Having issues with your external hard drive can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are several things you can try to diagnose and fix external hard drive problems on your own without taking it to a professional or paying for recovery software.
Troubleshooting Steps
Here are some basic troubleshooting steps to try when your external hard drive is not working properly:
- Check the USB connection – Disconnect the USB cable from both the drive and computer, inspect the cable for damage, then reconnect.
- Try a different USB port – Try plugging the drive into a different USB port on your computer if possible.
- Check for proper drive recognition – Open disk management on Windows or Disk Utility on Mac to see if the drive is recognized.
- Change the drive letter – If the drive shows up but has no letter assigned, assign it a new unused letter.
- Update drivers – Update USB and external hard drive drivers in Device Manager on Windows.
- Reset NVRAM on Mac – For Macs, resetting NVRAM can help external drive issues.
These basic steps should resolve most simple issues with external drives not being recognized or accessed. If the drive still is not working, try some of the advanced troubleshooting steps below.
External Hard Drive Not Detected
If your computer is not detecting your external hard drive, try the following:
- Try another USB port and check that the hard drive USB cable is not loose or damaged.
- Try connecting the drive to a different computer if possible to see if it is recognized.
- Open Disk Management on Windows or Disk Utility on Mac to verify the drive is recognized.
- If it shows up in disk management, simply initialize the disk and assign a drive letter.
- Update USB and external hard drive drivers in Device Manager.
- Check if the drive shows up in BIOS for Windows PCs.
If the drive is still not detected, the issue may be with the external enclosure. Connecting the bare hard drive directly or trying a different enclosure can help isolate this.
External Hard Drive Not Showing Files
If your files are not showing up on the external hard drive, try the following:
- Scan for new hardware changes in Device Manager then restart your PC.
- Disconnect the data cable, power down, reconnect, then restart your computer.
- Use a different USB cable as cables can sometimes fail.
- Try connecting to a different USB port, computer, or external enclosure.
- Check if the files show up on a different computer.
- For Windows, make sure the drive letter is present in File Explorer.
- Reset NVRAM on Mac to resolve drive mounting issues.
If the files are still not visible, you may need data recovery software to try restoring the data from the external drive.
External Hard Drive Not Powering On
If your external drive is not powering on, try the following steps:
- Check that the drive is securely plugged into a working power outlet.
- Try using a different USB cable, or connect to a different USB port.
- If powered via USB, make sure the USB port is working properly.
- Check for any loose connections, broken ports, or damage to the USB cable.
- Try using a different wall outlet or surge protector.
- Use a multimeter to check for voltage going to the drive enclosure.
- As a last resort, open the enclosure to check the power connection to the drive inside.
If there is still no power after trying the steps above, the external enclosure or power adapter is likely faulty and needs to be replaced.
External Hard Drive Making Clicking Noise
If your external hard drive is making clicking or beeping noises, try the following:
- Disconnect the drive and reboot your computer to clear any stalled processes.
- Try a different data cable, USB port, or computer if available.
- Plug the drive into its external power adapter if it has one.
- Back up data immediately and consider replacing the drive as clicking often indicates it is failing.
Constant clicking or beeping noises likely mean there are physical problems with the hard drive and imminent failure. The drive should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid permanent data loss.
External Hard Drive Slow Transfer Speeds
If your external drive data transfers are very slow, try these tips:
- Plug the drive into a USB 3.0 port if it is a USB 3.0 drive.
- Use a different USB cable (USB 3.0 cables are usually blue).
- Update USB and hard drive controller drivers in Device Manager.
- Change the drive letter in Disk Management to assign it a less used letter.
- Scan for viruses that may be slowing the system down.
- Check the hard drive health using a tool like CrystalDiskInfo.
- Defragment the hard drive to optimize data access speeds.
If speeds remain consistently slow, the drive mechanisms may be failing causing degraded performance.
External Hard Drive Making Beeping Noise
If your external drive is beeping, here are some things to try:
- Safely remove the drive using the “Eject” option and reconnect it.
- Try a different USB port, cable, or computer if available.
- Update USB and external hard drive drivers.
- Turn off power saving options which can interfere with USB devices.
If the beeping persists, it likely indicates physical damage or failure of the drive. Making copies of valuable data and replacing the unit is recommended.
How to Fix Common External Hard Drive Problems
Here are more detailed steps to fix the most common external hard drive problems:
1. Drive Not Detected
- Try connecting the drive to different USB ports on your computer.
- Check USB cable connections for any loose connections or damage.
- Try using a different USB cable if possible.
- Connect the drive to a different computer and see if it is recognized.
- Open Disk Management to see if the drive has a recognized partition and assigned drive letter.
- Assign a drive letter if needed.
- Update USB drivers from Device Manager.
- Reset BIOS by removing CMOS battery if not seen at all by system.
2. Drive Not Showing Files
- Run chkdsk to check and repair drive errors.
- Scan for viruses that may be corrupting the drive.
- Use Disk Management to change the drive letter.
- Check whether files are present in Disk Management.
- Use data recovery software to attempt restoring files.
- Format the drive if no critical files need to be recovered.
3. External Hard Drive Not Powering Up
- Try using a different USB port or cable.
- Check for loose/damaged connections or faulty ports.
- Attempt connecting the drive to a different power source.
- Use a multimeter to test drive enclosure power supply for proper voltages.
- Open enclosure to check internal power connectors.
- Replace or try a different enclosure if drive is functional.
4. Drive Making Clicking Noises
- Immediately backup data and replace the drive.
- Check warranty status and contact manufacturer for potential warranty replacement.
- Try freezing the drive for a short period which can sometimes allow data recovery.
- Use advanced data recovery software to rescue files off the failing drive.
5. Slow Data Transfer Speeds
- Plug drive into USB 3.0 port if applicable.
- Use shorter USB cables for faster speeds.
- Update USB controller and chipset drivers.
- Change drive letter and disconnect other USB devices.
- Check and defragment the drive if needed.
- Scan for viruses slowing down the system.
Following troubleshooting steps like these can help resolve most external hard drive problems without paying for professional data recovery or drive repair services. Always remember to backup your data regularly to avoid data loss should your external drive fail.
Recovering Data from External Hard Drives
If your external hard drive fails and you have important data stored on it that is not backed up elsewhere, data recovery software provides tools to help restore access to your files. Here are some tips when using data recovery software:
- Stop using the drive immediately if data loss is suspected.
- Scan the drive with read-only tools to minimize further data writing.
- Try free recovery software like Recuva, Disk Drill, or PhotoRec to see if files can be restored easily.
- For more comprehensive file recovery, send to a professional recovery service.
- Recover data to a different clean drive to avoid overwriting files.
- Restart the recovery process from the beginning if scans are interrupted.
Running data recovery software can help salvage data off of drives with the following problems:
- Accidental file deletion or formatting.
- Corrupted or missing system files.
- Mechanical failures making the drive inaccessible.
- Deleted or lost partitions.
- Virus/malware damage.
Getting data off of an external drive through recovery software takes time and care, but can often restore lost files when all else fails.
Sending External Hard Drive for Professional Data Recovery
For difficult external drive problems that require mechanical repair and advanced recovery methods, professional data recovery services may be needed. Some tips when choosing a data recovery service include:
- Look for certified clean room facilities to safely work on sensitive drives.
- Select a service with a high success rate and positive customer reviews.
- Get an upfront quote for pricing before proceeding.
- Ask about the diagnostic process and data protection methods.
- Understand your options if data cannot be fully recovered.
- Look for fast turnaround time so you regain access quickly.
Reputable data recovery labs can often recover data when DIY software cannot, but costs range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Weigh the importance of your lost data vs the cost to decide if professional recovery is worthwhile.
Replacing a Failed External Hard Drive
If your external hard drive is still not working properly after trying troubleshooting steps, it may need to be replaced. Here are tips for replacing a dead external drive:
- Check warranty status – some drives come with 1-3 year warranties.
- Research drive quality before purchasing using customer reviews and ratings.
- Consider buying two lower capacity drives for redundancy vs one larger drive.
- Choose a drive with hardware encryption to better protect sensitive data.
- Look for durable construction like solid state drives if travel use is planned.
- Match the replacement’s port types, storage capacity, and speed specs.
When buying a new external drive after failure, take time to assess what caused the original drive to fail and select a replacement optimized for your specific needs and usage requirements.
Preventing External Hard Drive Failure
You can help prevent many external hard drive problems by taking proactive steps to maintain and care for your drive:
- Handle the drive carefully and do not bump or drop it.
- Disconnect safely using the eject function, not by pulling the USB cable.
- Keep the drive in a cool, dry place and avoid temperature extremes.
- Do not unplug the drive when it is reading or writing data.
- Periodically scan for errors and defragment the drive.
- Make sure to backup important data regularly.
Following drive care best practices and making backup copies of your data on a separate device goes a long way towards avoiding problems should your external drive fail.
Conclusion
External hard drive issues like being unrecognized or making clicking noises often have simple solutions like cable or port changes. For more severe problems, you can turn to data recovery software or professional recovery services to help restore your data, or replace the drive if needed. Regularly backing up your data and managing your drive properly helps avoid issues in the first place. Following the tips in this article, you can get your external hard drive working again or retrieve important data should failures occur down the road.
