Recovering Data From Undetected External Hard Drive: Guide

Having trouble accessing your data from an external hard drive that isn’t detected by your computer? Don’t worry – data recovery is possible! In this article, we’ll provide you with an essential guide to recovering data from an external hard drive that isn’t detected by the computer. From troubleshooting connection issues to using specialized recovery software, we’ll walk you through the process step by step. Whether it’s photos, documents, or videos, we’ll help you retrieve your precious data and minimize data loss.

Recovering Data From Undetected External Hard Drive: Guide

An externalhard drive is just as good as any other storage device of this type, and in the same way, it may break down or encounter errors, so it is good to be prepared and know how to deal with such problems. We believe that this article could be equally interesting to people facing such a problem and everyone else using external hard drives every day.

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💽 Nine Common Causes of Partition Loss, and Data Recovery Methods to Use 💽

💽 Nine Common Causes of Partition Loss, and Data Recovery Methods to Use 💽

Why an external hard drive isn’t showing up

Most of us tend to use an external hard drive to store data backups, but this type of drives is not always suitable for the purpose. That is why experts recommend backing up important data to various storage devices, and the issue of an external hard drive suddenly becoming unreadable or undetected may become crucial, if it was the only place for all your backups.

Here are some of the cases when an external hard drive is not detected by the computer:

  • If a power surge happened while data was transferred from / to the drive
  • As a result of physical damage
  • If an operating system failure (error) happened while the computer was working with this drive
  • After a virus attack or malware infestation
  • Because of wear-out caused by overuse
  • After drive system files are deleted or the operating system is damaged.

If the hard drive is not detected by the operating system properly, you may not see anything at all after you connect it to the computer. There won’t be any sounds or opening the drive’s root directory automatically, and it may not show up in the Device Manager either. Sometimes, you may see a notification like this You need to format the disk in drive X before you can use it. Do you want to format it?. In this situation, formatting the drive is the only option left. However, it means all data on such drive will be removed.

Formatting the drive

So what needs to be done to get the drive to work again – and do so without losing data for good?

What can be done if it happened?

Before taking the hard drive to a service center or repair shop, try the following:

  • Plug the external drive into another USB port. If the drive shows up in This PC – the problem is caused by the faulty USB port, not the storage device.
  • Connect the external drive to another computer.
  • Change the hard drive letter (change its name). To do it:
    • Open This PC folder.
    • Look at the letters already assigned to other drives.
    • In the menu above, click on Map Network Drive and select the option Drive
    • In the Drive menu, choose the letter which is not in use
    • Hit Browse to select the undetected hard drive and click “Ok”
    • Restart the computer and reconnect the hard drive.
Map Network Drive

The last step should help the computer to detect the hard drive properly, but you may be asked to format it. Don’t worry, you can still bring your data back even after you format the drive.

Recovering data from a formatted external hard drive

After the hard drive is formatted, do not write anything there. Don’t save any data to such drive, and don’t let other devices and applications access the drive. Al your files are still available for recovery until it gets overwritten with new data.

So as soon as the format operation is complete, disconnect the hard drive from the computer, then start Hetman Partition Recovery. In the main menu, select the external hard drive you need to restore files from.

Partition Recovery™ 5.0
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
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Hetman Partition Recovery

Double-click on it. In the next window, select the analysis type and click “Next” to continue. When the analysis is over, you will see the list of files and folders available for recovery. Click on any of the elements to see its preview on the right.

Hetman Partition Recovery

Select the files to recover and bring them to the recovery list. After that, click Recovery. You will be shown a new window to choose the method and path for recovery. Choose the options you prefer and click “Next”. When the recovery is complete, you can view the files in the corresponding folder that you have chosen to restore them to.

Remember to have at least two backups to keep important data in, and never interfere with the hard drive when it is working. Yet even if you face a situation similar to what is described here, don’t panic – follow our advice on data recovery.

Vladimir Artiukh

Author: , Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: , Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What causes an external hard drive to not be detected by a computer?

    There are several potential causes for an external hard drive not being detected by a computer. These include:

    1. The external hard drive is not connected properly to the computer.
    2. The external hard drive is not powered on.
    3. The external hard drive is defective or damaged.
    4. The external hard drive is not compatible with the computer's operating system.
    5. The external hard drive is not formatted correctly.
    6. The computer's USB port is not functioning properly.
  • How can a user determine if their external hard drive is physically damaged?
    1. Check the power cable and ensure it is firmly connected to both the hard drive and the power source.
    2. Check the USB cable and ensure it is firmly connected to both the hard drive and the computer.
    3. Check the external hard drive enclosure for any visible damage or signs of wear and tear.
    4. Listen for any abnormal sounds coming from the hard drive, such as clicking or grinding noises.
    5. Run a diagnostic test on the hard drive using a third-party tool to check for any errors or corrupted files.
  • What are some common software-related issues that can prevent an external hard drive from being detected?
    1. Faulty USB port or cable.
    2. Incorrectly configured drivers or settings.
    3. Corrupted or damaged files on the external hard drive.
    4. Outdated firmware on the external hard drive.
    5. Power supply issues.
    6. Incompatible operating system.
    7. Bad sectors on the external hard drive.
    8. Conflict with other USB devices.
  • Can a damaged external hard drive be repaired enough to recover data?

    Yes, it is possible to repair a damaged external hard drive and recover data from it. Depending on the severity of the damage, it may be possible to repair the drive yourself or you may need to send it to a data recovery specialist.

  • What is a boot sector and how can it affect an external hard drive's detection?

    A boot sector is a section of a hard drive or other storage device that contains the boot code for the device. It is used to start the operating system when the computer is powered on. If the boot sector is corrupted or damaged, it can prevent the external hard drive from being detected. Additionally, if the boot sector is not properly configured, it can also cause the external hard drive to be unrecognized by the computer.

Comments (15)

  • Jhon Clarke
    Jhon Clarke 29.03.2023 11:56 #
    When sharing a file directly with another person using the Teams chat, the file you send is uploaded to both you and your target user’s OneDrive. This is why when you go to share a file with someone in Team’s which you’ve previously shared, you’ll get a warning that the file already exists.
    Reply
  • Chris
    Chris 6.07.2022 10:23 #
    I think this is one of the most important info for me. And i am glad reading your article. I should remark on few general things, The website style is perfect, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers.
    Reply
    • Vladislav Kuprienko
      Vladislav Kuprienko 7.07.2022 09:45 #
      We are glad that our article was helpful to you. If you have any questions, we are happy to answer them.
      Reply
  • SOUMITRA CHAKRABORTY
    SOUMITRA CHAKRABORTY 30.09.2021 15:47 #
    A very informative and engaging article. Hats off to the dedication and hard work of the author. True Great work
    Reply
  • Trevor Hascall
    Trevor Hascall 3.12.2020 07:01 #
    What should a user do if their external hard drive is making unusual noises?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 3.12.2020 07:17 #
      If an external hard drive is making unusual noises, the user should immediately stop using the drive and back up any data stored on it. They should then contact the manufacturer or a certified technician to have the drive inspected and repaired.
      Reply
  • Charley Rudd
    Charley Rudd 3.12.2020 05:00 #
    How can a user perform a manual scan of their external hard drive to detect any errors?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 3.12.2020 05:19 #
      1. Back up all important data stored on the external hard drive to another device.
      2. Use a disk utility tool to check the hard drive for any errors. On a Mac, this can be done by opening the Disk Utility app. On Windows, you can open the “Computer” window and right-click on the external hard drive to select “Properties” and then “Tools”.
      3. Select the “Check Now” button to scan the hard drive for any errors.
      4. Follow the on-screen instructions to repair any errors that are detected.
      5. Once the scan is complete, you can check the results to make sure that no errors were found.
      Reply
  • Edmund Lightner
    Edmund Lightner 3.12.2020 00:56 #
    What are some tools that can help recover data from an external hard drive that isn't detected?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 3.12.2020 01:19 #
      1. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: This powerful data recovery tool can help you recover data from an external hard drive that isn't detected. It can scan the drive and find lost or deleted files, even if the drive is not accessible.
      2. Disk Drill: This data recovery tool can help you recover data from an external hard drive that isn't detected. It can scan the drive and recover lost or deleted files, even if the drive is not accessible.
      3. Recuva: This data recovery tool can help you recover data from an external hard drive that isn't detected. It can scan the drive and find lost or deleted files, even if the drive is not accessible.
      4. TestDisk: This open source data recovery tool can help you recover data from an external hard drive that isn't detected. It can scan the drive and find lost or deleted files, even if the drive is not accessible.
      5. Stellar Data Recovery: This data recovery tool can help you recover data from an external hard drive that isn't detected. It can scan the drive and find lost or deleted files, even if the drive is not accessible.
      Reply
  • Donald Errington
    Donald Errington 2.12.2020 21:51 #
    What is an MBR and how can it impact an external hard drive's recognition?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 2.12.2020 22:19 #
      MBR stands for Master Boot Record. It is a special type of boot sector at the beginning of a hard drive that contains information about the drive's partitions, as well as a small amount of executable code for the boot start. If the MBR is corrupted or deleted, it can prevent an external hard drive from being recognized.
      Reply
  • Giovanni Halman
    Giovanni Halman 2.12.2020 18:39 #
    How can a user check if their computer's drivers are causing their external hard drive to not be detected?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 2.12.2020 19:14 #
      1. Check the Device Manager: The Device Manager is a tool built into Windows that allows users to view and manage the hardware and drivers installed on their computer. To access it, open the Start menu and type "Device Manager" into the search bar. Once open, look for the entry for your external hard drive. If it is not present, then the drivers may be the cause of the issue.
      2. Update Drivers: If the external hard drive is present in the Device Manager but is not functioning properly, then updating the drivers may help. To update the drivers, right-click on the device in the Device Manager and select "Update Driver". Follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest drivers for your device.
      3. Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers: If updating the drivers does not help, then try uninstalling and reinstalling them. To do this, right-click on the device in the Device Manager and select "Uninstall Device". Then, restart your computer and check for any available updates for your device. If there are any, install them and then restart your computer again. This should help resolve any issues with your external hard drive being detected.
      Reply
  • Maxim Cherniga
    Maxim Cherniga 2.12.2020 18:06 #
    If you have any questions about recovering data from an external hard drive that isn’t detected by the computer, leave a comment to ask us.
    Reply
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