external hard drive not read? fix it in these 8 ways

Your hard drive can't be read on the laptop? Here, a collection of ways to solve an unreadable external hard drive that you can try yourself!

In this day and age the use of external hard drive it's no longer a luxury because almost everyone uses it.

Especially if the laptop's storage space is too small or you really don't want to make the laptop's performance slow, this external hard drive is certainly a savior god for all of us.

Unfortunately, not a few users complain about the problem of the external hard drive not being read at all on their laptop/PC, gang.

Well, if you are one of them, in this article, ApkVenue will discuss about collections how to solve unreadable external hard drive which you can practice at home.

Collection of Ways to Overcome Unreadable External Hard Drive in Windows 10

It must be really dizzy if suddenly the external hard drive is not read at all even though the contents of the files in it are very important to you?

Instead of being dizzy without doing anything, it's better to just try to fix it yourself by using a collection how to fix unreadable external hard drive in Windows 10 here it is, gang!

1. Connect to Another USB Port

Photo source: Laptopschamp (How to solve an unreadable hard drive can also be connected to another USB port).

One of the easiest ways to solve this problem is to try connect the USB hard drive cable to another port which is in the body of your laptop or CPU, gang.

The problem is that in many cases, the external hard drive cannot be read at all because the port used is problematic so it cannot read and display data.

If, this method still can't solve the problem of the external hard drive not being read in Windows 10 explorer, you can try to do the next point that ApkVenue will discuss below.

2. Replace the USB Cable or Hard Drive Case

The USB port on the laptop is safe but the external hard drive still can't be read at all?

If so, you can try replace USB cable from the hard drive casing that you are currently using, gang.

Not just a USB cable, hard drive case also has a role that is no less important that you must always pay attention to its condition.

The reason is, in the hard drive casing there is a SATA port at once converter which serves to convert it to USB.

So, for example, if you have changed the USB cable but it still doesn't work, you can try buying a new hard drive case that is widely sold in various online buying and selling applications. marketplace.

3. Update Harddisk Drivers

Photo source: JalanTikus (You can also update drivers for how to fix an unreadable external hard drive in Windows 10).

The next way to solve an unreadable external hard drive is to do the following: update driver from hard disk yours, gang.

The reason is, not infrequently driver problems are also one of the main reasons why the hard drive light is on but not read at all by the laptop.

So, to do this, you can follow the steps below.

Oh yes, here is an example of using a flash drive because basically both are the same.

Step 1 - Open device manager

First, you type the keyword "Device Manager" on the search icon in Windows 10. After that open the application.

Step 2 - Find the hard drive in use

After that, you look for your hard drive by click arrow icon next to the menu 'Disk Drives'.

Step 3 - Select 'Update Driver'

Next, you right-click on the hard drive and select 'Driver Update'. After that, click on the menu 'Browse my computer for driver software'.

After that, select the menu 'Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer' then press button 'Next'.

Finally, you press the button again 'Next'.

At this point, you try to check again in the File Explorer window whether your hard drive has been read or not.

4. Changing the Hard Drive Letter

You must know the capital letters that often appear next to the hard drive name? Well, that's what is called a hard disk letter, gang.

In some cases, the Letter does not appear, resulting in the hard disk device being completely unreadable by the laptop.

Well, to overcome this, you can follow these steps:

Step 1 - Open 'Disk Management'

First, you open the page 'Disk Management' by searching for it through the Windows 10 search icon.

Step 2 - Change Harddisk Letter

Next, on your external hard drive, you right-click and select menu 'Change Drive Letter and Path'.

Step 3 - Add Letter

After that, you select the option 'Add' or 'Change' then follow the instructions given next.

If it is finished, then you check whether your hard drive can be read or not.

5. Manage Disk Management

Next there are options set up Disk Management for those of you who are still looking for a way to solve an undetected hard drive in Windows 10, gang.

However, when you do this Disk Management setting there are risks that arise in the form of: the data on the hard disk that will be deleted aka formatted.

However, if your hard drive only contains downloaded movie files and it doesn't matter if the file is deleted, you can follow the steps below.

Disclaimer:

`Step 1 - Open 'Disk Management'`

First, you are not a page 'Disk Management' as Jaka explained in the previous method.

`Step 2 - Delete Volume`

Next step, you right click on hard disk yours and choose an option 'Delete Volume'.

Step 3 - Create a new volume
 If the formatting process is complete, then you right click in section Unallocated black then select 'New Simple Volume'. 
 After that, you follow the instructions given next. 
If all the processes have been completed, you can check whether your external hard drive can be read or not in File Explorer Windows 10.
How to Fix Unreadable External Hard Drive with CMD 
Well, in addition to using the methods above, you can also fix an unreadable external hard drive with CMD alias Command Prompt.
To do this is also very easy, you just need to follow the steps below:
Step 1 - Open Command Prompt
 First, you open Command Prompt by pressing shortcuts keyboard Windows + R then type 'CMD' or search for it via the Windows 10 search icon. 
Step 2 - Type the command 'chkdsk'
 Next, you type the command chkdsk F: /f then enter. 
Letter F: there is a letter from your hard drive so you can adjust it yourself, while /f is a function to fix errors on the hard disk.
 Wait until the process is complete and check again whether your hard drive can be read. 
How to Fix Unreadable External Hard Drive in Disk Management 
 Photo source: Microsoft Docs (How to Fix an Unreadable External Hard Drive in Disk Management). 
If Jaka has previously discussed how to solve an unreadable external hard drive by setting Disk Management, maybe there are other problems that some of you are facing so you can't do it.
Yes, some of you may find that your external hard drive doesn't appear at all on the Disk Management page so it's difficult for you to follow the steps above.
Well, for those of you who are looking for how to fix unreadable external hard drive in Disk Management, unfortunately Jaka has not found a way to overcome this, gang.
But, most likely if your hard drive doesn't appear on this page, then the damage is on the hard drive.
If that's the case, then the only way to fix it is to buy a new hard drive.
Well, those were some ways to solve an unreadable external hard drive on Windows 10, gang.
You can follow the steps above, but you must be very careful and thorough so that the data in it remains safe. Oh yeah, if you have another way, you can you know share in the comments column below.
Hope it helps, eh!
Also read articles about Tech Hack or other interesting articles from Shelda Audita.