External Hard Drive Takes an Eternity to Load

Quick Fix - Run CMD to Check and Fix External Hard Drive Errors: Rapid Solution - Execute CMD to Inspect and Rectify External Hard Drive Issues:

Sometimes, your external hard drive takes a long time to load because of disk errors. To address this issue:

1. Please open Command Prompt and then type chkdsk e: /f /r/x (replace 'e' with the drive letter of your external hard drive). 2. Alternatively, you can check for disk errors in Windows Explorer.

This page offers two sections of solutions to help you fix the "External Hard Drive takes Forever to Load" issue using file recovery software and three straightforward manual methods. Keep reading to discover how to address this problem and get your drive back to normal without losing any data.

Translation into English:

This excerpt was taken from the Tomshardware forum. It concerns a user who experienced an issue with their Seagate external hard drive taking an unusually long time to load in Disk Management and being slow to open in Windows File Explorer. Furthermore, the user encountered persistent error messages on their screen. Let's delve into the specifics.

"I have an old Seagate external hard drive that's probably 3 to 4 years old. It worked perfectly until a few months ago. Now, when I connect the hard drive, the light turns on, but it doesn't show up in My Computer. Occasionally, Windows displays an error message: 'You need to format the disk. Do you want to format it now?'. Also, double-clicking or right-clicking on the drive makes Explorer unresponsive or crashes. I've repeatedly attempted to open Disk Management to format it, but the information won't load with the external hard drive connected. The longest I've waited for my computer to load the drive is almost an hour. Can I still use this drive? It has many photos, so I can't format it at the moment."

Based on the user's experience, they have been encountering an issue where their external hard drive suddenly becomes very slow, causing files to take an eternity to load or folders to open. In this article, we will delve into the reasons behind this issue and discuss how to resolve a slow HDD, SSD, or USB flash drive without compromising access to crucial data files when it encounters loading problems.

How to Recover Data from an Unresponsive External Hard Drive 1. **Connect the Hard Drive**: Plug the unresponsive external hard drive into your computer using a USB cable. Ensure that it's properly connected and the computer recognizes it, even if it doesn't show up in File Explorer or Disk Management. 2. **Safety First**: Before attempting any data recovery, make a backup of your important files elsewhere, if possible. This prevents potential loss in case something goes wrong during the recovery process. 3. **Check the Connections**: If the drive isn't recognized, try using a different USB port or connect it to another computer. This can help determine if the issue is with the drive itself or the connection. 4. **Use Disk Management**: On Windows, open "Disk Management" (press Win+X and choose 'Disk Management'). Look for the unresponsive drive. If it appears but is not initialized or has an unhealthy status, right-click and choose "Initialize Disk" or "Rescue Disk." 5. **Run Error Checking**: If the drive is visible but not accessible, right-click on it and select "Properties." Go to the "Tools" tab and click "Check" to scan for errors. Follow the prompts to fix any issues found. 6. **Boot in Safe Mode**: If the above steps fail, restart your computer in Safe Mode and try accessing the drive again. Sometimes, background processes can interfere with the hard drive's operation. 7. **Data Recovery Software**: Download and install a reputable data recovery software like Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Stellar Data Recovery. Run a scan on the unresponsive drive, and the software will attempt to locate lost or inaccessible files. 8. **Deep Scan**: If the quick scan doesn't find everything, perform a deep scan, which may take hours depending on the drive size. This method is more thorough but slower. 9. **Preview and Recover Files**: After the scan, preview recoverable files and select those you wish to save. Choose a safe location to store the recovered data, ideally a different storage device. 10. **Professional Assistance**: If all else fails, consider contacting a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and expertise to handle complex cases, but be prepared for potential costs. Remember, prevention is key. Regularly back up your data to minimize the risk of losing important files.

When you encounter difficulties in properly loading an external hard drive, first download and install the Data Recovery Wizard tool to recover your data. Do not format the disk as prompted by Windows before attempting to perform external hard drive data recovery.

Step 1. Select and scan the external hard drive

1. Download and install the Data Recovery tool on your desktop or laptop. 2. Connect the external hard drive to your computer. 3. Launch the Data Recovery Wizard and select the external drive from the External Drives list. Next, click on "Scan for Lost Data."

Step 2. Review the scan results

1. Data recovery software will promptly scan the selected drive for all data, including erased, damaged, and currently existing files.
2. Utilize the Filter feature to swiftly locate specific types of files, like Pictures, Word documents, Excel sheets, PDFs, videos, emails, and so on.

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Step 3. Preview and recover data

1. Double-click on a file from the scanned results to preview it. 2. Select the files you wish to recover and click "Recover." 3. Choose a different drive to save the recovered files rather than the original location.

Additionally, Mac users can find solutions to fix a slow external hard drive on Mac by clicking this link: Fix Slow External Hard Drive on Mac.

How do I fix the slow loading time issue with my external hard drive?

Hard drive not showing up or being recognized is often considered a direct result of infinite loading. To tackle the endless loading issue and extend the lifespan of an old hard drive with such problems, here are three potential solutions.

Solution 1: Update outdated disk driver

DriverHandy is a potent utility designed to scan and address all driver-related issues. It effortlessly detects outdated drivers and updates them to their newest versions. Serving as an all-encompassing driver management solution for Windows users, it simplifies the process even for beginners, enabling them to effectively manage their computer drivers.

Download the tool DriverHandy and launch it. Next, swiftly scan your system to identify outdated, missing, or incompatible drivers. Once identified, update the outdated disk drivers to their latest versions.

If updating fails to resolve the loading issue, attempt to select 'Uninstall device' the next time.

Solution 2: Format the external hard drive to improve its performance

Disk formatting will erase all data on the slow external hard drive. Ensure that you have backed up crucial data beforehand. If the drive is already inaccessible due to the slowness issue, attempt to utilize data recovery software, as mentioned in the first part, to recover data from the formatted external hard drive.

Step 1. Press the Windows Key + R, type diskmgmt.msc in the Run dialog, and hit Enter.

Step 2. In Disk Management, right-click the disk partition that needs formatting and select Format.

Step 3. In the pop-up window, set the file system and cluster size, then click OK.

Solution 3: Replace the incapable hard drive with a new one

This last method should be your last resort if it genuinely takes an incredibly long time for your computer to load the connected hard drive. Alternatively, if formatting the hard drive doesn't resolve the issue at all.

Then it's time to upgrade the hard drive. Many free third-party disk cloning utilities could offer you a hand and save a significant amount of time and energy if you don't want to reinstall the operating system. For example, tools like Todo Backup Free with its Clone feature.

Further Reading: Seagate External Hard Drive Slow