{"id":1779436,"date":"2023-10-13T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-13T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/?post_type=articles&p=1779436"},"modified":"2023-10-13T14:26:23","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T18:26:23","slug":"external-hard-drive-troubleshooting-guide","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/external-hard-drive-troubleshooting-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"External Hard Drive Troubleshooting Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If your external hard drive<\/a> isn\u2019t showing up or mounting, it can be a very frustrating experience. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to ensure this doesn\u2019t happen. In this guide, we will show you how to troubleshoot your external hard drive so you can get up and running again. Follow the sections below to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. My External Hard Drive Isn\u2019t Showing Up<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  2. External Hard Drive Won\u2019t Mount on Mac<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  3. Formatting Hard Drives<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  4. My External Hard Drive Is Clicking<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
  5. Why Is My External Hard Drive Getting Hot?<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    My External Hard Drive Isn\u2019t Showing Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    NOTE: <\/strong>Before you do any troubleshooting, restart your computer to see if that fixes your issue!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There could be various reasons why your external hard drive isn\u2019t showing up on your Windows PC or Mac. While it could be a connectivity issue, it could also be that the hard drive is not be formatted, or the drivers may not be up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    External Hard Drive Connectivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If your external hard drive isn\u2019t showing up, connectivity is the easiest thing to check. First, try a different USB port. Connect the USB cable to another device if it still doesn\u2019t show up. If that device doesn\u2019t show up when you connect it to different ports, the cable likely went bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Like any other cable, USB cables<\/a> can go bad, especially off-brand ones that you may find at a budget store or gas station. When you shop for USB cables for your external hard drive, look for quality, name-brand ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your device still isn\u2019t showing up even after you\u2019ve confirmed you have a working USB cable, it could also be caused by where you\u2019re connecting your external hard drive. If you\u2019re connecting an external hard drive to a USB hub, especially a passive USB hub which doesn\u2019t rely on an external power source, the hub may not be able to provide enough power to transfer data. If this is the case, reconfigure your USB connections to connect your external hard drive directly to your computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Updating Drivers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Another reason why your external hard drive isn\u2019t showing up might be that the external hard drive\u2019s drivers are out of date. Some (but not all) external hard drives may require additional driver software to work correctly. Out-of-date drivers can cause various issues, including connectivity issues, so keeping the drivers up to date can fix your problem immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Check out our guides below on updating drivers on Macs and Windows PCs to learn more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/div>

    How do I Update Drivers on my Mac?<\/p>

    <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    <\/div>

    How Do I Update Drivers on My Windows PC?<\/p>

    <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    If none of these steps are working, it may be an issue with your hard drive format. Continue below to learn more about formatting hard drives<\/strong>. \uf0df—-Platform Entry Note: Please make this a page jump to the Formatting Hard Drives H2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    External Hard Drive Won\u2019t Mount on Mac<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    While it doesn\u2019t happen often, there might be a time when your external hard drive won\u2019t mount on your Mac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your Mac doesn\u2019t recognize your external hard drive, ensure it isn\u2019t hidden within the Finder Settings<\/em>. You can change this by navigating to Finder > Settings<\/strong> and checking both Hard disks<\/strong> and External disks<\/strong> boxes within the General <\/em>tab. If both Hard disks<\/strong> and External disks<\/strong> are checked, and it\u2019s still not appearing, another simple fix is remounting it. This process couldn\u2019t be easier! Go to Disk Utilities<\/strong>, find your external hard drive, and click Mount<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Run the Disk Utility First Aid Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Mac has a built-in tool for hard drive issues called the First Aid Tool. It\u2019s located in Disk Utility. If your external hard drive isn\u2019t mounting, run the First Aid Tool to see if that fixes the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Reboot your Mac.