USB drives have many problems. Cable, drivers, [mainly Windows] updates. I bought a Buffalo USB 3 drive, couldn't get it to run with USB 3, and sometimes it didn't show at all. Then suddenly it popped up fresh and well working, and I'm quite certain it was a Windows update that did it.
Can you see the drive in BIOS? If you can, it's a Windows issue, but if you can't, it's a hardware one. You do have the critical / important Windows updates?
Mostly Windows can run external drives well, but manufacturers also have own drivers for them. You could give some system specs? Computer build, drive, etc. Standard procedures are, turn off computer, unplug the drive, then start the computer and after Windows is safely started, plug the drive.