Surface doesn't find my USB Hard Drive (Toshiba)

Question

I know it's been asked a million times before, but how can I get Surface to see my Hard Drive.

It is a Toshiba Canvio 1TB USB externah hard drive using an NTFS file system, and it works on our family Windows 8 desktop, and my WIndows 7 laptop and Acer tablet, and worked on our previous Windows XP desktop.

When I say Surface doesn't find it, I mean it doesn't register it's there AT ALL. The light on the hard drive turns on to say it's powered, but the drive inside does not start up. I can tell because it makes no sound. It isn't a misnamed drive in Drive Manager, it's just nowhere.

It only has 1 USB cord, and no power cord, so I know it can work with nothing more than a USB port. It works on my Acer (Windows 7) tablet, even when it's not plugged in, so I doubt it can be a running on Surface's battery thing. I've tried it with Surface plugged in, and still no effect.

I can't find any drivers for it by searching, and couldn't work out how (if at all possible) to copy them across from another PC on which it works.

How can I get my Hard Drive working with Surface?

Answer 1

Hello Estragon Helmer,

Sorry to hear you are having issues with your external Hard Drive.

Have you contacted Toshiba support to inquire about drivers? Have you tried plugging in the HD and shutting down the Surface then turn it back on with the HD plugged in?

Please let us know.

Best regards.

Answer 2

Plugging in the HD before turning Surface on did the job. It's now found it and works perfectly, thanks.

Answer 3

i had the same problem as you did with a toshiba hd and when i plug it in before turning it on my screen freezes on at surface and is frozen :[ ive tried over and over again and it just continues to freeze while the hd is plugged in. any other solution?