How to Fix External Hard Drive Not Showing Up

When connect your drive to a PC with a USB port and find the external hard drive isn’t showing up, how to fix? This video will show you three feasible methods to fix external hard drive not showing up in computer. (You can check the Timestamps below for specific methods with detailed steps)

1. Check the Drive in Disk Management 01:19
2. Initializing a New External Drive 02:19
3. Assigning a Drive Letter to an External Drive 03:10
4. Troubleshooting Broken USB Ports 04:35
5. Check for Driver Errors: 05:19

Following those methods above should fix most of the issues of external hard drive not recognized. If you’ve tried the external hard drive with multiple computers and it never shows up in the Disk Management window after these steps, the drive is probably broken.

By the way, after you fix the problem, if your data loss from the external hard drive and need to recover, don’t forget to try Recoverit, one of the most professional data recovery software.

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[cyberdoctor]

Hey, man, listen I really thought my hard drive was broken, but with your insightful help I managed to get it back up with my computer. I really can't thank you enough. You're awesome!

[deogratiousalule]

Very interesting how simple technology can be when we have guides like you!!! Beautiful work, thanks a lot!!

[SchwandaRElias-fjrw]

I'm not sure about the 1st option you provide. Approx. 2:5ish in the video, at the New Simple Volume Wizard part where is asking to Format with NTFS/DEFAULT/NEW VOLUME... Either perform a quick format (blah blah blah). Well I lose any data if I select this?

[Millkstar]

Thank YOU, for your time and patience . On explaining the options on what it could be, thank you!

[CGplay]

what do I do if my extra hard drive doesn't even show up in disk management? I don't understand this is a new hard drive had it only working for a few weeks and all I did was close down the pc and suddenly stop working once I turned it on again

[abdullahakintobi]

This video need a special award from YouTube itself for providing this life changing content 👏

[Carlosmax]

Great tutorial. It has really helped me. I nearly pay huge money for the problem to be resolved but your video came in handy.
Thanks once again.

[bentleymbatsane]

Brother thanx a million just when I was abt to purchase a new hard drive, sorted 🕺🏿

[patriciabernard]

I am 75 and I am learning so much. Also I feel like I am channeling my father's interests. In the late 40's he became a radio and television technician for RCA. In the fifties he tried to explain to me the base two electronic base for computers....he bought a Heath Kit to demonstrate that. Funny when he got old he had no use for social media, emails and gaming but my mother jumped in with two feet. Yesterday I extracted 5 hard drives from old computers and one hard drive was not loading properly.

[easternequinox]

Dude. I just wanted to express my utmost gratitude for you man. I've been restless with this issue and thought that I accidentally destroyed my new hard drive or something. I wish more tutorial videos follow you as an example. Concise, precise and effective overall. Much appreciated man.

[taxijumper]

The video is a valuable tool for the issue. Clear, concise, and complete.

[PimVisscher]

My hard drive isn't showing up in 'disk management' just like many other people in the comments here..

[haneenalfkhrani]

Thank you !!! I have been struggling with my external hard drive for a while now and thankfully this worked 💕. Now I can enjoy some games in quarantine. Thanks again!

[thomasabrahams]

Hi i upgraded my computer from Vista (oh yeah) to windows 10 recently and the computer outlet replaced the HDD with SSD. The old HDD was returned to me. So i bought a sata converter cable to usb and tried connecting to my desktop...Mine is 3.5 inch HDD. Once i connect the cable plus adaptor (12A) to power the HDD i can hear the HDD disk is rotating with No clicking or beeping sound so the HDD is fine but my computer & laptop unable to recognize the HDD. Can i follow the methods as in this video or is there something else that I can do?

[sailorkicks]

sir even on the disk management i dont see my drive

[sarakhan]

2.5 mins into the video and my issue got resolved...thank you so much! The video was so clean with clear instructions...you made it easier to follow.

[celesteching]

hello.. what if there is no NEW SIMPLE VOLUME options.. meaning the option is grayed in the unallocated drive? what should i do?

[nikhilkulkarni]

sir, I use the first method and just u say it was an unallocated drive, so I create a partition, and then it shows the new value besides the other. but when I remove the hard drive and plug in then did not detect automatically so do I have to redo the processevery time ?. please reply as soon as possible

[dhpettit]

Wish I had found this 24 hours ago! Thanks a million for this excellent tutorial! I was finally able to find the disk in Disk Management and assign it a letter. Works like a charm! Thank you!!!

[CelticWarrior]

Thank you so much! I bought a used external hard drive which was already partitioned, but it still wasn't showing up. I had to delete the original partition in order to try the first method you suggested, but once that was done, I was able to follow your instructions and it worked fine.