WD external hard drive no longer works! Requires formatting?

Similar Questions

• 500 GB external HARD drive no longer works

  someone please help.

  About 3 months ago I bought a hard drive of PC world 500GBexternal (not sure of the model number, this is money, with external power supply, USB cable A B, very bright blue light on the front, about 60 pounds). I used it regularly both with my PS3 and my Toshiba Vista laptop.

  Suddenly it has stopped working. The blue light is on, and noise workout like its spinning but when I plug my devices nothing don't recognize. I tried with the laptop, PS3 and IMAC. Blue light beeps when you plug it into the USB port but that's all. The device don't can't see it!

  I tried a new USB cable, but it made no difference

  Please help me. I've got the years worth of photos, music and movies out there that I can't lose!

  Thank you
  Simon

  Hi Simon,.

  You have only stored the data on that HARD disk? Normally all files must be stored on a second disc, otherwise it s not a backup! ;)

  Anyway, you can see the external drive in Windows disk management?
  The external HARD drive is always turn vertically?

  At the moment it sounds like it's HARD drive is defective and must be replaced :(

• my external hard drive no longer works

  I have a Toshiba external hard drive (320 GB) and the FAT32 format. It was working fine but all of a sudden it was not as hard drive Toshiba but Local disk: F and it says I need to format it. What should I do? I want to backup my files :(

  There is probably nothing you can do.  Hard drives break down.  Actually, let me rephrase: all the hard disks fail.  It's just a matter of time. That is why the only safe way to keep your data is back it upward.

  If you do not have a backup, you will need to contact a data recovery service and see if they can restore the data.  However, these services are not guaranteed and very expensive (hundreds of thousands of dollars).

• Maxtor One Touch Plus 4 500 GB external hard drive no longer works.

  Okay, so, I got this hd for about a year now. Never had any problems with it, and I also have a 1 TB WD external hd. The WD it still works perfectly. However, the Maxtor suddenly stop working on me on 30/06/10 while I was using it. I have music files and art for the work I do on a Web site stored on that hard drive. I got my music running and had opened the hd on my Toshiba laptop to work on things that I have towards people. My music has stopped playing its own and the hd show me the files in that my images and things were, but when I clicked on the file, there is no files inside. So, I turned off my computer and unplugged the two hds from the computer for an hour. Their return to and turned back on the laptop connected. I can still enter the WD hd, but the Maxtor one, I can't. Any time, I try to enter it, it tells me I need to format it before so I can use it. I KNOW I have not formatted and kept Microsoft Security Essentials and Spybot S & D up-to-date. I went to the Seagate/Maxtor website and did all the troubleshooting it. I also switched usb ports (my laptop has 4 of them), the cords between my works still WD and Maxtor usb and even tried to uninstall drivers and reinstall them. All my work is stored on this hard drive Maxtor and I really would rather not lose him if I can help it. I also tried to Exchange power between external hds two cords. The WD we still works perfectly then the Maxtor always told me, I need to format it. It appears on workstation as drive Local (e) instead of the name, that he was initially awarded. I know I have to not format or delete anything out of it when he started to do this for me. I hope I can recover the data so that I don't have to just start over and make people wait longer for what I owe them. (Graphics types of work on GaiaOnline a few different "shops" on the Web site.) I also hooked the hd up to a desktop computer to see if it was a problem with my computer, but even on a different computer, it still says I need to format. I am running Windows Vista, the desktop computer is running XP. Hd has also worked on the desktop before it stopped working on my laptop.

  Am running SeaTools to see if that will find and fix everything that could cause this problem.

  Hi AnthroSparky,

  See the article after some troubleshooting for your question:

  http://Windows.Microsoft.com/en-us/Windows-Vista/check-your-hard-disk-for-errors

  I hope this helps!

  Debra
  Microsoft Answers Support Engineer
  Visit our Microsoft answers feedback Forum and let us know what you think

• WD external HARD drive no longer works with Win7 since the upgrade to Win10

  My laptop has Windows 7 installed and my external worked fine. My new laptop had win 8.1 pre-installed so I have connected my drive and worked fine but when I plugged in my Win 7 machine he was working more.

  I upgraded my new machine to win 10 to see if that would solve the problem, the drive connected but then I could not remove so I stopped the machine and deleted but I can't always connect to a Win 7 machine.  Everyone knows this?

  Hey there Leeaf72,

  I'm sorry to hear about the issue. What is the model and the capacity of the drive? Have you tried the drive on other systems or possibly with other USB cables?
  I would check if the drive is recognized in the BIOS, Device Manager or disk management. Here's how for the last two:
  Device Manager: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=cXczh0
  Disk management: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=xFP3QI

  I would also see if you have all the latest OS and driver updates. Try to reinstall the USB drivers. You can also try out them completely and let the update tool to install.

  If the drive is recognized I download and run WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostic and see if the car passes the quick and extensive tests. Here's a link: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=a6nz3g

  Post back with some progress,

  Captain_WD.

• I enable sharing of external hard drive and it works. So when I got the pc power down is no longer share external hard drive. I have to reactivate every time sharing and reset the library wmp it becomes very old.

  Share an external hard drive for xbox. When computer I disable and re-enable sharing settings restore default to the external hard drive. When I re-enable sharing he does not always up to this I have reset the wmp library. I ran the fix nothing works computer center.

  Thank you guys for help. I actually already fixed it. I used to turn on sharing for just the hard drive and not the subfolders. I enabled sharing on the hard disk files and sub using the same exact settings and it seems that its fixed...

• External hard drive has stopped working.

  I have a 500 GB WD external hard drive book that has stop working. He is no more, but I know that it is always powered because I can see that the lights are still coming when I plug in the power cord inside. No one knows anyway I can get access to the drive so that I can get my data on the disk. It was about 80% full and I was trying to take data out of the car so that I could make cleaner. It was not terribly fragmented, but I need to take some of the data out of the car that's why I was burning there CD so that I could do when he leaves. Now I can't access the drive at all. Does anyone know of a way I can access the drive so I can get my data?

  The only thing I've heard to try and get a non-filature spinning disk long enough to get the data off the drive is to put the drive in the freezer, let cool completely, and then quickly remove it and try to make it work.  Sometimes this will release bearings long enough to allow him to run for a few minutes before it warms so that you can get the data.  No guarantees, of course.

  Good luck
  JW

• External hard drives not recognized / work in Windows 7

  I see that many people have problems with Windows 7 does not recognise external drives. I have a SimpleTech Pro 1 t external drive used to be recognized with Windows 7, but is no longer recognized. He wasn't arrested only recently recognized. I if it is the car, so I bought an external drive of Hitachi LifeStudio 2 t. It does work on my desk. However, two external drives work with my laptop running MS Vista. So the problem is not with the external drives. On the contrary, the problem is with Windows 7 is no longer recognizing external drives. I read a lot of posts here and see that many people have the same problem, but none of the solutions are presented. Windows 7 does everything just not with external drives? It's frustrating.

  Hello
   
  Have you tried the troubleshooting steps?
   
  Step 1: Try to run Automated Troubleshooting Services and check out what he has to say.
  Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/hardware_device_problems
  
  Step 2: You can also check in the device if Manager disk external drive is listed.
  
  a. connect the external hard drive to the computer.
  b. to open Device Manager, type devmgmt.msc in the search box start and press ENTER.
  c. check if the external drive is listed.
  d. in Device Manager, expand the hard drive listed in the list of devices.
  e. If the hard disk is listed, right click on it > click Properties.
  (f) in general, under control of device for the message status. After back if there is no error message.
  Step 3: Check to see if the external drive is getting detected in disk management.
  
  If the hard drive recognized in disk management and if there is no drive letter assigned, I suggest that you right-click on the drive and assign a drive letter and check to see if it helps:
  Reference: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Change-add-or-remove-a-drive-letter
  Step 4: Since external hard drive is detected earlier, I suggest that you try to perform system restore.
  Reference: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/system-restore
   

  Step 5: Remove and reinstall all USB controllers.

  To remove and reinstall all USB controllers, follow these steps:

  a. clickStart, click run, type sysdm.cpl in theOpen box and then click OK.

  b. click on thehardware tab.

  c. click theDevice Manager button.

  d. expandBus USB controllers.

  e. right click on each device under theBus USB controllers node and then click Uninstall to remove them one at a time.

  f. restart the computer and reinstall the USB controllers. Restarting the computer should automatically install the drivers.

  g. plug in the removable USB storage device and perform a test to ensure that the problem is solved.

  Step 6: Install the windows updates and check.

  http://Windows.Microsoft.com/en-us/Windows7/install-Windows-updates

  Step 7: Install the latest chipset driver. For this I recommend you contact the manufacturer of the system.

  Thanks and greetings
  Umesh P - Microsoft technical support.

  Visit our Microsoft answers feedback Forum and let us know what you think.
  [If this post can help solve your problem, please click the 'Mark as answer' or 'Useful' at the top of this message.] [Marking a post as answer, or relatively useful, you help others find the answer more quickly.]

• External HARD drive PX1266E slowly works as USB 1.0 or 1.1

  Hello!

  I have a problem with my external HD PX1266E - 1 25. I have a toshiba laptop Satellite A100 and the hd has worked fine until two or three weeks ago.

  Now when I connect it to the laptop I get the following message "this device could work faster so etc..". I tried to connect the hd to all of my four usb ports, but the message is always the same. I think that it works as a USB 1.0 or 1.1. It's very, very slow. I tried the following steps, but I could not solve the problem.

  1. I uninstalled the usb driver. I rebooted the laptop and reinstalled drivers (automatically). The problem remains.

  2. I replaced the usb cable. I get the same message.

  3. I have connected the PX1266E to another laptop and I still get the same message.

  4. I have connected another external drive (usb 2.0) to my laptop and it works properly at high speed.

  You have some tips to solve my problem?

  Thank you very much. Roberto.

  Hello

  It seems that the problem is you drive HARD PX1266E external and not the book because as you have already said you have connected the HARD drive to another computer and the same problem (message) appeared.

  I think you need to format the external HARD drive and then check if there are positive changes.

  But there may be a hardware malfunction of HARD drive and you can replace it?
  Ask your dealer to HARD drive.

• Passport external hard drive does not work

  I dropped my external hard drive USB plug (WD Passport).  I can't open it to access my files at all (many of them that I need for work). Its icon appears in the Device Manager and it evven shows that it works correctly.  I can do at home before I have send off by the Geek Squad for $250?  I heard a horror story already that turned into $ 1600 to $ 250.  I can't afford this.  Help, please.

  Saturday, September 29, 2012 19:14:03 + 0000, debramirez wrote:

  I dropped my external hard drive USB plug (WD Passport).  I can't open it to access my files at all (many of them that I need for work). Its icon appears in the Device Manager and it evven shows that it works correctly.  I can do at home before I have send off by the Geek Squad for $250?  I heard a horror story already that turned into $ 1600 to $ 250.  I can't afford this.  Help, please.

  Two points:

  1. If you dropped out, it's probably broken, and you will be unable to
  do something with. Next time, make sure that you have a backup on another medium
  files that interest you.

  2. If you decide to take it somewhere to the service, avoiding the Geek
  Team like the plague. In my opinion and that of many others of us
  Here, the other stores to large surface and they are terrible - the worst places for
  Opt for the service.

  Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP

• Hitachi external hard drive does not work on Sony with windows vista

  I use a Sony with Windows vista laptop. I just got a 500 GB Hitachi external hard drive today. It was detected after that I connected, but there is no way that I can access the hard drive and save the files it contains. I tried to go to the administration tool and tried to change the letters of readers and paths, but this isn't an option for me (he is gray and I cannot click on it). It showed that the disk is healthy but unallocated. Could someone help me please? I really need to back up my laptop using this hard drive external. Thank you. Irene

  Hello Irene,.

  ·         You get the error message?

  ·         Did you do changes on the laptop before the show?

  Follow these methods.

  Method 1: Run the fixit of the article.

  Hardware devices do not work or are not detected in Windows

  Method 2: Follow the steps in the article.

  Tips for solving problems of USB devices

  Method 3: Try to access to the external hard drive on another computer and check if the problem persists.

• External hard drive does not work. Is there another way I could solve the problem without formatting the external hard drive?

  My external hard drive works. I tried to plug and when I tried to open it, it says to format the drive until I could use it. Everything works well as when I plugged the USB icon shown on the screen. When I check the disk management, it showed that the partition of the drive is there.

  I tried to change the drive letters, but still having the same problem. I also tried to run the disk check on the command prompt and the properties of the drive, but it still can not because there is error popping up saying that the disk check cannot be performed because Windows cannot access the disk.

  Is there another way I could solve the problem without formatting the external hard drive?

  I tried the first step in troubleshooting the hard drive, but it gives a
  error in saying that "hardware changes might not have been detected.

  So I tried the second method, and when I click on the "Check now" button his
  gives an error saying that "the disk check cannot be performed because .
  Windows can not access the disk".".

  So is there any other way or option?

  Thank you

  Jason

• External hard drive does not work properly

  Hi all

  It is a slightly different external HARD drive problem.  I had my faithful media ATMT bin since my first laptop with XP (2003) and I bought it in 2005.  It's a little wobbly as the fan vibrates a lot, but this isn't a problem.  What is the problem, is that I have a windows machine 7 who thinks that drive a need to put in shape, but my previous laptop which has vista on it was absolutely no problem to read the files IN ALL and you can open one of them without a hitch.  I tried to run CHKDSK I:\I (it is labeled as the I drive :) and 7 claims that it is in the format RAW.  I had a look at CHKDSK on my old machine and it is in FAT32, I since changed it to NTFS, but seems to have no effect.  I also tried the hunting of the drivers for the external hard drive, but I come only through links to Amazon as these things are always available.

  I really need to access this drive on my current computer as the older one needs a considerable cooling method to make it work therefore the latest machine.  What I also don't understand, it's that it was working absolutely fine on this machine too until quite recently.  He worked on it that I need, but have not been accessed for a while and so solutions in this regard would be greatly appreciated.

  Thank you very much for your time.

  RM

  Your drive has reached its copy by date and it works on time taken (if he is stil)

  If this does not work on another PC then it's probably dead.

  You can try the utility disk SeaTools from Seagate to check and see if it can detect and report on the drive

• TOSHIBA external hard drive does not work with Mac

  Finally, I used my Toshiba external hard drive on my MacBook Pro in December. I want to keep all my photos, and I've always been able to add new photos to it and delete the 'old' out of it. I plugged it today to add more photos, and it is not letting me. I went to the sharing & preferences and he read that when he used to say, read and write. I went to the info, and I noticed, it says that the format is Windows. Why he did change and why can't I use it? Can I fix it? Thanks in advance

  Looks like you have formatted the NTFS drive that is read-only for OS X. Copy data to another drive, then partition and format the drive correctly for use on a Mac.

• My external hard drive has changed its Mac format to NTFS by itself. If anyone else has experienced this?

  I would post screenshots, but I'm currently back up backup (lol) my hard drive to another drive so I can reformat the drive. Anyway, today I plugged my Toshiba Caniva 1 TB external to some organization. I went to delete something (Cmd + delete) and nothing happened. So, I tried to drag and drop it into the basket and received a message saying that the file cannot be removed. It's weird, I thought. So, I open disk utility and discover that my external hard drive has decided to change to NTFS on its own. I tried to eject and reconnect it - that did not work. I tried to restart - which did not work. I thought that my USB hub could be a problem - nope. The only things that have changed since I last used my outside is that I changed the battery in my MacBook, put in an SSD and upgraded to El Capitan. I don't see how one of these could cause this but I thought I would mention it. Anyone who has something similar happens? Thank you.

  The reader not to not reformat in NTFS. If the disk has been reformatted would vanish all your data. I suspect that before you upgrade to El Capitan you ran a third party app that would allow you to use NTFS formatted disk. Once you upgrade to El Capitan the app is no longer compatible with your new operating system. You must download and install an upgraded version of your application that supports El Capitan. Or, you can copy all data from the disk and reformat then for your Mac.