In September 2018, Microsoft released an update for the Windows 10 operating system that resulted in a seemingly-lost hard drive. This blog will give you some tips on how to recover data and install other software after this issue.
After the Windows 11 update, it is possible that your hard drive has been missing. The “windows 11 repair tool” will help you fix this issue.
Kazim has always been fascinated by technology, whether it’s tinkering with the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows computer. And, on occasion, unscrewing the gadget to inspect the hardware, however… Continue reading
- Many people have complained that their hard disks have vanished after upgrading to Windows 11.
- This might be caused by a flaw in the current operating system, the use of an old driver, damaged system files, or improper power management settings.
- Also, learn why the secondary hard drive in Windows 11 is missing and how to defragment the disk.
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Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 11, is hailed as the most sophisticated of all. However, it is not impervious to human mistake. After upgrading to Windows 11, some customers have complained that their hard drive has vanished.
This might be due to a variety of factors, some of which are related to hardware and others to software. The likelihood of the latter is greater and the problem is easy to remedy, but the former would need either repair or replacement.
For a better understanding of the issue, we’ve outlined the numerous troubleshooting approaches as well as the underlying reasons.
What happened to the hard drive in Windows 11 after the update?
The hard disk may go missing in Windows 11 for a variety of causes, which we’ve detailed here.
- System files that are corrupt
- An issue with a Windows Update
- Hardware malfunctions
- Driver that is out of date or corrupt
- There are no partitions.
- USB port not working (external drives)
You’ll be in a much better position to troubleshoot if you have a fundamental grasp of the difficulties.
What can I do if the hard disk in Windows 11 is missing?
1. Remove any recent Windows updates that have been installed.
- To open the Settings app, press Windows + I.
- From the left-hand navigation pane, choose Windows Update from the tabs.
- Select Update History from the drop-down menu.
- After that, choose Uninstall updates.
- From the list, choose the freshly installed Windows update and click Uninstall.
- On the confirmation box that displays, choose Yes.
The easiest remedy to the hard drive missing issue in Windows 11 after updating to a later version is to delete that specific update.
It’s most likely a problem with the upgrade, and Microsoft should address it in future editions. Install the newest version as soon as it is available to keep your system up to date.
2. Install the driver again.
- To open the Search menu, press Windows + S.
- Enter Device Manager in the top text area and choose the appropriate search result.
- To see the drives linked to the system, locate and double-click the Disk drives item.
- If you see the drive here, right-click it and choose Uninstall device from the context menu.
- Then, in the confirmation window that displays, click Uninstall.
- Restart the computer after removing the faulty drive, and Windows will automatically recognize and list the hard disk.
- Check to see whether you can now access the disk using Windows Explorer.
In many situations, the problem is caused by a corrupt hard disk driver. Simply remove the device, restart the computer, and Windows will install a new set of drivers for it automatically.
3. Install the latest driver
- As previously said, open the Device Manager.
- Double-click the entry for Disk drives.
- Select Update driver from the context menu when right-clicking on the faulty drive in the list.
- To have your system analyze your machine and install the best available driver, choose Search automatically for drivers from the Update Drivers box.
The Device Manager essentially functions as an offline update method by looking for a newer version on the system. If you haven’t downloaded the most recent version of the driver, this technique is unlikely to update the drivers.
In this scenario, you may check Windows Update or the manufacturer’s website for a newer version of the driver. This should fetch you the most recent hard drive drivers, albeit it will take some time.
You may utilize a reputable third-party tool if the preceding procedure seems a little too complicated. We offer DriverFix, a specialized solution that will search the internet for the most recent driver updates and keep the ones you have installed up to date.
4. Perform a brief scan with SFC.
- To open the Search menu, press Windows + S.
- In the top text box, type Windows Terminal, right-click on the appropriate search result, and choose Run as administrator from the context menu.
- When the UAC (User Account Control) question comes, choose Yes.
- Select Command Prompt from the list of choices by clicking the down arrow at the top. You may also open the Command Prompt tab by pressing Ctrl + Shift + 2.
- To conduct the SFC scan, use the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
- Wait for the scan to finish before restarting your computer.
If any faulty system files are identified, the SFC (System File Checker) examines your disk and replaces them with a cached copy kept on the system. If the error was caused by corrupt files, performing the scan would resolve the problem.
Check whether the hard drive shows in Windows 11 after conducting the scan.
5. Modify the Power Management options (for external drives)
- As previously said, open the Device Manager.
- Select Show hidden devices from the list of choices under the View menu at the top.
- Double-click the Universal Serial Bus controllers item at the bottom of the page.
- To open the properties of the USB Root Hub device described above, double-click on it.
- To save the changes, go to the Power Management tab and uncheck the Allow the computer to switch off the device to conserve power checkbox.
- Change the power management settings for all of the USB ports mentioned above in the same way.
It’s possible that the problem is caused by the power management settings if an external disk is linked to the computer through USB connection. The hard drive should show in Windows 11 once you make the modifications mentioned previously.
6. Examine for loose connections and damage (external hard drive)
Check for loose connections if external hard drives are missing in Windows 11 after an upgrade. Unplug it from the port, blow air on it to clear any dust, and then firmly plug it back in.
Try connecting to a different USB port if this doesn’t work. There’s a possibility the USB port isn’t working. Additionally, the BIOS may have deactivated the USB ports, which may be checked by connecting the hard drive to another computer.
If the other system works, go to your computer manufacturer’s website to learn how to activate USB ports in the BIOS.
Look for any evidence of damage or bends on the hard drive, since these might be the cause of its failure. If you discover any, seek expert assistance to have the drive fixed or the data recovered.
NOTE
If the first two ways failed, the following two should resolve the Windows 11 hard drive missing problem. They have nothing to do with the update, although they are the most common reasons of the issue.
7. Set up the hard disk.
- To open the Search menu, press Windows + S.
- To start the program, type Drive Management in the search window at the top and click the Create and format hard disk partitions search result that displays.
- Check to see whether the missing hard disk in Windows 11 after the upgrade has a black bar at the top. If that’s the case, the space it occupies is unallocated, which is why it’s not showing up. All you have to do now is allot space on the disk or create a new volume.
- Select New basic volume from the context menu by right-clicking on the drive at the bottom of the window.
- On the New Simple Volume Wizard window, click Next.
- Next, choose the volume’s maximum size and click Next. Above it, the maximum disk space is specified.
- Click Next after selecting a drive letter from the drop-down option.
- Select a File system for the drive from the drop-down menu, give it a name in the text box next to Volume label, and then click Next.
- Finally, to establish a new basic volume on the disk, double-check the settings and click Finish.
The color of the bar at the top of the road says a lot about it. If the bar is blue, the drive’s space is allotted or there are volumes on it; if the bar is black, the drive’s space is unallocated. In each of these circumstances, a significant portion of the disk is not visible in Disk Management or Windows Explorer.
If this is the root problem, creating a new volume on the disk should resolve the hard drive missing in Windows 11 issue. If it doesn’t work, the drive most likely doesn’t have a drive letter allocated to it. For that, go to the next fix.
When selecting a file system, you may choose NTFS if the drive will be used on Windows devices, or FAT32 if the disk will be used on other operating systems. NTFS is recommended for disks larger than 4 GB, whereas FAT32 is suggested for those less than that.
8. Assign a letter to the drive.
- As previously said, open the Disk Management software.
- Change the drive letter and pathways by right-clicking on the drive towards the bottom.
- Then, under the Change Drive Letter and Paths for New Volume box, click Add.
- Select the appropriate drive letter from the dropdown menu.
- Now, to save the changes, click OK.
If the hard disk hasn’t been allocated a letter, it won’t show up in Windows Explorer. Although the issue isn’t directly tied to updates, it may occur after upgrading to a newer version of Windows.
The missing hard disk problem in Windows 11 after the upgrade should be resolved by changing the drive letter.
What happened to my extra hard drive in Windows 11?
Depending on whether it’s built-in or linked through USB, your computer’s secondary hard disk might vanish for a variety of reasons. If the latter is the case, see our advice on how to quickly solve USB device difficulties with Windows 11. In the case of the former, the problem might be caused by the driver or incorrectly specified settings, among other things.
Regardless, the solutions given above will resolve the issue, whether it’s a missing main or secondary hard disk in Windows 11.
In Windows 11, how can I defragment the hard drive?
You may notice a little decrease in performance after using your system for a time, which is caused by drive fragmentation. Essentially, the data get dispersed over the disk, which may be remedied by defragmenting them and bringing them closer together in an orderly way.
Defragmenting the disk will improve speed and decrease the time it takes to load files and applications.
These are all the options for resolving the missing hard disk problem in Windows 11. The fixes are essentially the same as they were for the prior OS.
Also, see our Windows 10 vs. Windows 11 comparison to learn about the changes between the two and how the latter performs.
Let us know which solution worked for you in the comments area below, as well as the sort of drive you were having issues with.
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If you are experiencing a hard drive missing after Windows 11 update, try these fixes. Reference: external hard drive not showing up windows 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fix a missing hard drive?
A: Unfortunately, this is a complicated question to answer. There are many factors that could cause the hard drive to not be detected by Windows systems, such as being physically damaged or having a virus. The best thing you can do when encountering these issues is contact your computer manufacturer for more information on what steps they would take and if theres anything you can try yourself before contacting them.
Why is my hard drive missing?
A: Your hard drive may have crashed, had a system crash or be damaged. If this is the case, you will need to replace your hard drive and reinstall Windows on your computer.
How do I fix Windows Update 11 error?
A: You should make sure that you have the latest updates on your computer. If not, then try to download Windows Update and install it.
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