Windows 10: My external hard drive isn't showing up under file explorer or disk management but it is...

I'm trying to use my external hard drive to boot windows 11 on a new PC I built and I was having issues with the formatting it told me to convert to GPT. I was also told to clean the drive and didn't realize that would wipe everything from it. I'm assuming that caused the issue. I'm also able to see the drive when I attempt to use a file recovery system and it refers to it as Lost Partition. Help please.

:)

 

Windows 11 File Explorer not showing external drive

If Windows 11 File Explorer is not showing an external drive that is connected to your device, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check the connection: Make sure that the external drive is properly connected to your device. Try unplugging and replugging the drive, or connecting it to a different USB port.
   
2. Check Disk Management: Open Disk Management by pressing Windows key + X, then selecting Disk Management. Look for the external drive in the list of drives. If it appears but has no drive letter assigned, right-click on it and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths". Assign a drive letter to the external drive, and then check if it appears in File Explorer.
   
3. Update drivers: Make sure that your device's drivers are up to date, particularly the drivers for your USB ports. Use the Device Manager to check for any outdated or malfunctioning drivers, and update or reinstall them as needed.
   
4. Check power supply: If the external drive requires a separate power supply, make sure it is properly connected and functioning.
   
5. Test on another device: Try connecting the external drive to another device to see if it appears in File Explorer. This will help determine if the issue is with the drive itself or your device.
   

By following these steps, you may be able to resolve the issue of Windows 11 File Explorer not showing an external drive.

 

External Hard Drive

Hi John,

We suggest that you try the troubleshooting steps below:

• Open your External Hard Drive file in File Explorer.
• Type the name of the file you want to search on the search box and click Enter.

The file will show up in Search Results and you will be able to move it to the correct folder.

Let us know if you need further help.

 

reformat external hard drive that is not showing up in Windows

I have a Sonnics external hard drive that I wish to reformat, but it isn't showing up in File Explorer. It shows up in file explorer, I have tried the steps of deleting the drivers and rebooting, but it doesn't work.

Is there a way i can reformat the drive without it appearing in file explorer or disk management