External hard drive via USB is not detected: causes of the problem

In the era of digital storage, users are increasingly expanding the memory of their computer with the help of additional devices - external hard drives, which allow them to add from several gigabytes to several terabytes of auxiliary storage. In this article, we will take a closer look at solutions to the problem when an external hard drive connected via USB is not detected by the computer.

A problem with connecting an external hard drive via USB can arise for a variety of reasons, the maximum number of which will be touched upon in this article.

Reason 1: USB cable faulty

First of all, if the device does not want to be detected via USB, you should make sure that the USB cable connecting the computer to the hard drive is working properly. The easiest way to do this is to connect any other device to the computer through this cable - if it is not detected, the cable should be replaced.

Reason 2: driver problems

If the problem is not with the cable, you should make sure that the external hard drive drivers are working correctly.

1. To do this, open a window "Control Panel" and go to the section "Device Manager".
   
   
   
   
   
2. Find your external hard drive among the connected devices, right-click on it and select "Remove Device".
   
   
   
   
   
3. Disconnect the hard drive from the computer, and then connect it again. The system will perform a new installation of drivers, as a result of which the device can work correctly.
   

Reason 3: lack of nutrition

A hard drive is a much more complex device than a flash drive. Due to the fact that it contains many mechanical elements, it therefore requires more power. As a rule, a similar problem occurs if you connect an external hard drive not directly, but through splitters (USB hubs). In some cases, the problem may occur due to the use of a cheap Chinese USB cable.

In this case, you should connect the device to the computer directly. If you are unsure of the quality of the cable, replace it, preferably using solutions from reputable manufacturers.

Reason 4: Hard drive failure

The hard drive itself is a fragile device, so there is a high probability that it has mechanical damage that cannot ensure its correct operation.

If the device was just purchased, we recommend that you immediately return it under warranty. If the hard drive suddenly begins to behave this way, you should submit it for diagnostics under warranty.

Reason 5: USB port conflict (USB port malfunction)

If you connected your external hard drive to USB 3.0, try reconnecting it to another USB 2.0 port. The same applies to the possibility that the port is faulty.

Reason 6: USB support is disabled in BIOS

This is a rare cause of the problem, because in this case, none of your USB-connected storage devices will work.

If this is the case in your case, you will need to head to the BIOS settings to enable USB functionality.

1. To do this, you will need to turn on your computer or force it to restart. At the very early stage of startup, you should start repeatedly pressing the button responsible for entering the BIOS (in most cases, F1, F2 and Del are used as such keys).
   
   
2. The further progress of BIOS setup depends on the version installed on your computer. In most cases you will need to find the section "Integrated Peripherals" and activate the parameter in it "USB EHCI controller" or "Legacy USB storage detect". If you make changes, be sure to save your settings before exiting.
   

Reason 7: Incorrect drive letter assignment

There are situations when Windows mistakenly assigns a hard drive a letter that is already assigned to another drive on the computer. In this case, the device will be detected as connected via USB, however, you will not be able to use the storage.

1. To check for this potential problem, open the menu "Control Panel" and go to the section "Administration".
   
   
   
   
   
2. In the pop-up window, double-click on the shortcut "Computer Management".
   
   
   
   
   
3. A window will appear on the screen, on the left side of which you should open the section "Management disk". The screen will display all the drives on your computer. Based on the memory size, determine where your hard drive is, right-click on it and select the option "Change drive letter or drive path".
   
   
   
   
   
4. A window will pop up on the screen in which you will need to assign a new drive letter, after which you can save the changes.
   

Reason 7: Hard drive is not formatted

If the device is detected normally by the computer, but the storage cannot be used, we can conclude that the device is not prepared for use on the computer.

1. Go to section "Management disk". How to do this is described in the previous method.
   
   
2. Find your device among the disks and select it with one click of the left mouse button.
   
   
3. Its information will be displayed below. If you see the "Unallocated" option, right-click on it and select the option "Create Simple Volume".
   
   
   
   
   
4. Complete the simple volume creation following the system prompts.
   

These are the main reasons that affect the operation of an external hard drive connected to a computer via USB. If you know other ways to solve the problem, share them in the comments.