a solution for that issue in our article so please go through it.

Question4) Is there any chance to lose data by trying the above methods to detect the drive?

Answer: We can’t give assurance for your data but sometimes it may happen to format your data.

Final Conclusion:

As per the queries, maximum users are facing the same problem I think the expired date was the main thing that fails to show the hard drive on the screen. And if the drive fails to work maybe it is damaged unknowingly that will fails to work and cleaning is the important task maximum no of users felt the same problem.

I thought that purchasing a good long-lasting drive whatever the cost may be will be a good solution to not face such a problem. I think after reading this article you can easily fix External Hard Drive Not Showing Up Issue.

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