how to install an external hard drive? for windows 11

Question

I'm trying to install my "My Book" external Hard Drive to my windows 11 laptop.

I've went to the My Book website and downloaded the driver for it.

I went to Disk Management and I'm trying to initialize it. "Disk 1 - unknown - Not Initialized

when I go to this PC, then device manager, then disk drives, then I find my disk drive (WD My Book 25ED USB Device), it says this device is working properly.

I don't know what else to do.. any suggestions?

Answer 1

Hello,

If your WD My Book external hard drive shows up as "Disk 1 - Unknown - Not Initialized" in Disk Management on your Windows 11 laptop, you'll need to initialize the disk and create a partition before you can start using it. Initializing the disk will prepare it for use, and creating a partition will allow you to format it with a file system.

Please follow these steps to initialize and create a partition on your My Book external hard drive:

Important Note: Initializing the disk will erase any data on it. If you have any important data on the disk, make sure to back it up before proceeding.

Open Disk Management:

Press the Windows key + X on your keyboard, then select "Disk Management" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can right-click on the Start button and choose "Disk Management."

Locate the WD My Book Disk:

In Disk Management, you should see a list of available disks. Look for the WD My Book disk (Disk 1) listed as "Unknown" and "Not Initialized."

Initialize the Disk:

Right-click on the "Disk 1" label (on the left side, where it says "Disk 1 - Unknown - Not Initialized") and select "Initialize Disk." In the initialization dialog box, select the appropriate partition style (usually GPT for modern systems) and click "OK."

Create a Partition:

After initializing the disk, you will see "Unallocated" space on the disk. Right-click on the "Unallocated" space and select "New Simple Volume." This will launch the "New Simple Volume Wizard."

New Simple Volume Wizard:

Follow the steps in the wizard to create a new partition. You can specify the partition size, assign a drive letter, and choose the file system (NTFS is recommended for Windows). Give the partition a meaningful name if you wish. Click "Next" and then "Finish" to create the partition.

Format the Partition:

Once the partition is created, right-click on it in Disk Management and select "Format." Choose the desired file system (NTFS) and set the allocation unit size (usually the default is fine). Give the volume a label if you want, then click "OK" to begin formatting.

Assign a Drive Letter (if not done automatically):

After formatting is complete, your My Book external hard drive should be assigned a drive letter automatically. If not, you can right-click on the partition and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths." Click "Add," choose a drive letter, and click "OK."

Your WD My Book external hard drive should now be initialized, partitioned, and ready for use. It should appear in File Explorer (This PC) with the drive letter you assigned. You can start using it to store files and data.

If you encounter any issues during these steps or if the drive still does not function correctly after initializing it, double-check the My Book website for any specific drivers or utilities that may be required for your Windows 11 laptop. It's also a good idea to ensure your Windows 11 system is up to date with the latest updates and drivers.

I used AI provided by ChatGPT to formulate part of this response. I have verified that the information is accurate before sharing it with you.

Hope this resolves your Query !!

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