External Drive Cannot be Found in Windows 10


  1. ALN
    Posts : 71
    Windows10 Pro
       #1

    External Drive Cannot be Found in Windows 10


    My Seagate external drive no longer shows up in File Explorer. I'm running Windows 10 for some time now, and it initially showed up until just recently. My local Tech Support guy says there is a known Windows 10 issue with external drives. Do you know is this is true? If yes, any way to know when the upgrade with a fix is installed?

    I already went through all of the suggestions noted in this Thread awhile ago, and concluded my external drive must be toast. So I bought a new one and it works fine. So just wondering about the "known Windows 10 issue with external drives."
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #2
    Last edited by simrick; 30 Aug 2016 at 12:30.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 13,985
    Win10 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home, Win7, Linux Mint
       #3

    I'd read about the problems and when Upgrading from 1511 to 1607AU I had pulled the power from my 3 External HDDs. When everything seemed to be okay I plugged them back in and all is well. I pulled the power rather than the USB cord so as, hopefully, it would retain the drive letters I had set, it worked.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 7,895
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
       #4

    ALN said:
    My Seagate external drive no longer shows up in File Explorer. I'm running Windows 10 for some time now, and it initially showed up until just recently. My local Tech Support guy says there is a known Windows 10 issue with external drives. Do you know is this is true? If yes, any way to know when the upgrade with a fix is installed?

    I already went through all of the suggestions noted in this Thread awhile ago, and concluded my external drive must be toast. So I bought a new one and it works fine. So just wondering about the "known Windows 10 issue with external drives."
    Does it show up in Disk Manager but without a drive letter? If so, you can assign a drive letter. If this is the issue, you could also try enabling automount and rebooting, which will bring this volume online and keep it online through subsequent reboots. Enabling automount can be done by opening a Command Prompt window and invoking DISKPART -> automount enable -> exit
      My Computers


  5. ALN
    Posts : 71
    Windows10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Steve C said:
    Does it show up in Disk Manager but without a drive letter? If so, you can assign a drive letter. If this is the issue, you could also try enabling automount and rebooting, which will bring this volume online and keep it online through subsequent reboots. Enabling automount can be done by opening a Command Prompt window and invoking DISKPART -> automount enable -> exit
    Well, I initially went through trouble shooting, I concluded my drive was toast and bought a new drive that works fine. So no need now for trouble shooting. But thanks for your advise - will put it into my "How To" file for next time.
      My Computers


  6. ALN
    Posts : 71
    Windows10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #6

    simrick said:
    Thanks for the info. Turns out I do not yet have the Anniversary Update. I believe the Anniversary Update is 1607; I have version 1511. Are they rolling it out little by little? Something to look forward to - I guess.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 16,325
    W10Prox64
       #7

    ALN said:
    Thanks for the info. Turns out I do not yet have the Anniversary Update. I believe the Anniversary Update is 1607; I have version 1511. Are they rolling it out little by little? Something to look forward to - I guess.
    Well then, perhaps your drive did in fact bite the dust. A lot of people don't have 1607 yet. I had one HP that never even got the "Get Windows 10" and I had to update it manually before the deadline. Not sure what they're doing...
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:09.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums