Fixed: Hard Drive Missing After Windows 11/10 Update? Translation: Fixed: Hard Drive Disappears After Windows 11/10 Update?

"One of my friends installed the latest Windows 11 update yesterday. Now, he's facing a problem where his hard drive is missing. It doesn't appear anywhere. What should he do to locate the missing drive in Windows 10 without formatting it or taking any action that might cause data loss, as there are many important files stored on that drive?"

Please provide the list of languages you need translated into English, I'll do my best to assist you.

5 Effective Solutions for Hard Drive Disappearing After Windows 11/10 Update

Use the methods below to locate the missing drive in Windows 11/10.

Fix 1. Format the Hard Drive

If none of the above methods work, the last thing you can try is to format the hard drive for reuse. However, as we know, formatting a hard drive will erase all the data on it. To prevent data loss, you need to back up the data on your hard drive beforehand before proceeding with the format.

But how can you retrieve data from a hard drive that isn't showing in File Explorer? Don't worry. You can utilize the Data Recovery Wizard tool to do it effortlessly. This proficient data recovery utility excels in recovering deleted files, formatted recovery, RAW recovery, virus-infected recovery, OS crash recovery, and more.

1. Recover Data from Missing Hard Drive on Windows 11/10

While data recovery tools allow you to retrieve data after formatting the hard drive, it's highly recommended to recover data before formatting to ensure comprehensive data retrieval. Follow the steps below to recover data from the RAW partition:

Step 1. Select and scan the RAW partition

If the RAW partition has a partition label, you can directly select it from the drive list and click "Scan" to search for lost files. If the RAW partition has lost its label, it will be recognized as a "Lost Partition". Just select "Lost Partition" and click "Scan" to initiate a full scan of the RAW drive.

Select the RAW partition and click "Scan".

Step 2. Preview the found data from the scan result

Once the scan is finished, all available files in the RAW hard drive will be displayed. Preview these files and locate the files you wish to retrieve. You can sort the scanned data by file format or directly search in the "Search files or folders" box.

< strong > Step 3. Recover data from RAW partition < /strong >

Select all files and click "Recover" to restore all the data. Select another internal or external hard drive to save the recovered data, then click "OK" to start the RAW drive recovery process.

2. Format Hard Drive Effortlessly

Now that you've recovered all data from the missing hard drive, you can securely format the drive to resolve the issue of the missing hard drive following the Windows 10 update.

Format hard drive with free partition management software.

tools Partition Master Free enables you to create, resize, clone, move, merge, and format partitions with utmost simplicity. This intelligent partition management utility offers all-in-one solutions to optimize disk and partition organization for enhanced computer performance. It facilitates various conversions such as transforming a logical partition into primary or primary to logical, FAT32 to NTFS partition, MBR disk to GPT, or conversely, GPT disk to MBR.

Step 1. Right-click the hard drive partition and choose the "Format" option.

Step 2. In the new window, set the Partition label, File system, and Cluster size for the partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. A warning window will appear; click "Yes" to proceed.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button, then click "Apply" to start formatting the hard drive partition.

Format hard drive using Disk Management

Step 1. Right-click on "This PC" and select "Manage". On the left side, click on "Disk Management".

Step 2. Right-click on the target drive or partition and select "Format".

Step 3. Select the file system and set the cluster size.

Step 4. Click "OK" to format the drive.

Format hard drive with Disk Management

Solution 2: Check the Hard Drive Connection

The connection between the hard drive and the computer could be the reason for its disappearance. Alternatively, if you connect a USB drive to your computer while updating to Windows 11/10, it might vanish after the update is complete.

In that case, try disconnecting the hard drive or USB drive, and then connecting it to another computer using a different cable or USB port.

For additional solutions to USB flash drives not appearing in Windows 11/10/8/7, refer to the article for assistance.

Solution 3: Update or Reinstall Disk Driver

Each upgrade to Windows 11/10 can come with hardware compatibility issues. If the device driver is not compatible with your current Windows version, it might lead to a problem where the hard drive is missing. To resolve this issue, you should update your disk driver to the latest version or reinstall it through Device Manager.

Update Disk Driver

Step 1. Right-click on "This PC" and select "Manage." On the left side, click on "Device Manager."

Step 2. Double-click to expand the Disk driver. Right-click your disk driver and select "Update Driver Software".

Step 3. In the pop-up window, select "Search automatically for updated driver software." Wait for your computer to search and install the latest driver software.

Reinstall Disk Drive

If updating the driver doesn't work, you can still try reinstalling the driver to resolve the missing drive issue.

< strong > Step 1. < /strong> Right-click on the disk drive and select "Uninstall." Click "OK." Restart your PC, and Windows will try to reinstall the driver.

Step 2. Alternatively, you can go to the company's website and find the latest updates you need to download and install on your computer.

Fix 4: Reassign the Drive Letter

If your hard drive is missing from File Explorer but appears in Disk Management as unallocated space and hidden, the issue might be due to a missing drive letter. You can resolve this by assigning a new drive letter to the disk.

Step 1. Right-click "This PC," choose "Manage," and then select "Disk Management."

Step 2. Next, you should see a list of hard drives connected to your PC/laptop. Identify the one that isn't being detected by the system; it should be displayed as an "unallocated" partition.

Step 3. Right-click on it and select "Change drive letter and paths."

Step 4. Click "Add" to open the "Add Drive Letter or Path" window. Choose "Assign the following drive letter" and click the letter to name your drive. Restart your PC and go to This PC to see if the missing hard drive issue has been fixed.

Solution 5: Run the Hardware and Device Troubleshooter

Another potential solution for a missing hard drive in Windows 11/10 is to use the built-in Hardware and Device Troubleshooter. This tool can assist you in easily resolving the issue with the Windows 11/10 missing hard drive.

< strong > Step 1. < /strong > Open Control Panel. Find "Troubleshooting".

< strong > Step 2. < /strong > Click "View all" on the left pane. Click "Hardware and Devices" and run the troubleshooter. Follow the on-screen instructions to fix the problem.

Why Does Hard Drive Disappear in Windows 11/10?

If you've recently upgraded to a new version of Windows 11/10 and can't locate a specific hard drive in File Explorer or This PC, you're not alone. The issue of a Windows 11/10 hard drive missing is an entirely unforeseen problem; it typically occurs after a Windows update.

Aside from Windows upgrades, many users encounter a missing hard drive issue during regular usage of Windows 11/10, which can manifest as:

Here are the translations:
• The hard drive keeps disappearing in Windows 11/10
• C drive missing or D drive missing
• Only C drive is showing in Windows 11/10

"Reasons for Hard Drive Disappearance after Windows 11/10 Update"

Here are some possible causes for the missing hard drive issue in Windows 11/10, as outlined below.

There is an issue with the USB interface for the hard drive. The disk driver is outdated or experiencing problems. The drive letter is not available, or the drive letter of the partition gets lost during Windows updating. The file system becomes corrupted, resulting in the partition turning RAW.

These are the most common reasons for missing drive issues. We'll provide specific solutions for each one in the sections below. Feel free to try them all to resolve your problem.

If you find this article helpful in resolving hard drives missing after Windows update, feel free to click the button below and share it with someone in need!

In Brief

The issue of a hard drive missing after a Windows 11/10 update or a hard drive disappearing in Windows 11/10, 8, or 7 is not uncommon. How can you locate the missing D drive or C drive without losing any data? This article presents five of the most effective solutions to this problem.

Well, if you're gonna format your hard drive anyway, make sure to use a pro data recovery tool to get your data back before you do that. After that, you can use some free partition management software to format that missing drive hassle-free.

Frequently Asked Questions About Missing Drive in Windows 11/10

Here are a few questions related to a missing hard drive after updating to Windows 11/10. If you're experiencing any of these issues, you can find solutions here.

1. How do I locate a missing drive on my computer?

Here are the translations of the provided text into English:
• Fix 1: Connect the hard drive to another USB port or change another USB cable
• Fix 2: Update or reinstall the disk driver
• Fix 3: Re-assign the drive letter
• Fix 4: Run the hardware and device troubleshooter
• Fix 5: Format the hard drive

**2. How do I locate my lost hard drive in Windows 11/10?**

You can locate the missing hard drive in Windows 11/10 by resetting the drive letter in Disk Management.

Step 1. Right-click on "This PC" and click "Manage." On the left side, click to open "Disk Management."

Step 2. Right-click the missing drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths from the menu.

Step 3. In the pop-up window, click the "Add" button. Check "Assign the following drive letter" and select a letter from the drop-down menu. Then, click "OK" to save the change.

3. How do I view all drives in Windows 11/10?

For Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7 users, you can view all available drives in File Explorer. Press Win+E to open File Explorer. In the left pane, select This PC, and all drives will be displayed on the right.

"Why did my hard drive disappear?"

There are several potential reasons for a missing hard drive in Windows 11/10. These could include:

1. The USB cable or USB port might cease functioning. 2. The disk driver requires an update. 3. The drive letter of the partition is missing. 4. The file system of the hard drive is corrupted. 5. The disk partition has become RAW.