[Resolved] Step-by-Step Guide: PS4 External Hard Drive Not Working/Not Recognized

To play more games and have an improved gaming experience, many PS4 users would choose to add an external HDD, SSD, or USB to expand the PS4 storage. However, sometimes the PS4 external storage not working or not being recognized issue may occur, preventing users from accessing the programs or games saved on the external hard drive.

If your PS4 external hard drive isn't working, the problem could be with the hard drive itself or with the PS4 system. The hard drive might not have worked from the beginning, or it could have stopped working after previously functioning normally. No matter which situation you're in, the tools in this article will walk you through finding a solution.

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Why isn't my external hard drive working with PS4?

Before diving into the details of the fix, let's first understand the reasons why PS4 external storage may not be working:

• All relevant components can contribute to the issue: the external hard drive's condition, USB connectivity, software problems, or console issues.
• Common reasons for each component include: a damaged external hard drive, an incompatible file system, unstable connections, or an outdated PS4 software version.

Whatever your situation, you can find a solution here.

Note: The solution in this guide works for all PS4 external hard drives, including Seagate and WD Elements external hard drives that are not working correctly.

How to Fix an External Hard Drive Not Working on PS4

There are two scenarios that might cause an external hard drive to not work with your PS4:

• The PS4 external hard drive was not recognized from the start, rendering it non-functional.
• The PS4 external hard drive was working fine previously, but then suddenly stopped functioning.

Next, we will analyze these two situations in detail.

Scenario 1: An external hard drive that doesn't work on the original PS4 console

Please follow the steps below to troubleshoot and fix the issue of an external hard drive not showing up or being recognized on your PS4:

Solution 1: Check your PS4 connection

Before trying any other fixes, make sure your PS4 is connected properly:

Make sure your external hard drive is connected to your PS4 via an Ethernet cable. Wireless external hard drives will not be recognized by the PS4 system. Confirm that your external hard drive is compatible with the PS4. Make sure your external hard drive is plugged directly into one of your PS4's USB ports and is using USB 3.0 or later. The PS4 can only recognize one external storage device at a time. Make sure that only one external storage device is connected to your PS4.

Requirements for PS4 External Hard Drive:

Solution 2: Format the External Hard Drive for PS4

A new PS4 external hard drive cannot be used on the console until it has been initialized. The PS4 external hard drive should be formatted as exFAT or FAT32. If the external hard drive is formatted with the NTFS file system, the PS4 system will not recognize it, as it does not support that disk file system. Follow these steps to format your PS4 external hard drive to the correct file system format:

Here are the exact steps to format an external hard drive for your PS4:

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click the partition on the external hard drive/USB/SD card that you want to format and choose "Format".

Step 2. Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click “OK”.

<Step 3> Click Yes in the warning dialog box to continue.

Step 4. Click on “Run 1 Task” on the top left to preview the changes and then hit “Apply” to start formatting the external hard drive/USB/SD card.

If you want to use your PS4 external hard drive with a Windows PC, you can reformat the PS4 hard drive on the PC to remove all of the game data.

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Solution 3: Check the External Hard Drive's Health Status

If the external hard drive is damaged, the PS4 won't recognize it. You can fix hard drive errors by connecting the PS4 hard drive to your computer. When the drive is connected to your computer, you'll see a message indicating that the drive is healthy: Ready to use. You may receive an error that the last USB device failed.

You can continue to use tools like Partition Master to check for bad sectors or the health of the hard drive. If there are too many bad sectors, it might be time to replace the hard drive with a new one.

Solution 4: Update the PS4 system software

If the hard drive works fine on other devices and isn't damaged, the issue might be with your PS4: older models of the PS4 may not support external hard drives. Try updating your system software to fix issues where the PS4 doesn't show or recognize an external hard drive.

Step 1. Connect your PS4 to the Internet, and then go to the home screen.

Step 2: Go to Settings > System Software Update.

Select System Update.

Step 3. If an update is available, proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Install the downloaded updates.

Connect the external hard disk drive to the PS4, and check if it works properly after the system software update.

Next, we proceed to another scenario where the PS4 external hard drive not working issue occurs. If you find this post helpful, hit the social buttons to help others in need.

Case 2: PS4 External Hard Drive Suddenly Stops Working

If the PS4 external hard drive was previously recognized and functioning properly, and suddenly stopped working, it might be due to a damaged hard drive. Try connecting it to a computer or another PS4 to check its condition. If you find an issue, follow Method 2 in Situation 1 for repair.

If the PS4 disc drive isn't the issue, try the following solutions:

Solution 1: Restart your PS4

Restarting your PS4 can fix most issues. Here's a simple guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Turn off your PS4.

Step two: Disconnect the external drive.

Step 3. Turn on the PS4 without connecting any external devices.

Step 4: Turn off the PS4 again.

Step Five: Connect the external drive to your PlayStation 4, and turn it on.

Solution 2: Rebuild the PS4 database

The PS4 has a “Rebuild Database” feature that scans the PS4 hard drive and creates a new database for all of your PS4 content. This can help organize your content database and get your PS4 running at its best.

This feature is only available in Safe Mode on the PS4, and will clear the system's memory without affecting any existing data. You can try fixing your external hard drive by following these steps:

Step 1: Turn off the PS4 by pressing the power button on the front of the console.

Step 2: Hold the Power button down and listen for two beeps.

Step 3: Enter Safe Mode: Connect your PS4 controller via USB, then press the PS button.

Step 4: Select “Rebuild database in safe mode,” and press X to confirm.

Wait for the PS4 to rebuild the database. Once it's done, you can restart it and check if it's working properly.

Solution 3: Initialize your PS4

If all else fails, you can try initializing your PS4, which will erase the PS4's hard drive and all saved data. Back up any important data before doing this.

This option also needs to be done in Safe Mode.

Step 1. Follow the steps in Solution 2 to enter Safe Mode, and then select “Initialize PS4” (Reinstall System Software).

Step 2. Once initialization is complete, update your PS4™ system software to the latest version.

Step 3: Connect the external drive and see if it works.

Note: Do not turn off the system during the PS4 Initialize System Software or Rebuild Database process. Doing so could damage the PS4 system.

Conclusions

This text outlines how to address the issue of an "external hard drive not working on PS4" in two different scenarios. If your external hard drive is not functioning on the PS4, the problem could lie either with the PS4 system or the external hard drive itself. If the issue is with the external hard drive, you can utilize the Partition Master tool for a comprehensive fix. If the problem stems from the PS4 system, the methods outlined in this article can be employed to resolve it.

Frequently Asked Questions about PS4 External Hard Drive Not Working Issues

This section also has other topics related to a non-working external hard drive on the PS4. Feel free to continue reading if you're interested:

**Why doesn't expanded storage for PS4 work on PS5?**

If your PS4 external hard drive isn't working on the PS5, it could be a USB connectivity issue. The USB cable connecting the PS4 external hard drive might be loose, or there could be a problem with the USB bridge. It's also possible that the USB port on your PS5 is damaged, or there's an issue with the USB hub you're using.

2. Why won't my PS4 read an external hard drive?

Both the PS4 system and the external hard drive can contribute to issues with the PS4 not reading the drive, such as

• The external hard drive isn't connected with a USB cable.
• The external hard drive isn't supported by the PS4 system.
• The file system format of the external hard drive isn't correct.
• Your PS4 is already connected to another external storage device.

How do I fix an external hard drive for PS4 that keeps making noise and not working?

When a PS4 external hard drive or other hardware has an issue, it can cause beeping. You can try fixing the problem by doing the following:

• Power the PS4 through its two ports.
• Repair a faulty cable or port.
• Clean the write or read head.
• Fix a faulty drive.