Fix the disk you attached was not readable by this computer in this guide. We cover solutions for file system errors and corruption, helping you make your attached disk readable and accessible again.
Connecting an external hard drive, USB flash drive, or SD card to your computer should be a simple plug-and-play experience. However, you might occasionally encounter the frustrating error message: "The disk you attached was not readable by this computer." This message typically points to a universal problem: a drive is connected but remains inaccessible. This guide will help you understand why this error occurs and provide clear, step-by-step solutions to fix it and regain access to your drive.
When your computer displays this error, it's essentially saying it cannot understand the way data is organized on the connected drive. This communication breakdown can happen for several reasons, and identifying the cause is the first step toward a solution.
File System Incompatibility: This is the most frequent culprit. The drive may have been formatted with a file system that your operating system doesn't natively support. For example, a drive formatted with Apple's APFS or HFS+ on a Mac will trigger this error on a Windows PC, which primarily uses NTFS and FAT32.
Disk Corruption: The drive's file system or partition table may have become corrupted due to unsafe ejection, a sudden power loss, or a malware infection. When this happens, the operating system can't interpret the disk's structure, rendering it unreadable.
Physical Damage or Bad Sectors: Damage to the disk's platters or the presence of bad sectors can prevent the computer from reading the data stored in those areas, leading to the error.
Outdated or Missing Drivers: In some rare cases, a problem with your computer’s storage controller drivers can prevent it from properly communicating with the external drive.
Fixing this error involves a few troubleshooting steps, ranging from simple checks to using powerful disk management software.
Warning: Some of these solutions, like formatting, will erase all data on the drive. If the data is critical, consider using data recovery software before attempting any fixes that modify the disk.
Windows provides built-in utilities that can often resolve the issue when the disk you inserted is not readable by this computer.
If the drive is new or was previously used on a non-Windows system, it might need to be initialized and formatted.
Step 1. Press Windows Key + X and select Disk Management from the menu.
Step 2. Look for the problematic disk in the lower pane. It may appear as "Unknown," "Not Initialized," or show "Unallocated" space.
Step 3. If the disk is "Not Initialized," right-click it and select Initialize Disk. Choose a partition style (MBR for drives under 2TB, GPT for larger drives) and click OK.
Step 4. Once initialized, the disk will show as "Unallocated." Right-click the unallocated space, select New Simple Volume..., and follow the wizard to assign a drive letter and format it with a Windows-compatible file system like NTFS or exFAT.
If you suspect file system corruption, the Check Disk (CHKDSK) utility can scan for and repair errors.
Step 1. Search for "cmd" in the Start Menu, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
Step 2. Type chkdsk D: /f /r (replace D with the drive letter of the unreadable disk) and press Enter.
Step 3. The /f parameter attempts to fix errors on the disk, and /r locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. Let the process complete.
While Windows tools are effective, they can sometimes be intimidating or lack the flexibility needed for complex issues. AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard is a free, powerful, and user-friendly disk management software that offers a comprehensive solution when the disk you attached is not readable. Its intuitive graphical interface simplifies tasks like formatting, error checking, and partition management, making it an ideal tool for users of all skill levels.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
This is the best solution for file system incompatibility.
Step 1: Download, install, and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard.
Step 2: In the main window, find the unreadable disk, right-click its partition, and select Format Partition.
Step 3: A pop-up window will appear. Choose a compatible File System (NTFS is recommended for Windows-only use; exFAT is great for cross-compatibility with Mac and Windows). You can also add a Partition Label. Click OK.
Step 4: You will see the pending operation. Click Apply in the top-left corner and then Proceed to execute the format.
A corrupted MBR can make a disk completely unreadable.
Step 1: Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant.
Step 2: Right-click the unreadable disk (not the partition) and select Rebuild MBR.
Step 3: Choose the correct MBR type for your Windows version (e.g., Windows 7/8/10/11) and click OK.
Step 4: Click Apply and Proceed to commit the changes.
Encountering the "The disk you attached was not readable by this computer" error can be alarming, but it is usually fixable. The root of the problem is often an incompatible file system, especially when moving drives between different operating systems like macOS and Windows. By using the built-in tools in Windows, such as Disk Management and CHKDSK, you can often reformat or repair the drive.
For a more streamlined and powerful solution, AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard provides an excellent set of tools to format, repair, and manage your disks with ease, ensuring you can quickly make your drive readable and usable again.