• Cannot turn on external hard drive. Why doesn't my laptop show my external hard drive?

    External HDDs and SSDs are becoming more and more popular every day. This is not at all surprising, because this small box can contain a huge amount of information - up to 1-6 terabytes! For comparison, today not every PC even has an internal 1TB hard drive.

    But what to do when your computer or laptop does not see external hard disk? In this article we will figure out why this happens and how to solve it correctly. this problem.

    If the new external hard drive is not detected

    In this situation, we mean a portable drive that you just purchased for your PC. First thing to do:

    1. Go to Control Panel/Make sure that “Small Icons”/Administration is selected in the “View” menu.


    3. In the left column, go to the “Disk Management” menu.



    4. Wait 5-10 seconds for the configuration to update, after which both internal and external media that are connected to a computer or netbook. Quite often, a PC may not read media due to incorrect letter assignment.

    This is what needs to be changed. To do this, you need to right-click on our device and select “Change letter”.


    Another option why the laptop does not recognize the new hard drive is that it is not formatted

    In this case, you won’t even be able to change the name to something else. You need to right-click on the disk again, a menu will appear, and then click “Create Volume”. However, be careful! In this case, all information will be deleted from the HDD.

    A less common problem is motherboard The chip responsible for the functionality of the USB ports has failed. In 99% of cases, the solution to the problem is to repair the board.

    Lack of drivers is another most common reason

    If the hard drive is not visible either in Disk Management or in My Computer, but at the same time functions fully on other equipment, this is precisely the problem. Of course, modern windows 7, 8, 10 are smart operating systems that search for and install drivers completely. automatic mode. However, sometimes they also make mistakes.

    In this situation it is necessary:

    1. Check USB operation ports (2.0/3.0). If other devices work through them, then the problem is not with them at all.

    2. If with USB ports everything is fine, but the hard drive still doesn’t work:

    Go to Control Panel/Make sure that “Small Icons”/Device Manager is selected in the “View” menu and select the “Other Devices” and “Disk Devices” sections.

    There you can find out whether the drivers for the connected media are installed.


    If there are red or yellow identification icons next to the name of the connected device (see screenshot above), it means that the drivers were not installed or were installed with errors; to fix this, you need to do one of the following options:

    1. Click “Update hardware configuration”, after which the installation will occur automatically.

    2. Use special program for installation necessary drivers « DriverPack Solution, Driver Booster or others"

    3. Reinstall Windows OS.

    After completing simple steps, the HDD will operate as usual.

    If the old external HDD is not displayed

    In this case we mean hard drive, which previously functioned on your PC, but it no longer sees it. In such a situation you should:


    Now you know how to find out the reason why the computer does not show the removable drive, and you can solve it yourself!

    External HDDs are a popular option for storing information. The volume of built-in disks in modern PCs is enormous and users, without hesitation, save all their photos, movies, and music on them. But time passes and the volume of the built-in HDD becomes insufficient. What to do 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 for them has dropped and anyone can have a 1 terabyte external hard drive.

    But when connected, the device may not be detected correctly and you will not be able to work with it.

    Let's look at the main reasons why external storage doesn't work:

    1. eating problems;
    2. the necessary drivers are not installed;
    3. faulty USB ports or cords;
    4. viruses;
    5. physical damage.

    Restoring a hard drive after a fall is difficult; this will require contacting service center.

    The situation is similar with other physical damage. Only in case of software damage can specialized utilities help restore an external hard drive.

    IF THE NEW EXTERNAL HDD IS NOT VISIBLE

    When buying an external hard drive, users hope that it will start working immediately and will not require additional configuration

    This often happens. Windows latest there are enough editions smart system and will automatically try to install the driver for the hard drive and activate it.

    If this does not happen or the computer no longer sees the hard drive, the first thing you should think about is power supply. Typical signs that there is not enough power on the USB port:

    • noise, crackling, vibration;
    • periodic loss of HDD;
    • errors on indicators.

    Try connecting the screw to a different port and using the cable included in the kit rather than a different manufacturer. Sometimes an external hard drive will only be detected when connected to two USB connectors at the same time.

    This behavior is not typical for new hard drives. The main reason that the screw is not detected is the lack of markings. It is performed independently by the user. Let's look at how disk partitioning is performed:

    • The first thing you need to do is go to disk management.

    Fig.1. To do this, go to 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 drive management item from the left column. The OS will display a list of all storage devices, including external ones.

    Advice. Often the OS does not see the drive due to an incorrect drive letter, which can be changed through the context menu in hard drive management.

    Fig.3. You cannot change the drive letter for a new HDD

    • Select the “Create regular volume” item from the context menu. 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 select it in the window that opens. file system NTFS.

    Another possibility why new HDD may not be detected - a problem with the device drivers. You can eliminate it as follows:

    • We check the operation of the USB port by plugging in a phone, flash drive or other storage device.

    Fig.1. From the control panel, go to the device manager and look at the devices marked in yellow exclamation mark

    Fig.2. From the “Actions” section we update the configuration

    An alternative to solving the problem is 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.

    Advice. Avoid Windows builds. They are the ones who main reason problems with hardware detection.

    IF THE OLD EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE IS NOT VISIBLE

    Problems with drives that were already working in the computer also sometimes occur. They are often not caused by hardware problems and it is possible to revive the hard drive without contacting service centers.

    Let's look at the actions that a regular user can take:

    1. Change drive letter. To do this, follow the instructions for the new HDD.
    2. Check the drive for viruses. Malicious software disables access to the hard drive and sets locks for separate files. Keeping up to date antivirus databases will help avoid this problem.
    3. Verify that all devices in the OS are functioning correctly. To do this, open device management and make sure that there are no yellow or red warning signs. If necessary, we update drivers from the manufacturer’s website and within the OS.
    4. Reinstall Windows. This may help if the HDD works correctly on another computer.
    5. Check the cords and try changing the port. Some USB ports may have undervoltage nutrition. After changing the port, the drive's operation returns to normal. This problem is relevant for Acer and other laptops.

    Usually the suspects in this case are software failures, incorrect settings operating system, outdated drivers, malfunctions of computer USB ports, adapters or the drives themselves.

    Depending on the reasons, the problem manifests itself differently in each case. It happens that the computer does not react at all to a flash drive or hard drive. In other situations, the sound of connecting a new device is heard, but the drive icon never appears in Explorer. And sometimes the computer simply freezes immediately after contact with the USB device.

    What to do if your Windows computer does not see a flash drive or external hard drive

    First, figure out what exactly the problem is with: the computer, the adapter (if the connection is via a cable) or the drive. Try connecting the USB device through other ports. If this does not help and you are using a cable, try replacing it with a spare one. If unsuccessful, check whether the drive opens on other computers.

    If the device works on another PC or you do not have the opportunity to check it

    Connect your hard drive or flash drive to your computer and follow these steps in order. If the first does not help, move on to the next and so on.

    If the other PC also does not see the drive or all of the above tips did not help

    In this case, most likely the problem is in the drive itself.

    If you have a flash drive rather than a hard drive, you can use special utilities for correction software errors. Such software can usually be found on the manufacturer's website. For example, the JetFlash Online Recovery program is for Transcend drives. And USB Flash Drive Online Recovery is for ADATA brand flash drives. But keep in mind that during the recovery process, these utilities erase all data from flash drives.

    If none of the above helped, then it's probably physical malfunction hard drive or flash drive. Then it is better to show the device to a specialist or return it to the store under warranty.

    What to do if Mac does not see a flash drive or external hard drive

    On Apple computers The verification procedure is slightly different, but follows approximately the same algorithm. We will assume that you have already tried restarting the computer, disconnecting and connecting the flash drive, and also made sure that the connection is reliable. If this does not help, you need to do the following:

    Open the built-in disk tool (Programs → Utilities → Disk Utility") and check if the problematic flash drive is displayed there. If the drive is still visible, try it by clicking the “Erase” button and reconnect it. Keep in mind that all data from the flash drive will be permanently deleted.

    Mac diagnostic software provides detailed information about all software and hardware components on your computer, including USB devices. Open apple menu, then holding Option key, click “System Information” and go to the USB section in the menu that opens.

    If the flash drive is there, then the problem lies in the software and you can try to restore the disk by referring to the manufacturer’s recommendations. If there is no information about the flash drive, then the matter is a physical malfunction, and you should contact a store or service center if repairs make sense.

    If when connecting external hard disk, your computer does not display its icon, does not react in any way to usb port and does not show the contents of the disk, then there may be several reasons. Often, the drivers on your device are simply not updated or there are simply none for this external model. hard drive. It also happens that a disk fails to work until the owner formats it - this is also not a rare case. To solve the task you do not have to download additional software or third party programs, since all debugging can be done inline using Windows. In this article, you will learn how to detect an external hard drive on your computer and view its contents.

    Why the computer does not see the external hard drive - debugging in Computer Management

    Reasons for lack of detection external drive There can be many, and many of them are solved in the “Computer Management” environment. Here you can format the disk, change its letter, and see how it behaves.

    • Go to the Start panel, and then to “Control Panel”.
    • Select the “System and Security” category, if you don’t see categories like in the screenshot below, then put the categories on the right top corner. The display will change to something like this.


    • Now click on “Administration”, highlighted in green.


    • In the window that opens, find the “Computer Management” service. Double-click on it.


    • Once the window opens, go to the “Disk Management” tab.


    • Here you will see all the drives that the computer sees on at this stage. If your drive is not displayed here at all, then it is better to immediately go to the third section of this article, since the problem lies in the drivers. If the drive is visible, but identified incorrectly, then try changing its letter.


    • Right-click on the drive and select “Change drive letter or drive path” from the drop-down list.


    • Wait a few seconds for a small new window to open. In it, click on the “Add” button.


    • Assign new letter disk in the first paragraph. You can change it to any other, try not to choose letters that are located close to the current one in the alphabet.
    • Click “Ok” to save the changes and exit the window.


    Why the computer does not see the external hard drive - formatting

    If the disk designation is visible, but it does not react in any way to your actions, and the device is not recognized in principle, then all that remains is to format the device. In this case, it will be reset and debugged, but you will lose all data from this external drive.

    • Return to the Computer Management service and the Disk Management section. Choose required device, right-click on it and select the “Format” line.


    • Formatting will not take much time, you can continue to use your computer as usual.
    • Check the box next to “ Quick formatting” and click “Ok”. Wait a while, reinsert the disk into the slot and see what has changed.


    Why the computer does not see the external hard drive - updating drivers

    The most common reason A malfunction of one or another component in a computer is the loss, breakdown or absence of device drivers. To update the drivers to the ones you need, follow the instructions below:

    • Go to Control Panel through your computer's Start.
    • Select the “Hardware and Sound” section.


    • In this section you need new section“Devices and Printers.”
    • In the subsections to this item you will find the required “Device Manager”.


    • In Device Manager, you see all the devices on your computer.
    • Open the “Disk Devices” tab.
    • In it you will see your external hard drive.


    • Right-click on it and select “Update Drivers”.
    • Wait for the installation to complete.

    Your drivers will be updated and external hard drive detection issues will be resolved.


    Often users encounter a problem when the external hard drive does not open, what should they do in such a situation?

    To bring a non-working device back to life, you need to perform a series of very simple actions.

    Recovering a new drive

    If you don’t see the new HDD in the “My Computer” folder, you just need to.

    This function will allow you to correctly configure sections of hard disk and mark up the data in the storage area. Follow the instructions:

    1. Open the control panel menu;

    2. Then in the administration tab, click on "computer management";

    Rice. 1 – system window “computer management”

    3. On the left, click on the disk management menu and wait until the data appears on the right side of the window. This may take a few minutes;

    Rice. 2 – drive management menu

    4. In the window that opens, you will see absolutely all the drives that are available on the computer;

    5. B context menu HDD click on “Shrink Volume”. The compression process allows you to select additional unallocated area;

    Rice. 3 – volume compression process

    6. Wait a few minutes for the system to automatically determine the maximum available space that can be compressed. In the new window, check the settings and click on the confirmation button.

    Rice. 4 – space compression

    Notice! Often the HDD is not displayed in Explorer due to the incorrect name of its letter. In the disk management window, you can change this option (right-click on the HDD name and select “change letter or path”). Remember that the operating system cannot have 2 disks with the same symbol designation. Then you need to restart your computer and everything will work fine.

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    Driver software update

    Due to lack necessary drivers and settings may not appear at all in the disk management menu. What to do in this case?

    To fix the problem, just install the drivers using standard dispatcher Windows devices.

    We advise you to connect hard drive to any other computer and test its operation. If everything is functioning normally, there is a 100% chance that the first computer simply does not have the necessary drivers.

    Follow these steps:

    1. Right-click on the Start button. In the context menu that appears, find the device manager and open it;

    Rice. 5 – opening the dispatcher

    2. In a new window, wait for all components connected to the PC to appear. Right click on top line– the name of your computer. . To automatically download and install drivers, you will need an Internet connection. The configuration update may take some time;

    Rice. 6 – hardware update

    3. If errors occurred during driver installation, go to the “Other” sections and "Disk devices". In case of errors, the hierarchy element will be marked with an exclamation mark. by clicking on the corresponding item in the context menu.

    Rice. 7 – configuration update disk devices in the dispatcher

    Thus? can be set up very easily HDD operation. After updating, restart your operating system for the changes to take effect.

    How to speed up your computer: Optimization tips

    HDD does not show up after formatting

    A situation often arises when, after deleting data and formatting partitions, the disk stops connecting to the PC.

    The user connects the device, but there is no . In this case, the computer detects the disk in the partition "Devices and Printers".

    The file system of the disk may have been damaged during the formatting of the partitions. It can be restored using command line.

    Open this system utility Using the Win + R keyboard shortcut and in the text field, enter cmd command. Click on the "OK" button.

    Rice. 8 – open command line

    In the window that appears, enter the command chkdsk and drive letter. Press Enter. The system will automatically detect all errors occurring on the drive and eliminate them by changing the file system.

    The result of the command is shown in the figure below:

    Rice. 9 – running the chkdsk command

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