Question from the user ...
Hello. My external hard 1 TB disk Seagate Expansion (without a power adapter) was purchased in 2015. Since then it worked properly, I used it as additional memory for music, photos, videos (I have a computer and a laptop - it’s convenient to transfer data between them).
The other day I connect it to a USB port and I see that the computer does not see the external hDD at all! I tried to connect to a laptop - the same thing, even the LED does not light. Do not tell me what could be the reason, how can I fix it (I did not drop the disk, did not hit, did not pour it, and generally treated it very carefully)? On the disk, there’s no especially needed documents, but a large archive of interesting files accumulated for lately. Thanks in advance.
Good day!
In general, there are quite a lot of reasons why this could happen: for example, the USB cord has become unusable. In this article I will try to give the most basic reasons due to which a similar "invisibility" problem arises. After going through them, you and many other users will be able to fix a similar problem yourself, thereby saving time and money 😉. So...
Causes of invisibility of an external hard drive
The problem with iron // can be determined by external signs
The first thing I want to start this article with is "external signs" , because it is from them that you can determine whether there are problems with the iron itself. Yes, and you observe them earlier than all other parameters and settings in Windows.
When connecting a disk to a USB port, it should:
Why all the above: simply if when connecting the disk to the computer - it does not show any signs of life (the LED does not light, the sound of movement inside is inaudible), then it does not make any sense to search further for the reason for its “invisibility”, because there is a problem with iron (with wires, with the disk itself, with USB ports).
Drive letter conflict
To each storage medium: hard disk, optical disk, diskette, etc. - when connected to a computer, the letter is automatically assigned (C: \\, D: \\, E: \\, etc.). It happens that Windows, due to some kind of failure or conflict, assigns the wrong letter - as a result, the media does not appear. Moreover, this happens not so rarely ...
How to open disk management (Windows 7/8/10):
- push buttons Win + r;
- enter command diskmgmt.msc;
- to press Enter (see screen below).
In the list of disks, select an external hard drive (if it is not there, go to the next paragraph of the article: the problem with the drivers), right-click on this line, and in the pop-up context menu select "Change drive letter or drive path ..." (as in the screenshot below).
After that, select any other letter, and click change (see screenshot below).
File system issue
In disk management, pay attention to how the disk is displayed. If a black bar “burns” over it and it says “Not distributed”, then the disk is simply not formatted.
If the hard drive is new - then this happens quite often (not all manufacturers format the disk).
To format a disk, open disk management (described how to do a little higher in the article), select it in the list, and right-click on it - then select from the menu "Create a simple volume" (see screen below).
Note! Formatting will erase all data on the disk! If you had files on it before, then most likely a failure has occurred, try to fix the errors on the disk first, more on that below.
In the next step, you will need to specify the drive letter (choose any free one), the file system (I recommend NTFS), and set the volume size (usually on external hard drives this parameter is not changed, making one single volume for the entire disk size).
If your external hard drive has already been formatted and you didn’t already copied the files, the display “not marked up area” (or the RAW file system) may occur due to:
- incorrect disconnection of the drive from the USB port (for example, when information was being copied, and you suddenly pulled out the USB cord);
- a power outage could occur: for example, when a power outage occurs, its surges;
- when infected with certain types of viruses;
- at malfunction of a piece of iron.
Most often, still, mapping file system RAW is due to a malfunctioning drive. In this case, as a rule, it is possible to quickly fix errors and restore the disk to life.
How to check the disk (data will not be deleted, everything will remain in place!)
First you need to run command line How to do it:
- press button combination Win + r ;
- in the line open enter cmd click Enter.
Further in command line type team chkdsk e: / f (where e: is the letter of your drive). Verification takes only a few minutes. In many cases, after such a simple procedure, the computer begins to see the disk, files and folders remain intact.
Disk check // chkdsk
A few words about the TV ...
In my practice, I came across another interesting reason, due to which the disk becomes invisible. A new modern TV (with some SmartTV functions) - when connecting a disk, asked the user to agree with its layout. He agreed, and everything seemed to be recording normally on him. But when connecting it to a computer - he refused to see. The bottom line is that the TV formatted the disk to another file system. After formatting to the NTFS file system, everything began to work "as needed" (the problem is fixed - in the same way, through disk management, no additional programs are required) ...
Conflict or lack of driver
If your external hard drive is not visible in disk management - I recommend checking if drivers are installed on it.
Little remark ...
In general, Windows 7, 8, 10, when connecting a USB flash drive or the same external drive to the computer, automatically install the driver. But in some cases, this does not happen (it is difficult to say why, either the disk is not "normal" and there are no standard drivers for it in the system "cache", or there is some kind of error and conflict with other drivers, or else for what ...).
If the driver for your disk is not installed, then in disk management you will not find your disk !!!
To verify driver installation, open device Manager . For this:
- press button combination WIN + R ;
- in the window that appears, enter the command devmgmt.msc and press Enter (screen below, works on Windows 7, 8, 10).
IN device manager open tab "Disk devices". Next, pay attention to:
- Is your device listed, is it displayed at all;
- Check also the tab "Other devices" - it displays devices for which there are no drivers.
- Is there an exclamation point in front of your disk (if there is, then the driver for your disk is not installed). An example is shown in the screenshot below.
Left: everything is fine with the driver (WD Elements) // Right: no driver (yellow exclamation mark) WD My Passport
How to update the driver for the disk:
Power shortage
Quite often, problems with external drives happen due to lack of nutrition. Especially if you have several devices connected to the same USB port.
A characteristic feature when there is a lack of power: at first the disk seems to be displayed normally, but as soon as you want to copy something onto it or read it, it becomes inaccessible (or simply freezes).
How to fix the problem: try to buy a Y-shaped cord (photo below) and connect the drive to two immediately uSB ports. This happened to me with some disks that became invisible after a few seconds when trying to connect them to the laptop's USB ports.
Advice! If you connect external HDD to a laptop - try connecting to a desktop computer (or to another device). It is possible that on another device - the disk will work as expected.
USB Y-string for connecting an external HDD
Also, a USB splitter with an additional power source can be a good output. An example of such a splitter is shown in the photo below.
PS
Some types of viruses (and antiviruses, by the way) can block the connection of external media and devices. Therefore, I recommend the same:
- try to connect your drive to another PC / laptop;
- check PC for viruses:.
I conclude this article, I hope to solve the problem (or at least find out the reason)!
For additions on the topic - thank you in advance. Good luck
External HDDs are a popular option for storing information. The volumes of internal disks in modern PCs are huge and users, without hesitation, save all the pictures, movies, music to them. But time passes and the volume of the built-in HDD becomes insufficient. What if there is no desire to delete data? The answer is simple - get a portable hard drive and throw everything you need on it. Fortunately, the price has fallen and everyone can take out a 1 terabyte external hard drive.
But when connected, the device may not be correctly detected and will not work with it
Consider the main reasons why external storage does not work:
- eating problems;
- the necessary drivers are not installed;
- bad USB ports or cords
- viruses
- physical damage.
It is difficult to restore the hard drive after a crash, for this you will need to contact a service center.
The situation is similar with other physical damage. Only with software damage can specialized tools help restore an external hard drive.
IF THE NEW EXTERNAL HDD IS NOT VISIBLE
By buying external hard drive, users hope that it will immediately start working and will not require additional configuration
This often happens. Windows of the latest editions is a smart enough 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 do is think about power. Typical signs that the power on the USB port is not enough:
- noise, crackling, vibration;
- periodic loss of HDD;
- errors on indicators.
Try connecting the screw to a different port and use the cable provided, and not from another manufacturer. Sometimes an external hard drive is detected only when connected simultaneously to two USB connectors.
For new hard drives, this behavior is uncharacteristic. The main reason that the screw is not detected is in the absence of marking. It is performed independently by the user. Consider how disk partitioning is done:
- The first thing to do is go into disk management.
fig. 1. To do this, go to the PC settings and open the control panel
fig. 2. We find the Administration section in the system configuration and open the “PC Management” item
- Open the drive control point from the left column. The OS displays a list of all storage devices, including external ones.
Tip. Often, the OS does not see the drive due to the incorrect drive letter, which can be changed through the context menu in managing hard drives.
fig. 3. For a new HDD, changing the drive letter will not work
- Select the option “Create a regular volume” from the context menu. The data will be erased.
fig. 4. After creating a new volume, you need to format the external hard drive
- We 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 device drivers. You can fix it as follows:
- We check the operation of the USB port by turning on the phone, a USB flash drive or another drive.
fig. 1. From the control panel, go to the device manager and look at devices marked with a yellow exclamation mark
fig. 2. From the “Actions” section we update the configuration
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.
Tip. Avoid Windows builds. It is they - main reason hardware detection issues.
IF THE OLD EXTERNAL HDD IS NOT VISIBLE
Problems with drives already running on the computer also sometimes occur. They are often not caused by hardware problems and it is possible to reanimate a hard drive without contacting service centers.
Consider the actions that a typical 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 up-to-date anti-virus databases will help to avoid this problem.
- Verify that all devices in the OS are functioning correctly. To do this, open the device control and make sure that there are no yellow or red warning signs. If necessary, update the driver from the manufacturer’s website and inside the OS.
- Reinstall Windows. This can help if the HDD works correctly on another computer.
- Check the cords and try changing the port. Some USB ports may have a reduced supply voltage. After changing the port, the drive returns to normal. Actual such a problem for Acer laptops and others.
Almost every computer user was faced with a situation where an external drive was purchased, the computer does not see the external hard drive. Sometimes the interaction with the media that has already worked with the PC stops. There are many ways to solve this problem.
This is a useful device that allows you to store and share data with computers. The volume of the device can be different, up to a few terabytes maximum. The device allows long time safely store various information.
Why the PC does not see the external hard drive
If the laptop does not see the external hard drive, you should use a certain algorithm of actions. First, in the Control Panel, you should find "System settings" and "Administration". This is where you can see the section "Control".
It is important to pay attention to the left column. You need to go into disk management, there you will see the disks currently connected to the system. Often, the system does not see the external hard drive, due to the incorrect assignment of its letters. To change the letter, click on the icon external media and change the drive letter. Then a letter is assigned that is not yet in the system.
If not detected new disc and it’s first connected to a PC, it’s probably not formatted, and therefore not visible in the list of working devices. In this case, click on the media, creating a simple volume. With this action, all information will be deleted on the disk.
If the PC stops seeing the external hard drive, most likely this situation is due to a lack of drivers or a system crash. Modern systems are quite “smart,” and when a new device appears, they quickly search for the appropriate driver. But sometimes, due to accumulated errors in the system, it does not detect the device.
First of all, you need to explore USB port. To do this, you can connect a flash drive, camera or smartphone. If the system saw the devices, then the port is working.
It’s also useful to explore the components of the device manager; it can be found in "Control Panel". The media icon is in “Other devices” or "Disk Devices".
PC drivers may be outdated. By clicking on the hard drive (an exclamation mark is opposite it), select “Update drivers”. Finding drivers is provided special programs either by searching the internet.
Often Windows becomes outdated, and this is the answer to why the computer does not see the external hard drive. You must reinstall the system.
Windows 10 does not see an external hard drive
Recent generation operating systems may also not detect old or new media. The media may not be formatted, have no partitions, and therefore not be indicated in the Explorer.
When I stopped seeing the Windows 10 external hard drive, you can go to the "Toolbar", then to the "Security System" and to the "Administration" subsection. Next, you should work with the section "Creating and managing hard drives."
If you enter the command “diskmgmt.msc” in the search, a utility appears called Disk Management. In this case, you can see the media, and its sections will have a blue tint. An unallocated disk is highlighted in black.
Click on the tab. "Disk 1", then select Initialize Disk. Then you need to click on the black bar, and then on the “New section”. In this location, a section is formed where a free letter is assigned.
Large format discs are divided into several parts. You can format media with file nTFS system. When a person presses a button Done, the system displays the media.
If the PC does not see the external hard drive, provided that it is new, you can enter the BIOS, turn off AHCI, then the computer will reboot and the disk will appear.
Sometimes you need to integrate SATA drivers into operating system Windows 10. Only the latest drivers should be installed. It is optimal if this work is entrusted to a competent person.
External media does not show a PC if it has previously been subjected to mechanical stress. If the drive has been used for a long time, then you can use special utilities to identify errors and bad blocks.
Infection of the media with viruses becomes the reason why the external hard drive is not visible. Windows will block it. Also, the situation often arises due to failures in motherboard, its diagnosis is shown.
For the device to work optimally, it must be in the DMA mode. When the disc is operating in PIO, you can open "Device Manager"and then “IDE ATA / ATAPI Controllers”. Next you should find a heading "Extra options" and remove the secondary or primary IDE channels. At the final stage, a system reboot is shown. In addition, the problem is solved by purchasing an additional loop.
If the drive is overheated, the system may turn it off. If necessary, a cooler is installed and the device is cleaned of contaminants.
The power supply that was with the drive may not have enough power. This will cause the system to not see the external hard drive. It is better to use the original cable, it has the desired length and metallized latches.
There is such a problem the computer does not see removable drive . It does not appear anywhere, although until recently it worked perfectly. The information there is very important and needs to be saved, so I want to restore access to a removable hard drive without contacting a service center.
Read the article carefully and perhaps it will help solve the problem.
The easiest way to check the health or save information on another medium is to connect a removable hard drive to another computer. If on another computer hard drive is detected, then the problem is in your computer.
Another way is to try recover removable hard drive own resources using the means of your computer. To do this, right-click on the “My Computer” icon, select “Management” in the context menu. 
In the window that opens, select "Disk Management", here you will see all the disks connected to the computer and if your disk is healthy it will certainly be displayed here. 
To open a removable hard drive, it is enough to rename the drive and restore access to it. To do this, click on desired drive right-click and select "Change drive letter or drive path" in the context menu. 
In the window that opens, select the letter and click "OK" sometimes you need a reboot, but most often not.
If your removable hard drive is not visible in Disk Management, then the problem is probably in the hard drive itself or in the conflict between the controller and the computer.
Here is a little about the removable device hard drive. Simply put, this ordinary hard drive in the box. The box also contains a controller responsible for input - output of information.
If you have skills in working with computer components, then the health of the hard drive itself can be checked. To do this, disassemble the removable disk and disconnect the HDD, then remove the cover from the system unit and connect the hard drive directly to the motherboard. Practice shows that the motherboard detects drives at times more stable than controllers. We turn on the computer, if the disk is detected, the controller is to blame.
If the above tools did not help, then it is better to contact a service center
And finally, if you decide to buy a removable hard drive, buy devices from well-known companies, their failures are much less common.
Information that is located on removable media, is constantly exposed to the risk of being lost due to the frequent cases of adverse environmental influences on the drive: increased humidity, high or low temperature, drops, improper shutdown, etc.
Let's consider how to reanimate a portable hard drive in case of software failures when the operating system cannot determine it or gain access to it.
Windows does not see portable storage
Many users are familiar with a situation where a removable hard drive is not detected as such.
If this happens after the first connection, the solution will be to manually install the drivers or format the drive (with the creation of logical partitions of the specified volume). To determine the presence of a driver, go to the "Task Manager" and look for your device. 
If the problem lies in the driver, install it by clicking “Update drivers ...” in the device’s context menu and follow the recommendations of the installation wizard. Upon completion of the process, the system will notify you of the connection of new equipment, and a new device for storing data will become available in the explorer window.
You can format a new portable drive before use by means built into the operating system, specifying the required file system (it is better to choose NTFS) and cluster size.
The operating system offers to format a removable hard drive
There are times that after connecting a portable hard drive to a computer, the system suggests formatting it.
This happens in the following cases:
- incorrect disconnection of the device from the computer;
- various software crashes;
- damage to the file system or file location table;
- as a result of the activity of viruses;
- as a result of illiterate handling of applications for working with drives, etc.
Can I recover a removable hard drive without formatting? Naturally, an effective method in this case is to check the hard drive for errors that could occur in sectors where a table is stored with information about all the files placed on it and their attributes.
To correct the situation, start the regular chkdsk utility: in search bar in the Start menu we write without quotes “chkdsk x: / f”, where:
- chkdsk - console command for checking a logical partition;
- x - drive letter, which is proposed to format (and we will restore it);
- / f - command parameters, supposed automatic elimination of detected errors.
After several tens of minutes of waiting (it depends primarily on the disk size and the number of errors), the drive will start up and all data stored on it will become available to the user.
Restoring a removable hard drive after accidentally deleting its partitions
It may happen that as a result of a hardware or software failure, a violation of the integrity of the file system due to demolition or accidental deletion of partitions by a user, access to portable disk disappears. In such cases, Disk Director Suite from Acronis comes to the rescue. This program for recovering a removable hard disk will restore partitions and return access to all information stored on it.
