What to Do When Your External Hard Drive Stops Working
When our external hard drive stops working, we should take immediate action to safeguard our data. Initially, let's check the physical connection and swap out the USB cable if needed. Next, we can confirm the drive is recognized in Disk Management and verify the power settings aren't causing issues. If that doesn't work, we might try different USB ports or a powered USB hub. Should the problem persist, we may consider data recovery software or professional services. Staying proactive is key, and there's much more we can investigate to prevent data loss and fix our drive effectively.
Verify the physical connection and ensure the USB cable is secure and undamaged.
Check Disk Management to confirm if the drive is recognized and properly formatted.
Test different USB ports or bypass any USB hubs to improve connectivity.
Use data recovery software to recover lost files or consider professional services for severe mechanical issues.
Regularly back up data to prevent loss and implement proactive recovery planning.
Common Causes of Drive Failures
When we use external hard drives, we often take their reliability for granted, but several common causes can lead to unexpected failures.
Drive failure can stem from improper use, such as frequent disconnections that result in physical damage or data corruption. Moreover, using incompatible software can create recognition issues, preventing our drives from being accessed.
Laptops are particularly vulnerable due to their moving parts, which can exacerbate power supply issues and drive instability. Drives formatted with unsupported file systems may also suffer from file system corruption, making them undetectable by our operating systems.
Initial Troubleshooting Steps
To get started on troubleshooting our external hard drive issues, we should initially verify that the physical connection between the drive and our computer is secure.
Let's check the USB cable for any damage and make sure it's firmly connected.
Next, we can investigate the power management settings in Windows; sometimes the external drive gets powered down automatically, causing it to go undetected.
We should also access Disk Management to confirm that the drive is recognized and properly formatted.
Moreover, let's open Device Manager to make certain that the device drivers for our external hard drive are up-to-date.
If we encounter any persistent issues, utilizing the Windows Hardware and Device Troubleshooter can help us diagnose and automatically apply repairs.
Fixing Connection and Power Issues
Having checked the preliminary connections and settings, we can now focus on fixing any ongoing connection and power issues with our external hard drive.
Initially, let's check the drive's physical connection; verify the USB cable is securely connected and undamaged. If we encounter issues, let's test different USB ports or connect directly to the PC, bypassing any USB hub.
Next, we must verify that the drive receives sufficient power, especially for high-capacity models; check for indicator lights that signal functionality.
Dr IT Services - Computer Repair, Laptop Repair & Data Recovery
I contacted Vlad after my son fried my laptop by using his powerful charger in my less powerful laptop. I was very anxious.
He was very responsive when I made initial contact and I was above to drop my laptop off that morning.
The service was supremely… More professional and very quick. I even brought my son's laptop (which was broken and that is why he was using mine) to be fixed too.
I was given clear prices and expectations for how long the repairs would take. Both repairs were completed very quicker and exceeded expectations.
I would highly recommend Vlad.
Highly recommend.
I contacted Vlad as my laptop wasn’t working. (Would not power up). I dropped it off to him in the morning. Then later that day he was able to diagnose the fault and put forward a plan to resolve.
Unfortunately it was not economical… More to repair, but he was able to source the perfect replacement for my budget. Which I couldn't be more happy with. For a small fee he was able to transfer all my data over to the new device.
All turned around in a few days.
The service was fast, friendly and had great communication. I would highly recommend to anybody who needs their devices repairing.
Thanks Vlad.
Vlad is exceptional in IT related field.
He saved my data, it was like saving my life literally. At Dr IT services you can assured of a solution for your IT related problems, you can simply close your eyes and can trust him, guy is a genius, I be will… More working with him on several other projects once I am settled in. Thank you Dr IT services 😊
5/5 .
Merry Christmas Vlad..cheers see you around!
I bought an expensive gaming laptop which was shutting down whilst gaming, and I suspected it might be because the operating temperatures were too high.
I reached out to Vlad one morning and he offered to take a look at the laptop and repair it the same… More day. He was very polite and knowledgeable about the laptop I'd bought and about the CPU and GPU therein, and was aware that they were prone to overheating. He knew immediately what to do to fix it, so I left my laptop with him and shortly thereafter Vlad let me know that he had finished and the laptop was ready to collect. He was so efficient I could barely believe it! He took pictures throughout the process of the internals (before and after his repair) and showed me them on arrival.
I took the laptop home and sure enough the operating temps are ~15c less and the laptop now works perfectly. Thank you Vlad! And all for a very reasonable price. Please do not hesitate if you are thinking about using Vlad! If I need anything IT related from now on, Vlad will be my first point of call!
Exceptional service!!
We thought we had lost over 20 years of memories but Vlad at Dr IT Services managed to recover pretty much everything. There is no price to put on memories so to have recovered the data lost was beyond words for us.
The team at… More Dr IT Services excelled in their computer repair, laptop repair, and data recovery services, offering prompt and friendly assistance that was both knowledgeable and reliable, making the entire experience seamless. Their efficient and helpful staff made the whole process stress-free, leaving me completely satisfied with their overall service. Would definitely recommend!
Vlad was incredible! So generous with his time, explained everything so well and was great communicating. Cannot recommend him highly enough.Don't look around for someone else, if you've got a problem this is the guy you need to see!
Vlad is excellent to use. I was looking for a computer repair in the area and came across him. Contact very easy and dropped the laptop down straight away. My son had broken his screen. Good communication with Vlad and efficient repair. Kept me updated… More throughout the process. Reasonably priced. Overall, i wouod recommend Vlad if you need any repairs doing, i will be using him again if i need to
Dr IT Services: Exceptional ServiceI recently entrusted Dr IT Services with the repair of my water-damaged laptop, which required a motherboard replacement. I am delighted to commend their exceptional service.Dr IT Services exhibited professionalism and… More expertise throughout the repair process. He provided clear and concise explanations of the necessary work, alleviating my concerns. To my great relief, the repair was completed efficiently, and my laptop was restored to full working order.I would wholeheartedly recommend Dr IT Services to anyone in need of computer repair services. Their technical competence and commitment to customer satisfaction are truly commendable.Very satisfied customer
Vlad was really great. He was highly professional and very helpful in sorting out my problem which required a new motherboard. He did an excellent job fitting the new motherboard at a very good price.
He even helped me return the defective motherboard… More that was sent in error as I was outside the country, which reflects his helpful nature.
I have used his services more than once, and he helped me repair 3 different laptops. I don't go to anyone before asking him first for help.
I highly recommend that you talk to him if you have any issues with a PC before going to someone else.
Exceptional Service!!!I had some issues with my PC last week, with my SSD, and I thought I have lost my university assessments because my PC did not open anymore. Another issue was that I did not know anyone in my area that could fix my PC but I am glad… More that I have found and meet Vlad. He manage to fix my PC in one day just in time to be able to send my assessment to the university in time and the problem was solved. Vlad is a really great person and i would recommend him to anyone from now on if they have issues with their devices.
If the drive's power supply seems inadequate, we could switch to a different power outlet or use a powered USB hub for peak performance.
Data Recovery Options
In the unfortunate event that our external hard drive malfunctions, exploring data recovery options becomes vital.
We can start by utilizing data recovery software, like EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, to scan for lost files and preview recoverable items.
If we encounter mechanical failure, professional data recovery services might be necessary, typically costing between $100 and $700 based on damage severity.
It's important to save recovered data to a different drive to avoid overwriting.
For drives that are undetectable, we might try DIY recovery tools, though success rates can vary greatly.
Regular backups and proactive data recovery planning can drastically reduce the risks of data loss and improve recovery outcomes in the face of external hard drive failures. Additionally, seeking help from professional recovery services can significantly enhance the chances of successful data retrieval, especially in complex cases.
Advanced Repair Techniques
When our external hard drive starts showing signs of failure, applying advanced repair techniques can often salvage our precious data.
We can initiate the repair disk process using the Windows Error Checking tool to identify and fix file system errors. For drives formatted as RAW, the CMD method with the command 'chkdsk /f /r /x g:' can attempt repairs, but we should back up crucial data initially.
If we encounter severe mechanical failures, consulting a professional data recovery specialist may be necessary, with costs ranging from $100 to $700.
On macOS, we can employ Disk Utility's Initial Aid feature to scan for issues.
Furthermore, let's regularly update device drivers to improve compatibility and performance.
Hi, I'm Vlad Tabaranu. I'm your local computer and laptop repair specialist in Birmingham, and I've been providing top-notch IT services for over two decades!
Since April 2000, I've been dedicated to solving all kinds of computer problems, consistently ranking among the top 3 computer repair services in Birmingham. My commitment to excellence has been recognized with prestigious awards, including:
1. Is your PC/laptop noisy or overheating? Get it internally cleaned and have the thermal paste replaced!
2. Is your PC/laptop slow? Replace your current storage device with an SSD or nVme!
3. ALWAYS keep your important data on cloud! I recommend MEGA.nz for 2 reasons: I) it's end-to-end encrypted & II) it's cheaper per TB of data than Dropbox and Google Drive
4. SECURITY Surf the web without tracking with a VPN Surfshark
5. SECURITY Realtime keystroke encryption protects your typed info from keystroke capturing malware in all browsers and major apps. KeyScrambler
I contacted Vlad after my son fried my laptop by using his powerful charger in my less powerful laptop. I was very anxious.
