External Drive Not Working

Issue/Question

When I plug in my external drive, it is not recognized.

Cause

Data on the drive may be corrupted or the drive itself may be failing.

Resolution

1. Disconnect the drive.
2. Connect it to a different port on the computer, if available.
3. If the drive is recognized and usable, the port previously used may be underpowered.
4. If the drive is recognized, but not usable, the data may be corrupted. Reference the related article, Formatting a USB Flash Drive, for assistance in removing all data from it.
5. If the drive is still not recognized, it may be failing. If possible, connect the drive to a different computer to ensure the computer in use is not at fault.
6. If the drive is not recognized on another computer, contact the manufacturer to see if the drive is still under warranty and can be replaced.