5 Ways to Fix Western Digital External Hard Drive Not Responding

Why is Western Digital external hard drive not responding?

A Western Digital external hard drive may stop responding due to various hardware and software-related issues. Here’s a more detailed explanation of the possible causes:

1. Connection issues: A loose or damaged USB cable can prevent proper communication between the drive and the computer. If a USB hub is used, it might not deliver enough power for the drive to function properly.

2. Driver problems: Outdated, missing, or corrupted drivers can prevent the system from recognizing the external hard drive. Windows may fail to automatically install the required drivers, leading to non-responsiveness.

3. File system errors: The drive’s file system might be corrupted due to improper ejection, power failures, or system crashes. If the drive is formatted with an incompatible file system, it may not function properly.

4. Software conflicts: Third-party applications like security software may interfere with the drive’s operation. System updates or driver conflicts might cause Western Digital external hard drive not responding.

5. Virus or malware infection: Malicious software can corrupt data or prevent the system from accessing the drive. Some malware may cause the drive to become hidden or unresponsive.

If your Western Digital external hard drive is not responding, identifying the root cause is essential before attempting any fixes.

How to fix Western Digital external hard drive not responding

A non-responsive Western Digital (WD) external hard drive can be frustrating, especially when it contains important data. If your Western Digital external hard drive is not recognized or showing up, not working, or not responding, don’t worry—there are several ways to troubleshoot and fix the issue. Below are five effective methods to get your WD external hard drive back in working order.

Method 1. Update WD external hard drive driver to make it work

Sometimes, an outdated or corrupted driver can prevent your WD external hard drive from responding. Updating the driver can help resolve the issue.

Step 1. Connect your WD external hard drive to your computer.

Step 2. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.

Step 3. Expand the Disk drives section.

Step 4. Right-click on your WD external hard drive and select Update driver.

Step 5. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.

Step 6. If an update is found, follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

Step 7. Restart your computer and check if the hard drive responds.

Method 2. Repair bad sectors on not working WD external hard drive

Bad sectors can cause the drive to become unresponsive. You can check and repair bad sectors using the built-in Windows tool.

Step 1. Press Win + S, type cmd, and select Run as administrator.

Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

chkdsk C: /f /r (Replace C with the letter of your WD external hard drive.)

Step 3. Wait for the scan to complete.

Step 4. Restart your computer and check if the hard drive works.

Besides, AOMEI Partition Assistant is a comprehensive disk management tool that allows you to perform various tasks, including partition resizing, disk formatting, and boot repair. With its built-in "Check Partition" feature, you can quickly scan and fix bad sectors on your hard drive.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. Right-click the drive that needs checking. Select “Advanced” and then “Check Partition”.

Step 2. In the pop-up window, choose “Check whether there is bad sector on the partition” and click “OK”.

Step 3. Click “Start” to perform checking.

Method 3. Check if the WD external hard drive is unallocated or RAW

If your WD external hard drive is showing as Unallocated or RAW, it means the file system is corrupted or missing. You need to initialize or format the drive.

Step 1. Press Win + X and select Disk Management.

Step 2. Locate your WD external hard drive.

Step 3. If it appears as Unallocated, right-click it and select New Simple Volume. Follow the wizard to format the drive.

Step 4. If it appears as RAW, right-click it and select Format. Choose NTFS or exFAT as the file system and click OK.

Method 4. Fix file system issues on non-responsive western digital external hard drive

File system errors can cause your WD external hard drive to stop responding. You can use the Error Checking tool to fix them.

Step 1. Connect the WD external hard drive to your PC.

Step 2. Open File Explorer and locate the drive.

Step 3. Right-click on the drive and select Properties.

Step 4. Navigate to the Tools tab and click Check under the Error checking section.

Step 5. Click Scan drive and wait for Windows to fix any detected errors.

Step 6. Restart your PC and check if the hard drive responds.

Method 5. Assign a drive letter for not working WD external hard drive

If your WD external hard drive is not showing up in File Explorer but is visible in Disk Management, it may not have an assigned drive letter.

Step 1. Press Win + X and select Disk Management.

Step 2. Locate your WD external hard drive.

Step 3. Right-click on the drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths.

Step 4. Click Add, then choose a letter from the drop-down menu.

Step 5. Click OK and check if the drive appears in File Explorer.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Western Digital external hard drive not responding can stem from various causes such as connection issues, driver problems, file system errors, software conflicts, or even malware. To resolve this, try updating drivers, repairing bad sectors, checking for unallocated or RAW partitions, fixing file system issues, or assigning a drive letter. If these methods don’t work, data recovery software might be necessary.

If you have other problems with your external hard drive like external hard drive capacity not displaying correctly, file recovery from external hard drive, or can’t open files or folders on external hard drive, AOMEI Partition Assistant would be a good helper to resolve it.