Hard Drive Spinning but Not Detected? Here’s How to Fix It

Your HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is the most important component in your PC setup, and it's often referred to as the brain of the computer. It stores all the important data of your operating system and the folders and files you download. Since hard drives are mechanical, they require spinning platters to write data while they're working.

When the computer is running, the spinning of the HDD might be substantial enough. But here comes the issue, "HDD is spinning but not detected!" The HDD makes loud spinning noises, yet it fails to get recognized by the computer. So, it's a prevalent problem these days! When you connect the HDD to the system, it shows a spinning icon but fails to recognize it.

What could cause a hard drive to spin but not be detected?

External hard drives are incredibly useful, but you may run into an issue where your drive isn't being recognized. There are several reasons why your hard drive might spin up but not be detected. Here are the most common ones:

• The partitioning might not be set on the HDD itself. This is most likely to occur on newer HDDs, but it can also happen with older or used HDDs!
• Though partitions exist, they may not have an associated letter.
• The HDD might not be connected to a common NTFS or FAT32 system that most PCs can recognize and instead show as "RAW."
• The physical connection could lead to connectivity issues between your PC and the drive.
• A driver may need to be updated or installed for the external HDD.

7 Ways to Fix a Hard Drive Spinning but Not Detected

It is evident that errors involving a spinning but undetected hard drive can be caused by several reasonable factors. However, there are several approaches to resolve the issue and get your system running smoothly. The methods below can be employed to fix an unrecognized spinning hard drive.

• Solution 1: Restart Windows to Fix the Issue
• Solution 2: Run Windows in Safe Mode
• Solution 3: Check and Replace the Hard Drive Adapter
• Solution 4: Run the Windows System Troubleshooter
• Solution 5: Update HDD and Drivers
• Solution 6: Repair Bad Sectors on the HDD
• Solution 7: Run the Cleanup Command

Solution 1: Troubleshoot by restarting Windows

If your HDD is not recognized by Windows, you need to restart your computer after unplugging the HDD to see if the issue goes away! One of the simplest ways to fix an undetected HDD issue is to restart your Windows PC. Let's look at the steps to restart Windows using the Start menu:

Step 1: Click the "Start" icon on the taskbar or press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.

Step 2: Tap the power button in the bottom-right corner.

Step 3: Choose Restart from the pop-up menu.

Fix 2: Run Windows in Safe Mode

You can run Windows 10/11 in Safe Mode from Settings. If you're already logged into your Windows 10 computer, you can access this mode with the Advanced Startup options. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Settings on your Windows computer.

Click the Start menu in Windows 10/11, then choose Settings.

Step 2: Enter the startup settings menu

• You need to select "Update & Security."
• Choose "Recovery" from the left menu.
• Under "Advanced startup," click "Restart now" to enter the Windows Recovery Environment.
• After that, you'll need to click "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Settings" > "Restart."

Select “Restart” from the menu.

Step 3. Select the Safe Mode option

You can now choose your preferred safe mode option to boot Windows 10/11 into Safe Mode.

Press the F4 key to boot your Windows 10 computer into Safe Mode, or F6 to boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

Fix 3: Check and replace the hard drive adapter

The problem and its solution are often right in front of us, yet we fail to identify them. If your HDD is spinning but not being recognized, you must validate and replace the HDD adapter. The HDD adapter could be the issue – the only issue. Thus, you can take any HDD out of the adapter. Otherwise, you can reset the HDD adapter through BIOS to restore default settings. Additionally, you can replace or install a brand new HDD adapter.

Many Windows 10/11 users have already proven the tool's efficiency. If you find data recovery interesting, share on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on!

Fix 4: Run the Windows Troubleshooter

Windows PCs come with a built-in Troubleshooter that can help you find and fix various Windows errors. You can quickly access the Troubleshooter from Settings and run this 'Windows System Troubleshooter' with these steps:

Step 1. Press the Windows + I keys to open Settings, or manually open it from your computer.

Step 2. Click on “Update & Security,” and then open “Troubleshoot.”

Step 3: Choose the troubleshooting wizard that matches your hardware or issue, and then click the Run the troubleshooter button.

Fix 5: Update your HDD and drivers

When your Windows installation is fresh, it doesn't have drivers running for your HDD or connected hard disk drives. You'll need to check for the system's drivers and install them through the internet, a disk, or simultaneously for each drive. Follow these steps to update your HDD and drivers:

Step 1: Type Device Manager in the search box on the taskbar, and then select Device Manager.

Step 2. Select a category to view the device name, then right-click on the driver you wish to update.

Step 3: Select Search automatically for updated driver software.

<b>Step 4</b>. Click Update Driver.

Step 5. If Windows can't find the new driver, search for it on the manufacturer's website and follow the on-screen instructions.

How to Update Drivers on Windows 11 [Download USB Drivers]

Want to know how to update drivers in Windows 11? This article will guide you through the process of using and fixing your drivers. Read on for more details!

Repairing Bad Sectors on a Hard Drive

Bad sectors occur when you shut down your PC improperly or unintentionally, rather than shutting it down normally. There can be other reasons for bad sectors on an HDD, but this is one of the basics. You can check for bad sectors on your HDD. You can do this using the chkdsk utility. Or, if you're using Windows, you can use Windows PowerShell.

Fix 7: Run the Cleanup Command

Another way to fix the “Hard drive spinning but not detected” error is by running a cleaning command. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Launch the Windows search box, type in diskpart, and hit Enter to run the command. Now, at the prompt, type list disk and press Enter.

Step 2: Note the name of your hard drive, then click on Select Disk.

Step 3: Type clean and press Enter to begin wiping the drive.

& Step 4 & Then format it using Disk Management.

Please share this post as much as possible on social media to inform your friends about the issue and its potential solution.

Recover Data from Undetected Hard Drive

If the faulty hard drive is spinning but not being recognized, you can attempt to retrieve lost data with data recovery software. This can be achieved with some excellent applications. Your best bet is to use the Data Recovery Wizard tool, which will help you safely recover all information from the hard drive.

With this renowned data recovery platform, you can restore your data with a 99.7% success rate unlimitedly. The tool boasts the following top features:

• Supports the recovery of over 1,000 different file types, including graphics, videos, emails, audio files, documents, and more.
• Recovers files from SD cards, cameras, memory cards, USB flash drives, and external HDDs.
• Caters to various file recovery scenarios such as partition recovery, deleted file recovery, damaged HDD recovery, RAW drive recovery, and more.

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In short

It makes sense to know how to take care of your hard drive, since it stores all of your important information. It's also helpful to be aware of warning signs that your hard drive might be failing, stressed, improperly formatted, or otherwise having issues that could cause your computer to stop recognizing it.

One of the most common issues users encounter is hard drive spinning, although it needs to be identified. While there are several possible solutions, if your system still fails to detect your hard drive, it's best to recover your data using tools like Data Recovery Wizard Pro.

"Frequently Asked Questions: 'Hard Drive Spinning but Not Detected'"

Please follow this FAQ carefully to troubleshoot the issue of a hard drive spinning but not being detected:

Why isn't my hard drive detected?

If there's a problem with the driver, connection, or BIOS settings, Disk Management might not recognize the new hard drive. These are all fixable problems.

2. How can I recover data from a hard drive that won't spin?

With the Data Recovery Wizard Pro utility, it is possible to recover data from a non-spinning hard drive. There is a 99.9% chance of retrieving deleted data from your system.

3. Can a damaged hard drive be recovered?

Data can be recovered from an unresponsive hard drive. However, the OS must recognize the hard drive and show the correct size. If both these conditions are met, using a data recovery software tool will be helpful.

4. Can dead hard drives be revived?

If the hard drive isn't spinning, it's very difficult to fix or recover from any damage inside. It's best to send the device to a professional for technical repair.