format external hard drive windows 10 not showing up

#Format external hard drive windows 10 not showing up install#
#Format external hard drive windows 10 not showing up update#

Alternatively, you can transfer the hard drive to a different external enclosure, if you're not comfortable with opening up your computer.

Once connected, you may need to enable the drive in Windows using the Disk Management tool, as detailed in Step 3 above.ģ. 11 useful solutions you should try: Change a USB port.

#Format external hard drive windows 10 not showing up update#

Then, connect the drive to your desktop or laptop, following the manufacturer's instructions.Ģ. If you also encounter the portable hard drive not showing up (external HDD not showing up) on Windows 10 or other Windows systems, please change a USB port, check in Disk Management, run troubleshooter, update driver, etc. Open the enclosure and disconnect the drive.

This only applies to external hard disks or SSDs it won't work with thumb drives.ġ. On the Properties interface, you need to click the Roll Back Driver button and follow the guide to finish the job. Right-click the device driver and select Properties. If anything, this will allow you to copy its contents to another drive, or upload it to the cloud, in case it fails completely. Right-click Start (the Win icon on the bottom left corner of the screen) and select Device Manager from the pop-up menu. If all else fails and you possess the technical know-how, you can triage your hardware by removing it from its enclosure and hooking it up to a computer the old-fashioned way.

#Format external hard drive windows 10 not showing up install#

(Image credit: Future) Install your hard drive directly into your computer or a new enclosure Since Windows and Mac computers have compatibility issues with certain types of drive format, you may find that your drive works in a Windows PC if you're running a Mac, and vice-versa. Failing this, try connecting your external hard drive to another computer, if you have one to hand. Alternatively, check whether your USB hub has an external power port (such as an AC power supply or USB port), since some hubs need an extra boost of energy to power certain devices such as external hard drives.ģ. That means losing all the data on it - I hope you have backups It might be wise to do a full format rather than a quick. If you're plugging your drive into a USB hub, try connecting it directly to its own USB port on your computer instead. From the dropdown menu, select a drive letter and press OK, then OK again to close the dialogue windows. If you have an existing drive letter, select it then click Change. Right-click on your external hard drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths. It may help to restart your computer if this doesn't work, since this should 'refresh' your ports if they're acting up.Ģ. Right-click Start and click Disk Management. Try plugging your external hard drive into a different USB port on your computer, to see if this makes a difference. (Image credit: Toshiba) Try a different USB port or computerįor all their uses, USB ports like to mess with us from time to time, so it helps to troubleshoot the port.ġ.