The removable disk is not available. How to open a hard drive
Section: November 11, 2017 10919
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.
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.
- 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).
- 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.
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.
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.
Hello, dear site visitors!
It so happened that I needed to format it. It’s just that this hard drive is from a laptop, and when I gave the laptop in for warranty repairs, instead of an SSD drive, I installed a HDD back. Yesterday I picked up my laptop from repair and put the hard drive back in my pocket.
I connected it to the computer on which the information was stored in order to transfer it to an external HDD, but it is not detected. Or rather, it is detected, Windows signals that a device is connected, an icon appears on the notification panel that a USB device is connected, and there is even an option to remove it.
In the device manager, the external HDD is also displayed and works properly. But the whole problem is that the disk is not displayed in Windows Explorer. You go to my computer, but it’s not there.
I connected this external hard drive to the laptop, still the same. It is detected, but it is not visible in the explorer. Yeah, that means it's the disk itself.
I thought a little, then I googled it and realized that the disk was simply not allocated and it was necessary to create a partition on it. We will create it using the standard Windows tool for working with hard drives, which I wrote about.
This could have been the end of the article, but I took a few screenshots, so I’ll show and tell you everything using a real example and how you like it – with pictures :).
We need to open the Disk Management tool. To do this, open Start and right click on Computer. Select Control.
On the left, select Disk management. And this is the picture I saw (screenshot below). Disk 0– this is my SSD drive, there are created partitions there. A Disc 1, this is already my external hard drive, which was not displayed in Explorer. It says Not distributed. Now we'll distribute it :).
Right click on it and select Create a simple volume...
We need to specify the size for the partition we are creating. If you want to create one section, then you can not change anything, but simply click Further. The simple volume size field already indicates the maximum size for the partition we are creating.
In the next window you need to assign a drive letter. I advise you to just click next and not change anything.
Formatting a volume. I advise you to leave everything as is. You can change the volume label (this is its name). Click Further.
We check the correctness of the parameters we entered and press the button Ready.
This problem happens The computer does not see the removable disk. It doesn't show up anywhere, even though it worked fine until recently. The information there is very important and needs to be saved, so I want to restore access to the removable hard drive without contacting specialists at the service center.
Read the article carefully and perhaps it will help solve the problem.
The easiest way to check the serviceability or save information on another medium is to connect a removable hard drive to another computer. If the hard drive is detected on another computer, then the problem is in your computer.
Another way is to try recover removable hard drive on your own using your computer. To do this, right-click on the “My Computer” icon and select “Manage” from the context menu. 
In the window that opens, select “Disk Management”, here you will see all the disks connected to the computer and if your disk is working, it will definitely be displayed here. 
To open a removable hard drive, it is enough to rename the drive and restore access to it. To do this, right-click on the desired drive and select “Change drive letter or drive path” from the context menu. 
In the window that opens, select a letter and click “OK.” Sometimes a reboot is needed, but most often it is not.
If your removable hard drive is not visible in Disk Management, then there is probably a problem with the hard drive itself or a conflict between the controller and the computer.
Here's a little about the design of a removable hard drive. Simply put, it's a regular hard drive in a box. The box also contains a controller responsible for input and output of information.
If you have skills in working with computer components, then the health of the hard drive itself can be checked. To do this, disassemble the removable drive and disconnect the HDD, then remove the cover from the system unit and connect the hard drive directly to the motherboard. Practice shows that the motherboard detects disks many times more consistently than controllers. We turn on the computer, if the disk is detected, then the controller is at fault.
If the above remedies do not help, then it is better to contact a service center
And finally, if you decide to buy a removable hard drive, buy devices from well-known companies, their failures are much less frequent.
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- Nobel
I have a problem that the computer does not see the removable hard drive, but the laptop does. Can I reinstall the operating system?
- Nikolai
Disassembling the removable disk and connecting it to the motherboard helped.
- Azamat
Thank you! Previously, such a problem seemed simply insoluble to me.
It helped! - Alexander
Thank you!!!
- Kamil
Thank you! Everything worked out!
- Dmitriy
I can’t initialize the hard drive, it says: The request was not completed due to an I/O error on the device
- admin
Dmitry, here’s what they write about this on the Microsoft website:
“This problem may occur if Windows is using a transfer mode that is not supported by your CD-ROM drive.
To resolve the issue, you need to change the transfer mode for the CD drive in the IDE channel properties. To do this, follow these steps:
From the Start menu, right-click My Computer and select Manage.
In the Computer Management (Local) group, select Device Manager.
In the right pane, expand IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.
Right-click the channel that your CD-ROM drive is connected to and select Properties. This is usually the Secondary IDE Channel.
On the Advanced Settings tab, select PIO Only in the Transfer Mode field for the CD drive. This is usually Device 1. Then click OK.
If you change the transfer mode for Secondary IDE Channel Device 1 and the problem persists, it is probably not the correct device for the CD drive. Use the following procedure to change the transfer mode back to DMA if available. Then repeat the steps to change the transfer mode for IDE devices in the following order until the problem is resolved.
Primary IDE channel, device 1
Secondary IDE channel, device 0
Note. Primary IDE channel, device 1 corresponds to the boot disk. This is a hard drive on which the operating system is usually installed.” - Andrey
The 4TB removable hard drive works non-stop for the second day, regardless of whether the computer is turned on or not, whether it is connected via USB or not. Not a single computer sees it (I logged in with both XP and 8; I searched through “disk management”, turned on the display of hidden and system files, even restored the system just in case, rebooted the computer several times: I can’t stop it). If I disconnect it from the network, I’ll kill the hard drive (judging by the sound and temperature, it’s working as hard as it can). How can you stop it so that it does not lead to mechanical damage?
- admin
Andrey, why are you so sure that you will kill the disk when disconnected from the network? It is also possible that there is nothing left to kill.
- andrei
Thank you!!! It helped!!!)))
- Sergey
It wouldn’t help if it were all that easy), the computer also doesn’t see the hard drive, although when connected to the computer it detects it and the light is on (works), there’s a virus on it, I threw the films onto the hard drive and stopped opening, the same films were thrown onto the Windows laptop a little did not fly, the antivirus saved it. Maybe there is some other way to open it or format it?
- Uncle Apo
Thank you. Renaming helped!
- Irina
I switched it to another usb port and it helped - he sees it!
- Denis 02/10/2015
Good afternoon Problem with External Drive Seagate FA GoFlex Desk USB Device. In the “Devices and Printers” menu, the computer sees the disk; when you call up the context menu, it says that it is working normally and that drivers do not need to be updated. The disk cannot be seen through “Computer”. Through “Computer Management” in the “Disk Management” field in the upper part it is also not there (that is, you cannot change the letter), but it is in the lower part with the status “Not initialized”. When I try to initialize it gives an error. It is also displayed in the “Device Manager” in the “Disk Devices” submenu.
I tried to connect it to a different connector and to an old computer - no result. When you try to turn it off and on again, it starts to make noise, as if something is twisting and cannot turn it all the way, and then goes quiet.
I tried, as written above, to deploy the controllers, I only have one: Intel (R) 8 Series.... and in its properties there is no “Advanced parameters” tab, and in those tabs that exist, they do not have “Transfer mode”.
Please tell me what can be done. - Tatiana
Good afternoon Problem with External Drive ADATA HDD CH94 USB Devise
In the “Devices and Printers” menu, the computer sees the disk; when you call up the context menu, it says that it is working normally and that drivers do not need to be updated. The disk is not visible through “Computer”... And it is also displayed in the “Device Manager” in the “Disk Devices” submenu.
When I try to turn it off and on again I get no results. I updated the drivers. Please tell me what else can be done. It doesn't open on another computer either. It shows that the disk is working, but I can’t open it. It requires formatting when loading, but I have important information there, I'm afraid it will be erased. Help me please. And also about the shutdown it writes: “the device is not removable and cannot be removed” - Irina
Thank you so much!!! You helped me a lot! Everything was explained simply, clearly - and everything worked!!!
Almost every computer user has encountered a situation where they purchased an external drive and the computer does not see the external hard drive. Sometimes interaction with the media that has already worked with the PC stops. To solve this problem, there are many ways.
This is a useful device that allows you to store and exchange data with computers. The volume of the device can vary, up to a maximum of several terabytes. The device allows you to safely store various information for a long time.
Why doesn't my PC see my external hard drive?
If the laptop does not see the external hard drive, you should use a certain algorithm of actions. First, in the Control Panel you should find "System settings" And "Administration". This is where you can see the section "Control".
It is important to pay attention to the left column. You need to go to disk management, there you will see the disks currently connected to the system. Often, the system does not see the external hard drive due to the incorrect assignment of its letter. To change the drive letter, you need to click on the external media icon and change the drive letter. Then a letter is assigned that is not yet in the system.
If a new disk is not detected and it is connected to the PC for the first time, it is probably not formatted, and therefore is not visible in the list of working devices. In this case, you should click on the media, creating a simple volume. This action will delete all information on the disk.
If the PC stops seeing the external hard drive, most likely this situation is due to a lack of drivers or a system failure. Modern systems are quite “smart”, and when a new device appears, they quickly search for the appropriate driver. But sometimes, due to accumulated errors in the system, it does not detect the device.
First of all, you need to examine the USB port. To do this, you can connect a flash drive, camera or smartphone. If the system sees the devices, then the port is working.
It is also useful to explore the components of the device manager, it can be found in "Control Panels". The media icon is in "Other devices" or "Disk devices".
PC drivers may be out of date. By clicking on the hard drive (there is an exclamation mark opposite it), you should select “Update drivers”. Finding drivers is provided by special programs or by searching on the Internet.
Often Windows becomes outdated, this is the answer to why the computer does not see the external hard drive. The system must be reinstalled.
Windows 10 doesn't see external hard drive
Latest generation operating systems may also not detect old or new media. The media may be unformatted and have no partitions, and as a result may not be listed in Explorer.
When you no longer see the Windows 10 external hard drive, you can go to the “Toolbar”, then to the “Security System” and to the “Administration” subsection. Next you should work with the section “Creating and managing hard drives”.
If you enter the command “diskmgmt.msc” in the search, a utility called "Disk Management". In this case, you can see the media, and sections of it will have a blue tint. An unallocated disk will be highlighted in black.
You should click on the tab "Disc 1", then select "Initialize disk". Then you need to click on the black bar, and then on “New Section”. A section is formed in this location, where a free letter is assigned.
Large format discs are divided into several parts. You can format the media with the NTFS file system. When the person presses the button "Ready", the system will display the media.
If the PC does not see the external hard drive, provided that it is new, you can enter the BIOS, turn off AHCI, then reboot the computer and the drive will appear.
Sometimes it is necessary to integrate SATA drivers into the Windows 10 operating system. Only the latest drivers should be installed. It is optimal if this work is entrusted to a competent person.
External media does not show the PC if it has previously been subjected to mechanical stress. If the drive has been in use for a long time, then you can use special utilities to identify errors and bad blocks.
Infection of the media with viruses becomes the reason why the external hard drive is not visible. Windows will block it. Also, the situation often arises due to failures in the motherboard; diagnostics are indicated.
For a device to perform optimally, it must be in DMA mode. When the disk is functioning in PIO, you can open "Device Manager", and then "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers". Next you should find the category "Extra options" and delete the secondary or primary IDE channels. The final stage involves rebooting the system. In addition, the problem can be solved by purchasing an additional cable.
If the drive overheats, the system can turn it off. If necessary, a cooler is installed and the device is cleaned of dirt.
The power supply that came with the drive may not have enough power. This will cause the system not to see the external hard drive. It is better to use the original cable; it has the required length and metallized latches.
Imagine: you are working at a computer and then you need documents from an external hard drive. You plug it in and... nothing happens. Your HDD is not working. Don't panic, there are several ways to extract data from it that you can try before turning to the professionals.
Failure can occur for a number of reasons, but most often for the following two. The first (and most easily fixed) is a software problem. You may have accidentally deleted necessary folders or formatted the disk. The second - and most common - is disk damage. As a rule, in the event of a damaged disk, there is little you can do on your own; you will need the help of professionals. However, here several tricks that can save your files.
Data recovery using software
The first thing to remember when recovering data is the damaged disk should be disconnected. With every second he works with the computer, the chances of his recovery dwindle. The computer's operating system constantly reads and writes information to the disk, regardless of whether you are working with it or not. It will identify the space freed up from lost files as “unallocated” and write new data, erasing the last chance of recovery.
Turn off the computer to which the lost data drive is connected. Now that the HDD is relatively safe, you can make a copy of it and try to recover data from it.
There are many different programs for disk cloning; Clonezilla and Redo Backup Recovery are suitable for Linux.
Scan the clone with several recovery programs: TestDisk (Windows/Mac/Linux), Recuva (Windows), PhotoRec (Windows/Mac/Linux), Restoration (Windows), Undelete Plus (Windows).
Main components of the hard drive: cover and circuit board removed.
Disassembling the hard drive
Congratulations if you managed to recover your lost data using software. But what if the disk is not detected, or the computer detects it but freezes when accessing it? Or does it just not start and you can’t hear the characteristic sounds of rotation?
Let's briefly look at the main components of the HDD and the symptoms when they break down.
Printed circuit board: The green board at the bottom of the device contains the main controller (analogous to the processor in your computer) and many other electronic controllers. This is an interface that turns binary code into computer-accessible commands.
Magnetic disks (“pancakes”): HDD contains from one to several thin magnetic disks. Data is stored directly on them. Made from glass or alloy, they are coated with a magnetic layer and rotate at speeds from 5900 to 7200 rpm.
Head block: Data from magnetic disks is read by a set of magnetic heads. During operation, they do not contact the surface of the disk, but “hover” nanometers away from it, reading and writing information. As a rule, each HDD is equipped with two voices, one on each side. If the heads break after a device is dropped or hit, they no longer “float” above the disk, but come into contact with its surface, destroying data at speeds of several thousand revolutions per minute.
Firmware: Data processing is controlled by the device firmware. A failure in the firmware can result in data on the disk being unavailable. Unfortunately, the HDD firmware is not similar to that used in a mobile phone or tablet - it cannot be updated or flashed.
Now, having familiarized ourselves with the main components of the HDD, let’s look at breakdowns and their symptoms. Having determined where the problem arose, you can assess the likelihood of fixing it on your own.
Disk won't start
This is the case when there is a good chance of resurrecting your hard drive if you are willing to put in the time and effort. If the drive does not respond at all when connected to the computer, in 99% of cases the reason is the printed circuit board.
For previous HDDs, it was sometimes possible to find a suitable board from a similar device and replace the defective one. Modern hard drives use new architecture and technologies; each HDD contains unique microcode. Simply replacing the board in this case will not only not solve the problem, but can also lead to complete loss of data.
There are two reasons for such a failure: due to a voltage drop, the TVS diode burned out or one of the main components of the board failed. To protect against voltage surges, the hard drive board is usually equipped with two TVS diodes: 5 and 12 Volts. If the problem is only a burnt-out diode, replacing it will bring the device back to life. This is easy to check with a multimeter - if the resistance is near zero Ohm, the diode is burnt out. Remember that after removing the TVS diode, the hard drive remains defenseless against voltage surges!
PCB: TVS diodes marked
If the multimeter shows the correct resistance, the problem is in the printed circuit board and needs to be replaced. A ROM block with a unique microcode is soldered onto the board; to restore the device, it must be unsoldered and transferred to a new board. Some hard drives, for example, Western Digitals, do not have a ROM block, and the firmware is contained in the main controller, which is almost impossible to replace. You should also check the head connectors on the board. Sometimes they become corroded over time, which can be easily removed with an eraser. 
Contact corrosion can cause drive failure.
The disc starts up and a clicking sound is heard
This is serious damage to one or more magnetic heads, and may also indicate damage to the magnetic disk. In this case, it is worth contacting specialists. The HDD will be opened in a clean room (no dust), the head will be replaced and the data will be recovered. The clicking disk should be turned off; turning it on again may permanently damage it.
Hard drive after damage to the magnetic heads that scratched the disk.
The hard drive starts and is detected by the computer, but freezes when trying to access it.
This usually means damage to the surface of the magnetic disk. The disk tries to read bad sectors, of which there are too many, and hangs. If SMART monitoring shows a large number of reassigned sectors, the diagnosis will be confirmed. This is a common problem that can be solved by using professional disk imaging equipment.
If you want to fix this problem yourself (at the risk of worsening the situation or losing all the information at once), you can use software to take a disk image. The Linux application dd_rescue is best suited for this purpose. However, the effectiveness of such programs is limited, since the commands still go through the BIOS.
The hard drive beeps when turned on
The beeping sounds mean that the motor is trying to move the disk and cannot. This may be a “sticking” of the magnetic head. If the heads are not parked correctly and are left above the surface of the drive after it has stopped, they may become stuck to the surface of the drive. To fix this failure, you need to open the disk in a clean room, remove and replace the heads. Definitely a job for professionals.
Parked heads after the disk has stopped. When they stick, they get stuck on the surface of the magnetic disk.
Another reason for beeping sounds when turning on the disk may be a spindle lock. This is the axis of rotation of magnetic disks. The spindle may become jammed due to a fall or impact. HDD . There are two solutions to this problem, both requiring professional intervention: replacing the spindle or swapping the magnetic disks into a new donor hard drive.
The hard drive starts normally, but is not detected or the disk size is detected incorrectly
Typically, this indicates problems with the firmware. It is not read correctly, possibly by a faulty head, or is not written correctly for the same reason. Modern HDDs in this case require professional intervention.
To summarize, in several cases you can try to resuscitate your hard drive yourself. However, remember that any such attempts are very risky and, if the lost data is very important, it is worth seeking professional help.
