Windows 10 does not recognize external hard drives or flash drives

Hey I might have a fix. I had the exact same issue. I fixed it by uninstalling Bitdefender Free Edition (antivirus) and restarting my computer. Idk if you have this antivirus but it's worth a shot. Be noted that this version is already discontinued and you will no longer be able to reinstall it.

hi Wyatt. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.

One of these fixes usually works for the error:

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-cannot-l...
(Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro, PC Repair Tool and Reimage ads)

https://blog.darrenjrobinson.com/recovering-fro... 
https://www.whatech.com/computer-support/blog/6...

https://appuals.com/fix-windows-cannot-load-the...

https://appuals.com/fix-windows-cannot-load-the...
(Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro, PC Repair Tool and Reimage ads)

If none of those help then I'll give you all possible fixes for External Drive not detected. Even if you've tried one please try it again in sequence and report back results. I'll be standing by to help you here:

Disable any 3rd party antivirus, or uninstall and turn on built-in Defender, to see if that resolves it.

Right click Start button to open Disk Management, scroll down to try to find the drive on the map by size and label, right click on it to assign a drive letter so it's detected in File Explorer.

Try disabling or removing any 3rd party antivirus. I would run built-in Defender which always offers best Windows performance with least issues, and is from Microsoft who knows how to protect their OS best.

For USB drive not detected issue, first try steps here: https://mspoweruser.com/solved-usb-device-not-r...

Go into Device Manager to look for the drive under Disk Drives. It may be listed by it's model or Serial which you can google to determine which is it. Click on the Device, then Driver tab, choose Roll Back if available. If not then choose Uninstall, restart PC to reinstall driver. If that fails choose Update Driver, first Automatically, then if that fails choose Browse > Let Me Pick to try all previous drivers.

If no newer or this doesn't help, then go to the USB category in Device Manager, open each Enhanced, Hub and Host controller, from Driver tab select Roll back if available, or if not choose Uninstall.

If your keyboard and mouse are USB, first program the power button to effect the needed restart after Rolling back or uninstalling the driver. Go to Settings > System > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings > Choose what Power buttons do to choose Shutdown.

Test the drive using diagnostics to know for sure it's condition: https://www.lifewire.com/free-hard-drive-testin...

Follow this up with a DIsk Check from the Command Prompt if necessary: https://www.groovypost.com/howto/check-hard-dri...

You can check which Updates were installed just before this happened, then uninstall them at Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Installed Update History - look first for installed drivers. Then you can hide these Updates using the Hide Updates tool: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8280-hide-s...

You can also try to System Restore to a point before this happened, then check for Updates using the Hide Updates Tool to block the Updates offered:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=de&u=https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-restore-windows-10

Check if the drive is detected in another PC. If so back up the data to a folder on it's desktop. Once you confirm all the data is off the external, wipe it with Diskpart Clean Command:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/85819-erase...
If nothing else works see if you can run Data Recover on it using
Recuva: http://www.piriform.com/recuva/features
Then plug it back into the PC which cannot detect it, reformat in Disk Management:
http://www.wikihow.com/Format-an-External-Hard-...

If nothing works you can try file Recovery starting with Recuva: http://www.piriform.com/recuva/features

Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

______________________________________________

Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

The reason why I didn't list the results for the "dozens" of solutions you provided is because I was either unable to implement them or they didn't work. But if you want to see the results:

wethegeek:

-uninstall device through device manager

Didn't work (as previously mentioned).

-clean registry

I don't know what registry items need to be deleted.

-update drivers.

Didn't work.

-runtroubleshooter
Didn't work.

thewindowsclub

-uninstall drivers

Didn't work

-run troubleshooter
Didn't work
-re-install usb drivers
Didn't work
-run clean boot
Don't know what drivers and programs I'm supposed to be deleting or isolating following the boot. Unhelpful instructions.

darrenjrobinson
-run troubleshooter
Didn't work

whatech
-make sure hard disk is never turned off
Didn't work
-reinstall device in device manager
Didn't work
-Update drivers
Didn't work
-Run troubleshooter
Didn't work
-Perform Clean Boot
Don't know what drivers and programs I'm supposed to be deleting or isolating following the boot. Unhelpful instructions

appuls
-hold shift while shutting down
Didn't work
-Reinstall devices
Didn't work
-Make sure hard disk is never turned off
Didn't work
-Run troubleshooter
Didn't work
-Perform Clean Boot
Actually gives proper instructions on what to do following a clean boot, but I think I'm going to actually try uninstalling updates before trying this.

So there you go. The "dozens" of solutions that you've linked to actually boil down to trying the same 6 things over and over again.

As for the drive diagnostic tool, I used DiskCheckUp. It didn't find anything.

1. It is not a problem with a particular disk. I ran a disk check on my three externals and they came back clean. I will also say again that I am working with multiple external hard drives and around 20 flash drives, so I highly doubt that this is a problem that is persistent across all of these devices.
2. Troubleshooter came back saying that no problem was detected.
3. It's hard to not skip steps when there are steps that I can't even take (please see my previous posts).

Many of the steps given in the links you've provided ask me to do such things as "delete registries" or "run a clean boot and delete/disable the problem drivers". It's a little hard doing either of these things when I have no idea what registries or drivers I'm supposed to be getting rid of.

As I have previously mentioned:
-the external drives do not show up on the Disk manager, so any solution requiring the disk manager is out of the question.

-I have multiple times uninstalled the usb drivers and rebooted. The problem was not solved.

For some strange reason, Windows 10 home edition does not have a troubleshooting tool for hardware, so that option is out the window.

Your suggestion of "check diagnostics" followed by a link is for a list of the "14 Best Free Hard Drive Testing Programs". Is there one I'm supposed to use?

And from what I can see, the big suggestion is that I go through all of the recently installed drivers with the latest windows update to see what's wrong? Because if that is the case then this probably won't go well.

I will say that I have been trying to figure this out for the past four hours. It is almost 1 AM where I am at, so I am going to go to bed and take another stab at this tomorrow.