Share this article
Improve this guide
How to Detect New Hard Drive on Windows 10: 4 Ways to Do It
Apply our detailed procedures right away
7 min. read
Updated onApril 18, 2024
updated onApril 18, 2024
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
There’s a chance that you might encounter specific problems when installing a new hard drive on your computer.
Perhaps the most common issue with a new HDD in Windows 10 is that the system doesn’t show them for some reason. But before we solve this problem, let us discuss some possible triggers.
Why is my new HDD not being detected?
From what we gathered from multiple users, any of the following elements may make Windows 10 not to discover your HDD:
Note that these causes can result in other common problems, such as:
Also, you should take a peek at our post onwhat to do if Windows 10/11 thinks the hard drive is removableand solve this problem for good.Let’s jump into the solutions to the hard drive errors mentioned above without further ado. Follow along!
How do I detect hard drive on Windows 10?
First, before you go into any of these solutions, you must:
1. Update your drivers
You may have a driver issue if your hard drive won’t show up in Windows. To fix the problem, ensure your drivers are up to date.
This goes for your motherboard and chipset drivers, so visit the manufacturer’s websites and download the latest ones for your motherboard.
2. Initialize the disk
There you go; This is a simple way to detect a new hard drive on Windows 10. If you’re not too fond of Disk Management, you can use anythird-party disk management software.
In most cases, you need to initialize your new hard drive, after which the HDD will show up on your PC normally.
3. Use diskpart command to clean your drive
If your internal hard drive doesn’t show up, it might not be properly configured. Sometimes, you need to use a single command to completelywipe your hard driveand initialize it again.
Before we start, we have to mention that this solution will delete all files and partitions from the selected drive, so it’s best to use it with a new hard drive that doesn’t have any files.
If your hard drive has some files, it would be best toback them upto removable storage or a different drive.
After a few moments, your hard drive will be wiped, and all your files will be removed. Now go back to the Disk Management tool and initialize your hard drive.
Then, create a new partition, and assign a letter to it, as we showed you in one of our previous solutions.
Alternatively, you can initialize and format your hard drive right from disk part. Just startCommand Promptas an admin and run the following commands:
4. Check if your hard drive appears in BIOS
Many users reported that their internal hard drive won’t appear in Windows, and various issues can cause this. However, you can always check if your hard drive shows in BIOS.
If your hard drive appears in BIOS, it’s connected and working correctly, so Windows cause the issue.
On the other hand, if the hard drive doesn’t show in BIOS, it’s likely not properly connected.
If you’re finding it hard toaccess your BIOS, take a closer look at our dedicated guide that will teach you how to do it quickly.
That’s about it. If you did not know how to detect a new hard drive in Windows 10, this should have helped. In most cases, you need to initialize it, and we sincerely hope this action will be the only one required.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, let us know in the comments section below.
More about the topics:Fix Hard Drive issues
Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Passionate about all elements related to Windows and combined with his innate curiosity, Ivan has delved deep into understanding this operating system, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
When he’s not tackling diverse driver-related problems, Ivan enjoys watching good movies and spending time hiking with his family and friends.
User forum
3 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Ivan Jenic
Windows Hardware Expert
Ivan has delved deep into understanding the Windows OS, with a specialization in drivers and driver troubleshooting.
Reviewed byAlex Serban
