Is your computer showing a hard drive not recognized error? How can you recover data from undetected external hard discs? It can be annoying when a hard drive is invisible. Both external hard drives and additional internal hard drives are susceptible. The solution to the hard drive not recognized issue is covered in this article.
Why Can’t I See My External Hard Drive?
You should be aware that if your external hard drive doesn’t appear, a number of different factors could be the culprit, including a faulty cable, your laptop, or even the dead-on-arrival hard drive you purchased. That stated there are generally factors in your windows os that can produce a ‘hard drive not detected a problem. The most likely problem is that your operating system can’t be utilized with your hard disc since it’s not configured properly. Although in some circumstances you will need to correctly examine your operating system and configure your hard disc, things can become more challenging.
What should you do if your hard drive isn’t recognized?
If the hard disc is not recognized, the procedures to be followed are the same for both new and old drives.
For Internal Hard Drive
Step 1
- Press F1, F2, F10, and Del to restart the computer and launch the BIOS (as set by the manufacturer).
- BIOS shows a list of every hardware. Does the drive show up?
- Otherwise, each BIOS contains a reset option that typically says “Load Optimal Defaults” or something like that. Press F10 to save and leave after selecting it (you cannot click any option in BIOS).
Step 2
- Examine the electrical connection to the power source. Plug it back in after removing it.
- Any SATA drive can be switched out quickly. This indicates that both connections may be cut while the gadget is turned on.
- PATA drives cannot be hot-swapped (only a few numbers have endured for almost 20 years).
- There are 2-4 SATA (or PATA) power connectors on a computer. Use another if the first does not work.
- You can temporarily remove the SATA power connector from the DVD drive and use it to power a hard drive if you need an extra SATA power cable but don’t have one in your computer. Although not ideal, this solution is practical.
If you are certain that there is power, make sure the SATA data cable connecting the drive to the motherboard is securely fastened. There are at least 2 PATA (for older motherboards) and 4–8 SATA ports, so you have enough of possibilities.
For External Hard Drive
Check cable connection
- After removing it, reattach the gadget to the USB port. Restarting your computer once will ensure that there are no legacy problems.
- Change your USB port. Most PCs and laptops feature four to eight USB ports.
- Check the device’s status in Device Manager to see if it indicates that it is operating properly. Additionally, check to see if an external disc is displayed in Disk Management.
- Try using a different desktop or laptop. It also helps if you connect to another operating system like Android or Mac. The external hard disc can have an issue if it is not recognized by two or more devices.
Check for updates
Microsoft Updates can occasionally be a huge nuisance. A device could suddenly stop working.
- Launch Settings
- Then select Update & Security.
- Go to Windows Update.
- Click View Update History.
- Installed the updated patch before the hard disc stopped working?
If so, select Uninstall with the right click.
Give it a drive letter
A letter is assigned to each drive. By default, C is the system partition. The remaining letters are distributed on the desktop, and new partitions are added. If that is not the case, Windows may frequently display a popup and ask what letter needs to be assigned to the disc when you merely click on it. If that does not occur, take the following actions:
- Right-click the Start button.
- Click Disk Management.
- If you want to modify the drive’s letter, right-click on it.
- After clicking Add, select a letter (that is not in use by any other drive)
- Click OK.
Make use of Stellar Data Recovery Service
Hard drive issues that go unnoticed might be pretty serious. The little PCB board that is attached to the hard drive or SSdisk D is frequently where the problem is. It’s possible that a little component—a capacitor or resistor costing less than a cent—burned out.
However, due to modern electronics’ incredibly intricate design (the SATA data line has seven connectors and the power cable has 15), even the slightest error might cause the entire drive to malfunction. To disassemble the drive and recover the data, you need a professional.
A team of specialists with the necessary training and skills are available through Stellar Data Recovery Service. Stellar has been in the data recovery business since 1993 and owns India’s first and only Class 100 Clean Room Lab.
