Internal Hard Drive Not Showing up in Windows 11 – How to Access?

So, you’ve updated to Windows 11 and can’t see your internal hard drive? What a nightmare! But don’t worry. There are many possible grounds for why this might happen; hence, we’ll explore them in this post. We’ll also give you some step-by-step instructions on accessing your hard drive so you can get back to your essential files and data quickly.

Why Is the Internal Hard Drive Not Showing Up in Windows 11?

We have already seen similar problem with External hard disk. There can be several reasons why an internal hard drive may not appear in Windows 11. Some common causes include:

• Connection issue: One potential reason for this issue could be a loose or damaged cable causing connection issues between the hard drive and motherboard or power supply. 
• Drive letter conflict: Another issue might be a pesky one, which can cause the internal hard drive to not appear in Windows 11.
• Driver issues: If the driver for the internal hard drive is outdated or corrupted, it can also prevent the drive from showing up in Windows 11. 
• Partition or formatting issues: If the internal hard drive has not been partitioned or formatted correctly, it may not appear in Windows 11.
• Hardware failure: Lastly, if the internal hard drive fails, it may not appear in Windows 11.

By identifying the specific cause of the issue, you can troubleshoot and resolve the problem and get your internal hard drive to show up in Windows 11.

Fix the Internal Hard Drive Not Showing up in Windows 11

Fix 1: Uninstall Recent Windows Updates 

If the hard drive is not showing up in Windows 11 after upgrading to a newer version, uninstalling that update is the simplest solution. 

1. Navigate to Start > Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
2. Select Uninstall updates located under Related settings.
3. Locate the newly installed update and select the Uninstall button.
4. Confirm the operation by clicking Uninstall, and the update will be removed from your computer.

Fix 2: Update the Driver

1. Let’s take a ride to the “Device Manager”! Right-click the Start button and select that, then find “Disk drives”. Next, locate your hard drive and give it a right-click. Now, choose Update driver from the context menu.
2. Tap on Search automatically for driver and sit tight while the computer does it. If any updates are available, you’ll see an Update button – make sure to hit that and restart your computer for good measure.  
3. Restart your computer and check if the hard drive is detected in Disk Management. If not, then jump on to the following troubleshooting method.

The Device Manager can update device drivers on Windows. However, it only searches for a newer system version and is an offline update mechanism. Remember that if you still need to download the latest version of the driver, using this method might not update the drivers.

Fix 3: Run SFC Scan 

Running the SFC scan could work. If any corrupt files are causing the hard drive not to show up, the scan will replace them with a cached copy. Check if the hard drive appears after running the scan.

Here is how you can do the SFC scans:

1. Search for the “Command Prompt” on the Windows search box, right-click its icon, and select Run as administrator.
2. Type SFC /scannow in the command prompt window and press Enter to execute it.
3. Wait for the scan to finish. It might take a few minutes.
4. Once the scan is completed, you can install updates properly.

Fix 4: Change Power Management Settings (for External Drives)

Suppose you’re having trouble with an external drive not showing up in Windows 11. In that case, it might be because of the power management settings. Check those out after making any necessary changes, and your hard drive should be ready!

1. Open the Device Manager and locate the “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” option. Click on it, and a drop-down list will show up. 
2. Find the USB Root Hub (USB 3.0) option, double-click it, and a new window should appear. 
3. Once you’re in, go to “Power Management,” Then find the option Allow the computer to turn off the device to save power.
4. Uncheck the checkbox, then click OK. You’re good to go.

Fix 5: Initialize the Drive

1. Run the Search menu by pressing Windows + S simultaneously.
2. Type “Disk Management” in the search bar at the top, and select the “Create and format complex disk partitions” search result to open it.
3. Check if the hard disk which is not visible in Windows 11 has a black bar at the top, indicating that its space is unallocated and thus not visible.
4. Right-click on the drive at the window’s bottom, and choose New simple volume from the given menu.
5. Tap on Next on the New Simple Volume Wizard window.
6. Go for the maximum volume size and click Next. The entire disk space will be displayed over it.
7. Assign a letter from the dropdown menu and tap Next.
8. Select a File system for the drive from the drop-down menu, enter a name in the text-field next to the Volume label, and click on Next.
9. Verify the settings and click Finish to create a new simple volume on the drive.

Here’s the deal: the bar’s color on top of the drive is significant. If it appears blue, then it means the space on the drive is given, or there are volumes on it. If it appears black, then it indicates unallocated space. If you’re experiencing a problem where a significant portion of your drive doesn’t appear in Disk Management or Windows Explorer, try creating a new volume on the disk. This should help solve the issue. However, if that doesn’t do the trick, then most likely, the drive has not been given a drive letter. So, you’ll need to move on to the next fix.

When picking a file system for your drive, use NTFS if you plan to use it on a Windows machine. And if you’re planning on using it on another operating system, go ahead and choose FAT32. Also, if you’re dealing with big drives over 4 GB, use NTFS; if they’re smaller than that, go with FAT32. Now, that’s some helpful knowledge.

Fix 6: Assign A Drive Letter For the Drive

If the hard drive has no letter assigned to it, it will be MIA from your Windows Explorer. This problem can come up after installing a newer version of Windows but don’t sweat it; we got you covered! Just assign a letter to the drive, and poof! After the update, the missing hard drive error in Windows 11 should be fixed. It’s that simple!

1. First, press the Windows key + X and select “Disk Management.” 
2. Then, right-click on the drive that is not being detected and select “Change Drive Letter and Paths”. 
3. Next, click “Change” and choose a new letter for the drive. 
4. Finally, click “OK,” and the drive should now be detected. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Conclusion

Don’t sweat it if your internal hard drive isn’t showing up on your Windows 11. It’s a bummer, but don’t worry! Just follow the steps we’ve laid out for you in this post, and you’ll be able to reaccess your precious data in no time. Plenty of solutions are available, whether it’s a connectivity snafu, a busted driver, or a partitioning screw-up. We just hope you found our guide helpful in fixing the issue and getting your internal hard drive back up and running on Windows 11. Good luck!

---