Windows 10 Computer Doesn't Recognize External HDD

Hermitkrab

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Hello friends. I was trying to create a system image backup, using Windows own backup tool. I connect my 1 TB external HDD and select "use this drive" and the "select" button is greyed out and non-clickable. How do I get my PC to recognize this drive? The disk is formatted and completely empty. Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Toshiba Satellite L55-A5226
Windows 10 Home (version 1703)
 
Last edited:
Solution
Hi

Does the drive appear in Windows Explorer?

If not...

Go to Disk Managment and see if the drive appears there?

If you see the drive in Disk Management, make sure that it has a letter assigned to it.

I don't recommend using the native backup app, I would suggest EaseUS Todo Backup.
I've used it for years, it's the easiest backup software to use, literally once you have selected a location you can make a backup with 3 mouse clicks.

And best of all it's free!

Link Removed

It has never failed to recover my PC, I had to do it at least 7 times when beta testing Windows 10 and several times since.

It may be that just using different software will fix it if it's showing up elsewhere.

If you still don't get the drive to show in...
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Hi

Does the drive appear in Windows Explorer?

If not...

Go to Disk Managment and see if the drive appears there?

If you see the drive in Disk Management, make sure that it has a letter assigned to it.

I don't recommend using the native backup app, I would suggest EaseUS Todo Backup.
I've used it for years, it's the easiest backup software to use, literally once you have selected a location you can make a backup with 3 mouse clicks.

And best of all it's free!

Link Removed

It has never failed to recover my PC, I had to do it at least 7 times when beta testing Windows 10 and several times since.

It may be that just using different software will fix it if it's showing up elsewhere.

If you still don't get the drive to show in the backup program but it shows in Windows Explorer, then try formatting it again.

If that doesn't work let us know, and there are more advanced steps to take.

Also if it's not showing up at all, try plugging it into another computer.

Mike
 
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Solution
Thanks, Neemo and Mike. I'm familiar with Macrium and Easus. I'll probably go with one of them. BTW, Mike in answer to your question, the external drive dies show up in file explorer and is assigned the letter (F). I'm re-formatting the drive now, this time not using"quick format". I'll see if it does the trick, just as an experiment.Thanks again to both of you.
 
Last edited:
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Interestingly, I re-formatted my external drive using the regular format process (i.e. not using "quick format") and I was able to create the system backup using Window's built in backup program. In the future I'll use the slower backup method in formatting any peripheral devices I may use. Yes, the normal format took a long time to complete.
 
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