Most of the Windows users have reported a problem associated with hard drive not showing up on the device. Due to this, they are not able to find any partition on that hard drive in File Explorer. Usually, this happens when you install a new hard drive. In addition, this also occurs when you upgrade the Operating System of your device. Due to this, you cannot access the data which are stored in the drive. Sometimes, the wrong system files are also responsible for this annoying situation. This problem is indeed irritating.
If you are facing the same error on your Windows 10 device, then you need to learn the exact solutions for this problem. No need to worry. Every problem has a solution. This also applies in this case. Here, we are going to provide some basic tricks which are easy, simple and hassle-free. Hence, the following fixes will help you to resolve the issue and you will be able to use the hard drive again.
Amazing Tricks to Fix Hard Drive Not Showing Up
We have prepared a few effective procedures to solve hard drive not showing up in Windows 10 error in every possible way. Try every solution and check which one helps you to fix the issue. But remember, these methods may remove your data that are stored in the hard drive. Hence, it is better that you can take a backup of your data and files and then, proceed with the solutions.
Procedure # 1: Initialize and Format the Hard Drive
If your hard drive not showing up on the Windows 10 device, then this occurs if the hard drive is not formatted properly. Mainly, the error occurs when you install a new hard drive. Additionally, some corruption issues can also occur on the hard drive. Due to this, the system’s Operating System does not recognize the hard drive. In order to resolve this bug, at first you have to detect and format the hard drive. Probably, this is the best solution for this problem. To perform the action follow the steps that are described in the section below.
Step 1
At first, press Windows logo key + R key together to open the Run box. Type ‘diskmgmt.msc’ in the Run dialog box and then, hit the Enter button to continue the task. This will open the Disk Management option.
Step 2
In the Disk Management option, you will find an ‘Unknown and Not initialized disk’ listed. If it is not present in the list, then right click and select Initialize Disk option.
Step 3
A dialog box pops up on the system’s screen. After that, choose the GPT partition style of the hard drive. Once done, click OK to confirm it.
Step 4
Now, right-click the disk which has just been initialized, a drop-down menu will appear. Now, from the list that appears, select ‘New Simple Volume’ option.
Step 5
Then, follow the on-screen instructions of the wizard which is popping up to set the volume size, format, and drive letter. With this, the process gets complete. Lastly, open the File Explorer option and check whether the hard drive is visible or not. Otherwise, proceed to the next solutions.
Procedure # 2: Update the Motherboard Driver
Sometimes, new hard drive not showing up Windows 10 because the motherboard drivers are outdated. Hence, update the drivers and check the status of the issue. To download the latest version of the motherboard driver, follow the steps that are mentioned in the section below.
- Initially, navigate to the search bar. Type ‘Device Manager’ in the search bar and hit the Enter button.
- After that, expand the Disk drivers and double-click on it. After that, right-click on the disk drive and select ‘Update driver software’ option.
- It will automatically check the updated version and if available, then download it on your device. After that, try to install the updated version.
- Otherwise, you can do it by entering in the Settings option. From the Settings option, go to the Update option. It will check the overall updates for your hard drive.
Procedure # 3: Check the BIOS
When the hard drive not showing up on your device, check it is present in the Basic Input/Output System, in short, BIOS option or not. BIOS monitors the interaction between the hardware and the Operating System that you are using. By checking the BIOS, you can check the hard drive status. Follow the steps to check the BIOS and proceed with the step by step process.
- Firstly, turn Off the computer and shut down the system. After pressing the Power button, continuously press the ESC key to open the BIOS Settings option.
- After that, check the Boot Order List option to check whether your hard drive is present in the list or not.
- If you can not find the hard drive in the list, try to turn On the controller related on BIOS and click the ‘Save the Settings’ option. After that, restart the system and check whether the new hard drive appears or not.
Procedure # 4: Check Cable Connection
An improper cable connection can be responsible for this issue. Sometimes, you neglect to check the cable connection. As a result of which, if the power cable and data cable might not be properly plugged into the hard drive or the motherboard. Hence, you have to check the cable connection that you are using. If you find an issue with the cable connection, then disconnect all the plugs connected with the hard drive. You should reconnect the hard drive properly and check if the hard drive shows or not.
In case, if you found that all the cables are connected properly and still the problem persists, then the port that you are using might be corrupted. Try to change the port and check whether it recovers the hard drive or not.
Parting Words
Well, we have explored all the possible procedures to get rid of the problem hard drive not showing up. You can attempt one of these solutions to recover the hard drive. Hope, the above guide was helpful to fix the issue. Take close note of the downloads and the tips, shared in the article. Make sure that you implement them well.
