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4 Ways to Fix WD External Hard Drive not Showing Up
Turn on the USB Root hub to troubleshoot this issue
5 min. read
Updated onJuly 23, 2024
updated onJuly 23, 2024
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The WD external hard drive not showing up is a situation where your Western Digital external HDD is physically connected to your computer but not recognized by your OS in File Explorer. A corrupt USB driver, USB port issues, partition issues, etc can cause it.
We have gathered some potential fixes if the WD external drive is undetected.
Why is my WD hard external drive not detected?
Below are some of the probable causes why the WD external hard drive is not showing up on your computer:
Now that you know some of the possible causes behind this error, let’s proceed to how to fix it quickly.
What can I do if my WD external hard drive doesn’t show up?
Before engaging in any of the advanced solutions provided below, you should consider performing the following:
Having confirmed the above checks, try the fixes below if your WD external hard drive does not show on your computer.
1. Check the WD drive with disk management
Ensure that you backup important files before running the disk management tool. However, if thedisk management tool fails to load, you can follow these steps to fix it.
2. Turn on the USB Root Hub
Repeat the same steps for other availableUSB Root hubsand restart your computer afterward. Now, check if your WD external hard drive shows on your computer.
3. Update WD hard disk device drivers
After updating the WD hard disk driver, reconnect it to your computer; it should now be recognizable to your computer when connected.
Alternatively, you could also update this particular driver with astandalone driver update softwarethat will automatically scan your PC and update all drivers from their official manufacturers.
4. Disable the USB selective suspend option
By disabling theUSB selective suspend, you should be able to fix the WD external hard drive not showing up error if this setting causes it.
Work through any of the methods provided in this guide, and you should be able to fix the WD external hard drive not showing up.
There are several cases ofexternal hard drive errorsranging from mild to fatal cases. However, there are methods to troubleshoot the issue seamlessly.
You can also explore our detailed guide on fixingexternal hard drives not showing up on Windows 11for other helpful tips to apply.
Do not hesitate to use the comments section below if you have any questions or suggestions.
More about the topics:external hard drive
Loredana Harsana
Windows Software Expert
Loredana is a passionate writer with a keen interest in PC software and technology. She started off writing about mobile phones back when Samsung Galaxy S II was on top of the world and she fell in love with tech of all sorts.
Whenever she’s not at her work desk, you’ll find her enjoying refreshing tea flavors, spilling stories on paper, and listening to the radio.
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Loredana Harsana
Windows Software Expert
Loredana is a tech enthusiast who tackles mobility, privacy, and networking in easy-to follow guides for everyone.
