Fixed: Seagate External Hard Drive Files Not Showing Up

User Case

Possible Cause of Seagate External Hard Drive Files not Showing Up

If your Seagate external hard drive is detected by the system but the files are not visible in File Explorer, several potential causes may be responsible:

• Accidental Deletion or Formatting: Files may have been accidentally deleted or the drive may have been formatted unintentionally, even if the hardware remains functional.
• Hidden Files or Folders: The files may be present but set as hidden due to user actions or system errors. This is common after transferring files between systems or recovering from malware.
• File System Errors or Corruption: The drive's file system (e.g., NTFS, exFAT) may be partially corrupted, making data unreadable or invisible to the OS.
• Drive Not Properly Mounted or Assigned a Drive Letter: Windows may detect the physical drive but not assign it a usable drive letter, preventing access through File Explorer.
• Outdated or Missing Drivers: A missing or outdated USB or disk driver can cause the system to recognize the hardware but fail to display its contents.
• Virus or Malware Infection: Some types of malware can hide or delete file indexes, making files disappear even though space is still used.
• File Indexing Issues or Explorer Glitches: Sometimes, Windows Explorer fails to refresh properly or has issues reading the file index, especially on large or fragmented drives.

Fixes for "Seagate External Hard Drive Files not Showing" Up in Windows 11 or Windows 10

It can be incredibly frustrating when your Seagate external hard drive connects successfully, but your files are nowhere to be found. The good news? In most cases, your data is not goneand can be recovered. Let’s explore some effective methods to fix the issues.

1. Check for Hidden Files and Folders

Your files might be hidden due to system settings or malware. To reveal hidden files:

Open File Explorer. Click the target drive or folder, go to the View tab. Check the box for "Hidden items".

If files still don’t show up, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the command: attrib -h -r -s /s /d E:\*.*

(Replace E: with your Seagate drive letter)

2. Run CHKDSK to Fix File System Errors

Corrupted file systems can hide your filesand lead to "Seagate external hard drive files not showing up" issue. Run CHKDSK to detect and repair errors. Execute the command in Command Prompt window: chkdsk g: /f /r

Replace g: with your drive letter. This may take some time but can restore access to hidden data.

3. Assign or Change Drive Letter

If the Seagate external drive drive is recognized but has no letter, it will also not show up in File Explorer. Thus,assign one manually:

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

Step 2. Find your Seagate drive, right-click it. Select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."

Step 3. Click "Add or Change" and assign a new letter

4. Update or Reinstall Drivers

Sometimes, your computer might fail to recognize an external hard drive or other storage devices because the necessary drivers are outdated, corrupted, or missing altogether. To fix this issue, you can try updating or reinstalling the drivers for your Seagate drive through the Device Manager in Windows:

Step 1. Open Device Manager (Win + X > Device Manager).

Step 2. Expand Disk drives, right-click your Seagate drive.

Step 3. Choose "Update driver" or "Uninstall device" (then restart to reinstall).

5. Scan for Malware

Malicious software (malware) such as viruses, trojans, or ransomware can cause serious issues with your files. Some types of malware are designed to hide your files by changing their attributes or placing them in hidden folders. Others may delete or corrupt important data altogether, making it inaccessible or lost. In this case, you can can your drive with Windows Defender, the built-in antivirus tool in Windows 10 and 11:

Step 1: Open Windows Security by going to "Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection".

Step 2: Click on "Scan options" and select "Custom scan", then choose your Seagate external hard driveto start a thorough check.

Step 3: After the scan finishes, follow prompts to remove or quarantine any detected malware and restart your computer if needed.

6. Restart Windows Explorer or Reboot Your PC

Sometimes, File Explorer glitches cause files not to display:

Step 1: Press "Ctrl + Shift + Esc" to open Task Manager and restart Windows Explorer under the "Processes"tab.

Step 2: Go to "Control Panel > Indexing Options" (you can search for it using the search box in the top right corner ). Click "Advanced", then choose "Rebuild" to refresh the file index.

Step 4: Restart your computer and check if the missing files or folders appear correctly.

7. Use Data Recovery Software

If none of the above help solve the issue- "Seagate external hard drive files not showing up", consider using professional data recovery software like MyRecover. This robust tool is capable of recovering data lost through accidental deletion, formatting, or inaccessibility caused by drive corruption, power failures, transfer issues, or system errors.

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Step 1: Download and install MyRecover on your Windows computer from the official website.

Step 2: Connect your Seagate external hard drive to the computer and launch MyRecover.

Step 3: On the main interface, select your Seagate drive and click "Scan" to begin scanning for lost or hidden files.

Step 4: Wait for the scanning process to complete. You can filter a specific type of files, or preview files after the scan.

Step 5: Select the files you want to recover, then click "Recover". Choose a safe location to save them (avoid saving to the same drive).

When it is done, you will see a mini window poping out, displaying how many files have been recovered successfully and where you can access them now.

Wrapping Up

Your Seagate external hard drive files not showing up in File Explorer? As we've seen, there can be various causes behind this issue. Fortunately, we’ve outlined practical solutions to help you fix the problem and recover your valuable data.

Whether the problem is due to system errors, hidden files, or hardware-related glitches, following the steps above can help you troubleshoot effectively. And if all else fails, reliable tools like MyRecover offer a safe and efficient way to retrieve your valuable data with just a few clicks.Its Technician edition enables file recovery on unlimited devices with a single license, making it ideal for both business and personal use.