I have a 1tb wd my passport external hard drive which is detected in disk management but detected in my computer only when I open the disk management window.
After plugging it into the laptop the wd unlocker is opening, when I give the password it is not detecting in my computer. But if I open the disk management window then the drive is showing in my computer window. It is uneasy to open the disk management each and every time after plugging the drive into the laptop.
Please guide me to resolve this problem
Hi Here are the few steps that you can try on:
Reinstall or update the hard drive drivers
Step 1: Connect the hard drive to your PC and launch Device Manager. Next, select “Universal Serial Bus Controllers”.
Step 2: In that view, right-click the hard drive and hit “Uninstall”. Disconnect the hard drive after
Step 3: Now, reconnect the hard drive to your computer, open “Device Manager” and click “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” again.
Step 4: Select the specific USB component you want to update.
Step 5: Right-click “USB” and click “Update Driver Software”.
Step 6: You will find an onscreen guide in the Update Driver Software Wizard. Follow it to update the hard drive drivers.
Assign Hard Drive with a New Drive Letter
Step 1: Press “X” while holding down the Windows key. Hit “Disk Management”.
Step 2: Right-click the hard drive from the sections and click "Change Drive Letter and Path.
Step 3: If the drive has no letter assigned to it, hit "Add " and choose a new drive letter. Click "OK " when you are done.
Format or Create a New Volume on the Hard Drive
Note that this method will completely erase all the data stored on the hard drive. If you have valuable information, make sure you back it up in somewhere secure.
Step 1: Right-click on “Start” and double-click “Disk Management”.
Step 2: Find your hard drive from the left column, right-click it, and hit “Format volume”. You can still recover data after formatting the hard drive
You can make a new volume if the hard drive shows up in Disk Management but not My Computer and appears as unallocated space in Windows 11/10.
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Hold down the Windows key and “X” for a second and click Disk Management.
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Right-click the space showing as “unallocated space” and click “New Simple Volume”.
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Recreate the hard drive file system and configure it to a different drive letter, and Windows will then be able to detect it.
Hope this steps will help you out.
hi Amelia
Thank you for your prompt reply.
I have tried all the method you mentioned but still the problem is there.
The drive is detected in my computer only when I open the disk management.
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I apologize for any confusion in my previous response. If your WD My Passport external hard drive is detected in disk management but not showing up in “My Computer,” there are a few steps you can take to resolve the issue:
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Reinstall USB Controllers: In the Device Manager, expand the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” section, right-click on each USB controller listed, and select “Uninstall device.” Once you have uninstalled all the USB controllers, restart your computer. Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers for the USB controllers upon restart. Afterward, check if the drive is recognized in “My Computer.”
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Try a Different USB Cable and Port: Sometimes, the issue may be related to a faulty USB cable or port. Try connecting your WD My Passport drive using a different USB cable and to a different USB port on your computer. This can help rule out any potential problems with the cable or port.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, it’s possible that there could be a problem with the drive itself. In such cases, it may be best to reach out to Western Digital’s customer support for further assistance, as they can provide specific troubleshooting steps for your particular model.
I hope these suggestions help you get your WD My Passport drive recognized in “My Computer”! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.
