Recover Data Before Fixing a Non-Working DriveĪfter making the external hard drive detectable, we suggest that you recover any data stored on it immediately.

Move to Part 2 and we'll show you how to use the hard disk data recovery software to restore all your precious data. If that’s the case, you can try to open the drive and access the data.  Tip If your external hard drive is physically damaged, you’ll need to take it to a maintenance center for repair.Īfter following the tips above, hopefully, your computer should be able to detect and recognize your external hard drive. Right-click USB Root Hub > Properties > Power Management > uncheck 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'. Open Device Manager > expand 'Universal Serial Bus controllers'. In Run (Windows + R), type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter. If none of the above methods get the drive working again, you should check to see if the power management settings in Windows could be causing the issue. If possible, you can also try connecting the drive to a different computer to see whether the problem is with the drive or PC. Try plugging the drive into another one to see if that helps. If the cable appears fine, then it could be the USB port on your PC that's faulty. Change a USB Port or Connect to a New Computer In fact, even if you can’t see any obvious damage, it's worth swapping the cable in case there is a problem inside. If the cable is broken or damaged, replace it with a new one and try again.If the USB connector has become loose in the port, just push it firmly back into place and see if that corrects the problem.Start off by checking the connecting cable between your drive and PC: Check and Change External Hard Drive Connection Cable If you encounter problems with an external drive suddenly not working or becoming undetectable to your PC, the first thing to check is the physical connection. Make Non-Working External Hard Drive DetectableĪpplies to: Fix an external hard drive not detected due to a connection problem. If you are having a similar issue with your PC's hard drive, you can try the fixes below. No matter the cause, if you follow the tips laid out below you should hopefully get the drive going once more or at least recover your data. Drive letter conflict or no drive letter.RAW, invalid or unsupported file system.First, check the causes that make your external hard drive not working:

You don't have to buy a new external hard drive and give up all the precious data. There are many reasons why the drive has become problematic, such as these: If your external hard drive suddenly stops working or cannot be recognized by your PC, don’t panic. Causes of External Hard Drive Not Working/Responding The following solutions for fixing problems with external hard drives will work with any brand, including WD Elements, Seagate, SanDisk, Toshiba and others. Connect Non-Working External DriveĬhange USB cable, USB Port > Change PC.

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