An internal hard drive stores critical data on your PC and serves as a fundamental storage device for computers or laptops. It typically holds default applications and Windows operating system files. Encountering an issue where your internal hard drive doesn't show up in Windows 10/11 can be troublesome, as it might lead to data loss. Before addressing this hard drive not showing up problem, it's crucial to understand the reasons behind it:
Reasons | Description |
---|---|
? Connection issue | Even without a cable for an internal hard drive, loose connections can still occur accidentally. |
❌ Wrong drive letter | The internal hard drive is typically designated as the C drive, and assigning another drive with the same label can cause problems. |
?️ BIOS/UEFI setting issues | This issue might arise if there are incorrect BIOS/UEFI configurations. |
? Physical damage |
If your internal hard drive is physically damaged, it might not be visible. |
If you've encountered issues with hard drives not being displayed, you can try the following methods to resolve them. We will present five of the most effective approaches to assist you in fixing this problem. You can refer to the table below for more information:
Methods | Description | Time | Difficulty |
If the drive letter conflict causes the issue, you can choose this way to fix the problem. | 3-5 Mins | Simple | |
You can use Windows built-in utility to fix the internal hard drive's problem. | 10 Mins | Normal | |
An outdated disk driver may cause this issue; you can update the hard drive driver to fix it. | 10-15 Mins | Normal | |
An incorrect file system format can cause this issue; you can format your internal hard drive to solve it | 15-20 Mins | Normal | |
This command will help you fix the hard drive errors when your internal hard drive is corrupted. | 15 Mins | Difficult |
However, you can learn more information about hard drives not showing up in Windows through a video tutorial:
This is the first and possibly the simplest method to resolve the issue of the internal hard drive not appearing. You've learned that this problem can occur due to a drive letter conflict. Now, follow these steps to change the drive letter:
Step 1. Use the Windows search box to open Disk Management.
Step 2. Right-click on the internal hard drive whose letter you want to change.
Step 3. Select "Change Drive Letter and Paths…".
Step 4. Click on "Change" to modify the drive letter.
Step 5. Choose a drive letter and click "OK" to confirm.
Also read: How to fix internal hard drive not showing files though they still exist
Running the Windows Troubleshooter can effectively address the issue of the internal hard drive not appearing. The Hardware and Devices troubleshooter can identify and resolve issues with Windows devices and hardware.
Step 1. Open Windows settings on your computer.
Step 2. Click on "Update & Security."
Click on **Update & Security**. ![Select the Update & Security option to proceed with the restoration](/images/en/data-recovery/drw-pro/select-the-update-security-option-to-restore.png)
Step 3. Scroll down and select "Troubleshoot".
Step 4. You can select "Run the troubleshooter" in the Hardware and Devices section.
Windows Troubleshoot settings are designed to assist users in resolving various issues, like problems with Windows updates not functioning properly. If you're interested in learning more about addressing Windows update issues, please refer to the following passage:
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You can also update the internal hard drive disk driver to fix errors that go undetected in Windows. Follow the tutorial below to update it:
Step 1. Open Device Manager using the Windows 11 search box.
Step 2. Select disk drivers and choose your internal hard drive.
Step 3. Right-click the internal hard drive and select "Update driver".
Note: You can also download and update USB drivers through Device Manager. Don't forget to share the article if you've resolved the issue.
A incorrect file system might cause the internal hard drive not to appear or be detected. Formatting the internal hard drive won't reveal such issues.
Step 1. Just like the first method, you should format this internal hard drive in Disk Management.
Step 2. Select the target disk, right-click on it, and choose "Format".
Step 3. To resolve this issue, follow the instructions to format your internal hard drive to either NTFS or exFAT format.
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Are you familiar with Command Prompt command lines? The final method we'll introduce is using the CHKDSK command to repair corrupted hard disks without formatting. Follow the instructions below to execute this command:
Step 1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 2. Once the CMD window is open, type chkdsk C: /r and press "Enter" to run this command.
Step 3. After executing this command, restart your computer to check for any issues with the internal hard drive.
Have you resolved the issue of the internal hard drive not showing up on your PC? If you accidentally lose some photos or documents, you can download the tool Data Recovery Wizard to retrieve them.
Trust this recovery tool and explore the following highlights to learn more about its capabilities:
Preview and automatic repair. This software enables you to preview the files, and it can automatically repair them if they are corrupted.
We assume you've learned enough about the tool Data Recovery Wizard. Proceed to launch the software and recover data from your internal hard drive:
Step 1. Choose a location and begin scanning
Launch the Data Recovery Wizard tool and select the partition where you lost your data. Next, click on "Scan".
Step 2. Filter and preview files This step translates to: Step 2. Filter and preview files
Utilize the file format filter located in the top left or upper right corner to locate the files you need. Afterwards, you can click the "Preview" button or double-click on a file to preview its contents.
Step 3. Recover Lost Data or Files
Select the file by clicking the checkbox next to it, and then click "Recover" to restore the lost data to a secure location.
Upon reading the detailed methods, you can bookmark this passage by sharing it!
Have you resolved the issue of an internal hard drive not being detected in Windows 11/10? With the five methods provided, you can also fix the problem of external hard drive not showing up in Disk Management. If you need to recover data from the internal hard drive or retrieve data after formatting it, utilize the tool Data Recovery Wizard!
We hope you can gather more information about internal hard drives not showing up through the following frequently asked questions:
1. How to resolve the issue of a USB flash drive not appearing in Windows 10?
You can resolve the issue of the USB flash drive not appearing in Windows 10 using the following methods:
< strong > 2. Why has my internal hard drive disappeared? < /strong> Translation: < strong > 2. Why can't I see my internal hard drive anymore? < /strong >
Many scenarios can result in internal hard drives not being detected:
3. Should I format the internal hard drive to resolve the hard drive issue?
There are numerous ways to address issues with an internal hard drive. You can alter the drive letter, update or reinstall the driver, run the Windows Troubleshooter, or utilize Command Prompt to repair the internal hard drive.
4. Can I recover photos from a formatted internal hard drive?
Recovering photos from a formatted internal hard drive is not complicated with the assistance of tools like Data Recovery Wizard: