External hard drives are very convenient drives. They allow you to store and easily move information between different computers like a USB flash drive, but with one important difference - the amount of memory, which is much larger than the size of any flash card. Unfortunately, like any other electronic device, the external hard drive is not immune to various malfunctions. In this article we will talk about them, and also give instructions on what to do if the external hard drive does not start.
Causes of malfunctions
To correctly determine the sequence of actions, first you need to understand why the external hard drive does not start. There can be many reasons, but we will analyze only the majority of them, since they are most often found.
Main reasons:
- system errors;
- wrong connection;
- Incorrect access settings
- physical damage.
Next, we will provide specific ways to configure and diagnose an external hard drive.
Correct BIOS setup
If the new external hard drive does not start, then the first thing you should try is to correctly configure its connection in the BIOS.
In simple words, BIOS is a set of programs embedded in the motherboard that allow all components of a computer to work together. The list of such components includes the considered hard drive, which is why incorrect settings can cause the disk to become inoperative.
First we’ll run a diagnostic to make sure that the hard drive is detected by the motherboard. For this:
- Click RMB on the Start menu.
- In the pop-up window, click on “Device Manager”.
- Find the “Disk Devices” tab and expand it by clicking on the pointer on the left.
- If an external hard drive is displayed in the list, this means that it is correctly connected to your computer and is functional, but the system cannot work with it.
To fix this, you must:
- Restart the computer and press F12, DEL or F2 during startup. The correct button will be indicated when you turn on the computer.
- If you pressed the right button, then instead of the usual loading of the operating system, you will see the BIOS menu. Here you need to find the Boot or Advanced tab and go to it.
- Next, you will have to act on your own, because all BIOS settings vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but their principle is quite similar. Find your hard drive in the boot list or enter it there using the control buttons specified in the window on the right.
- On some systems, it is also necessary to activate the drive by selecting Enable in its settings.
This is the most common reason why the external hard drive of Seagate or other manufacturers does not start, however if this method did not help you, do not rush to return the goods, but proceed to the next method.
Driver installation
Drivers also play an important role when connecting an external hard drive. If it is not visible in the system, it is worth installing or reinstalling them.
To do this, just download the distribution kit from the manufacturer’s official website or install from the drivers disk, which was bundled with the purchased hard drive.
We will not disassemble step by step how to reinstall the drivers, since the instructions are individual for each manufacturer, however you yourself can deal with this by following the instructions of the installer.
Invalid disk id
One of the reasons why the external hard drive does not start on Windows 10, m, may be a system error that assigned the drive a letter that is already in use by another device.
Fixing this is easy:
- Right-click on the "Start" menu and in the context menu, select "Disk Management".
- Find the external one in the list of drives. You can do this by the amount of memory. If its identifier (letter) matches the identifier of another disk, then it must be changed.
- Right click on the identifier of the external drive and select "Change drive letter or drive path ...".
- In the new menu, select "Change."
- In the window that opens, change the identifier using the "Assign drive letter (AZ)" option, opposite which there will be a drop-down list of available letters.
- Confirm the action by clicking OK.
Volume creation
Sometimes for the external disk to function properly, it may need to be formatted and a volume created. Most often this applies to new hard drives, so this method is suitable for those who correctly connected and configured a new drive, following the previous instructions.
How to create a volume:
- Go to the disk management menu, as in the previous instructions.
- Right-click on the desired drive and run the utility to create a new volume.
- Set the volume size equal to the available memory on the hard disk.
- Specify a partition letter that is not used by other drives.
- Specify the file system (we recommend using NTFS).
- Format the disk by clicking the corresponding button.
Check disk for errors
We're done with connecting and setting up new drives, but that's not all. If the external hard drive does not start, although it used to work, this indicates an error specifically in its operation.
It is often not possible to solve them completely independently, but it is worth a try. You can do this by using the built-in diagnostic program in the operating system or using third-party utilities. Next, we will analyze both options.
Standard disk check
To check the disk using standard tools, you need:
- Go to the "Explorer".
- Click RMB on the desired external drive.
- Select disk properties.
- Go to the service tab.
- Click the “Check” button under the “Check for Errors” item.
- Specify automatic error correction.
- Confirm the action and wait until the end of the operation.
At the end of the work, all errors will be found and corrected automatically, however, this does not guarantee the resumption of the disk.
Third party programs
Using third-party programs, you are unlikely to achieve better results, but you should try them too.
If the external WD hard drive does not start, you can use the Norton Disc Doctor program, which is also suitable for other drives. This program does not require installation and takes up little space, in addition, even an inexperienced user can use it.
To fix errors, you need:
- Download and run the program.
- In the program window, select an external hard drive by ticking it.
- Check the box next to the "Correct errors" field.
- Run the test by pressing the appropriate key.
A bit about disk diagnostics
In addition to software diagnostics, you can also make a conclusion about the state of the disk by listening to it during startup. If the external hard drive squeaks and does not start, this indicates more serious problems. For example, sticking of magnetic heads, which few users are able to fix on their own, in addition, if the disk is under warranty, then we highly recommend not taking it apart yourself.
Separately, it is worth talking about various cods and squeaks. Many hard drives have a characteristic click when moving the magnetic head, but this is not always normal. If before the external hard drive did not click and start, then the clicks definitely indicate a malfunction of any of its parts.
In this case, also carefully inspect the disk case, because during operation you could drop it or accidentally hit it. If this happens, you must contact the service.
Not the fact that the new hard drive will be free from problems. Despite the fact that all products pass quality control and certain tests, the hard drive may be subject to certain influences during transportation or sale in the store. If it becomes inoperative, immediately return it to the store, which should send the product for inspection.
Conclusion
Now you know what to do if the Seagate external hard drive does not start and squeaks. Disks from different companies have similar technologies and the principle of operation, therefore, all the methods of "treatment" of the disk described above are suitable for any drives.
It is also worth saying that if you are unable to reanimate the hard drive yourself, then you can always contact the service center, where with some probability they will be able to recover data even from a non-working drive.