Toshiba External Hard Drive Not Showing Up? Try The Expert 6 Fixes

When it comes to storing your precious photos, important work documents, or massive media collections, a Toshiba external hard drive is a trusted choice for millions of users worldwide. Known for their durability, performance, and affordability, Toshiba's external drives offer a simple plug-and-play solution for expanding your storage without breaking the bank.

However, you might encounter the problem Toshiba external hard drive is not showing up on a Windows or Mac computer. What should you do? How to fix it and protect your files? learn more about everything here.

Why is Toshiba External Hard Drive Not Showing Up

Understanding why this occurs in the first place is helpful before attempting any remedies. There are several reasons why a Toshiba external hard drive may not appear, from small bugs to major mechanical malfunctions.

After that, it’s time to find the solutions to fix the computer not recognizing the Toshiba external hard drive. Learn more from the following content.

How to Fix Toshiba External Hard Drive Not Recognized | 6 Ways

There are multiple solutions to fix my Toshiba external hard drive is not showing up. Let’s figure it out.

Way 1. Try Another USB Port

Toshiba external hard drive might not show up on your computer due to a damaged port. To let Windows recognize the Toshiba external hard drive, ensure your USB port is running properly. Now, you can connect your Toshiba external hard drive via another port. If Windows can detect this Toshiba external hard drive via another port, the previous USB port has problems. If the Toshiba external hard drive is still not showing up. It might be other reasons.

Way 2. Try Another USB Cable

Just like the above, if the Toshiba external hard drive is still not showing up, try to swap the USB cable. The damaged USB cable can’t help you find the Toshiba external hard drive on your Windows or Mac computer.

If that the USB cable problem, changing it solves the problem. If the computer still does not recognize the Toshiba external hard drive, try the other solutions below.

Way 3. Connect Toshiba External Hard Drive to Another Computer

Sometimes, you can try to connect the Toshiba external hard drive to another computer to check if it can be detected. If your Toshiba 1TB external hard drive is not recognized on one PC but works on another, the problem lies in your system settings or drivers that make the Toshiba external hard drive invisible.

Way 4. Update or Reinstall Disk Drivers

Outdated drivers can cause detection issues. Here's how to fix it:

1. Open Computer Management by hitting the Windows + X key combination.

2. Click Device Manager > Disk drives.

3. Right-click the Toshiba external hard drive and choose Update driver.

Way 5. Assign a New Drive Letter in Disk Management

Occasionally, Toshiba hard drive does not show up in Windows File Explorer but does show up in Disk Management due to the missing drive letter; you have to go to Disk Management to check.

1. Please go to your desktop and right-click This PC, choose Manage.

2. Click Disk Management from the pop-up window.

3. Check the Toshiba external hard drive to see if it shows up.

• If it shows up, assign a drive letter for the Toshiba external hard drive to make it visible in Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder: Right-click it and choose Change Drive Letter and Path, and follow the guide to complete.

• If it’s not showing up, it might be other reasons.

Way 6. Format Toshiba External Hard Drive (If Necessary)

If all the above solutions do not work, Toshiba external hard drive might have errors, and you have to fix these errors using chkdsk, and format it using diskpart to make it work. Before that, back up your files if possible.

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Run chkdsk X: /f /r (replace "X" with the drive letter) to check for errors and attempt to repair them. Exit the program.

3. Type diskpart in the Windows search box, and run as an administrator.

4. Input the following commands to format Toshiba external hard drive.

• list disk
• select disk n (n is the disk number of the Toshiba external hard drive)
• clean
• create partition primary
• format fs=ntfs quick
• assign letter=m (m is the drive letter you want to assign)

Now, your Toshiba external hard drive might be working now. This process will delete everything in the Toshiba external hard drive. If you need to recover files from the formatted Toshiba external hard drive, it’s highly recommended to use a professional data recovery software.

Recover files from Formatted Toshiba External Hard Drive - MyRecover

Fortunately, the powerful free data recovery software, MyReocver, comes to help. It can help you recover files from formatted hard disk effortlessly. Check the following advantages of MyRecover:

Highest Recovery Rate. It provides the highest recovery rate in the market, up to 99%.

1,000+ Formats. MyRecover allows you to recover any files, like images, videos, Documents, Excel, audio, archives, etc.

500+ Data Recovery Scenarios. You can recover files from a formatted hard disk, deleted files not in the recycle bin, emptied recycle bin, SD card, etc.

Flexible Devices Supported. It supports all devices, including external hard drives, local disks, computers, SD cards, USB flash drives, cameras, and other devices.

So, how to recover files from a formatted Toshiba external hard drive with MyRecover, check the full guide below:

1. Connect your formatted Toshiba external hard drive to your computer and ensure it can be detected by Windows. Install MyRecover after downloading.

Download Freeware
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 & Sever

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2. Click Format Recovery, click Scan when hovering over the Toshiba external hard disk. Wait for it to complete and hit OK.

3. Find the files and folders you need to recover, select and hit Recover.

4. Choose another place to save these recovered files and hit Select Folder to recover now.

Notes:✎...

You can upgrade to MyRecover Pro in order to enjoy easier file recovery. because 500MB of data recovery is all that the free version offers.

MyRecover Pro can be used to preview files before recovery, or recover data from a crashed PC.

 

MyRecover     

• Recover Deleted Files Easily with Simple Clicks     
• 1000+ File Formats Supported     
• Support HDD, SSD, External Hard Drive, USB Drive, SD Card, etc.     
• Quickly Find Files Using File Types, Name, Size, etc.   

Download Freeware
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 & Sever

100% Secure

FAQs about Toshiba External Hard Drive Not Showing Up

Why is my Toshiba external hard drive not showing up on my PC?

A: This can happen due to a faulty USB cable, driver issues, or drive letter conflicts. Try the above troubleshooting to fix.

How do I get Windows to recognize my Toshiba external hard drive?

A: Check Disk Management, update drivers, or assign a new drive letter.

Can a corrupted Toshiba external hard drive be fixed?

A: Yes, using CHKDSK or reformatting (but backup data first).

Why does my Toshiba 1TB external hard drive keep disconnecting?

A: It could be a power issue—try a powered USB hub.

How do I recover data from an undetected Toshiba hard drive?

A: Use professional data recovery software like MyRecover to recove files easily.

Is my Toshiba external hard drive dead if it's not detected?

A: Not necessarily—try it on another computer first. If still undetected, it may need professional repair.

In The End

Although most problems may be resolved, it can be rather upsetting when a Toshiba external hard drive fails to appear. Begin with simple checks and, if necessary, proceed to more complex solutions. Data recovery services might help you save your files if everything else fails.

Following these instructions may increase your chances of getting your drive back up and running and maintaining its health for many years to come.