8 Solutions to Fix Can't Access to Toshiba External Hard Drive Without Losing Data

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Toshiba external hard drives are popular for their reliability, portability, and ample storage capacity. However, like any other external storage device, they can sometimes face issues, such as being inaccessible or unreadable. These problems can stem from several causes, ranging from simple connection issues to more complex software or hardware failures.

If you're unable to access your Toshiba external hard drive, don't panic. In this article, we will explore problem and offer detailed solutions to help you resolve it and regain access to your important data.

Common Causes of an Inaccessible Toshiba External Hard Drive

Understanding why your Toshiba external hard drive isn't accessible can help you troubleshoot the issue more effectively. Below are some of the most common causes:

1. Connection Problems: Sometimes, the problem is as simple as a loose or faulty USB cable, or a damaged USB port.
2. Drive Letter Conflict: If your external hard drive is not assigned a drive letter or has a conflicting drive letter, your computer may not recognize it.
3. File System Corruption: This can happen due to improper removal, power surges, or malware attacks, making the data on the drive unreadable.
4. 4Outdated or Corrupt Drivers: If your system drivers are outdated or corrupted, they might fail to recognize the external hard drive.
5. Partition Issues: If the drive partition is lost or corrupted, the drive may appear as inaccessible.
6. Physical Damage: If your external hard drive has suffered physical damage, it could prevent your system from accessing it.

Quick Checks to Solve 'Toshiba Drive Inaccessible' Problem:

Before diving into complex fixes, it's always a good idea to rule out some simple causes of the issue. Here's what you can do:

1. Try a Different USB Port: Plug the external hard drive into another USB port on your computer. Sometimes, USB ports may malfunction.
2. Use a Different Cable: The USB cable you're using could be faulty. If you have another compatible cable, try using that.
3. Test the Drive on Another Computer: Connect the external hard disk from Toshiba to a different computer. If it functions, your computer is the issue, not the disk.

If your Toshiba external hard drive still isn't accessible after these preliminary checks, proceed to the solutions below.

Export/Recover Data from Inaccessible Toshiba External Hard Drive

If you formatted the drive by mistake or lost access to your files due to file system corruption, data recovery software can help. These tools scan the external hard drive for recoverable files and let you restore them.

Recommended Data Recovery Software:

• Donemax Data Recovery: A powerful tool that can recover all inaccessible/lost files and repair hard drives, SSDs, USB drives, SD cards, etc.
• Do Your Data Recovery: A powerful tool that can recover lost partitions, deleted files, and files from formatted drives.
• Magoshare Data Recovery: Another excellent option for recovering data from damaged or corrupted external drives.

Before fixing can't access to Toshiba external hard drive, you can follow the steps below to export/recover your files from the inaccessible Toshiba external hard drive to another drive.

Step 1. Download and install the reliable data recovery software - Donemax Data Recovery on your computer and connect the Toshiba external hard drive to the computer.

Step 2. Open Donemax Data Recovery, then select the Toshiba external hard drive to start data recovery.

Step 3. Click on Scan button. Donemax Data Recovery performs deep scan and find all recoverable files including existing files, inaccessible files, deleted/formatted/lost files from the Toshiba external hard drive.

Step 4. After scan, you can preview the recoverable files. Then select the wanted files or just select all files, click on Recover button to save them to a safe location.

Top 8 Solutions to Fix Can't Access to Toshiba’s External Hard Drive

Solution 1. Assign a Drive Letter for the Toshiba External Hard Drive

If your Toshiba external hard drive is recognized but doesn't have a drive letter, it won't show up in File Explorer, and you won't be able to access it.

Steps to Assign a Drive Letter:

Step 1. To manage This PC or My Computer, right-click on it and choose Manage.

Step 2. Select the Storage option and then Disk Management.

Step 3. From the list of drives, find your Toshiba external hard drive.

Step 4. Use the right-click menu to choose Change Drive Letter and Paths if the partition lacks a drive letter.

Step 5. Click Add and then assign a new drive letter to the external hard drive.

Step 6. Click OK to confirm and see if the drive appears in File Explorer.

Solution 2. Update or Reinstall Drivers

Failure of external hard drives might be attributed to outdated or faulty drivers. Reinstalling or updating drivers might fix the issue.

Steps to Update Drivers:

Step 1. Select Device Manager by doing a right-click on Start.

Step 2. Navigate to the Disk drives section and locate your Toshiba external hard drive.

Step 3. Use the right-click menu to choose Update driver.

Step 4. Select Search automatically for drivers.

Step 5. To finish the procedure, adhere to the on-screen directions.

If updating the driver doesn't work, try uninstalling it:

Steps to Reinstall Drivers:

Step 2. In Device Manager, right-click your Toshiba external hard drive and select Uninstall device.

Step 2. After uninstallation, unplug the drive and restart your computer.

Step 3. Plug the Toshiba external hard drive back into your computer, and Windows should automatically reinstall the drivers.

Solution 3. Check for File System Errors on the Toshiba Drive

File system errors can prevent your external hard drive from being accessed. Windows has a built-in tool called CHKDSK (Check Disk) that can fix file system errors.

Steps to Run CHKDSK:

Step 1. Choose Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin) by pressing Windows + X.

Step 2. Type the following command into the Command Prompt window and hit Enter:

chkdsk H: /f /r

Change H: to the drive letter that corresponds to your Toshiba external hard drive.

Step 3. Allow the process to complete, as it will check for file system errors and attempt to fix them.

Once the process is finished, try accessing your external hard drive again.

Solution 4. Use Disk Management to Format the Toshiba Drive

If your Toshiba external hard drive is recognized but still inaccessible, formatting it may be your last resort. Note that formatting the drive will erase all the data on it, so this should only be done if you’ve backed up your files or are willing to lose the data.

Steps to Format the Drive:

Step 1. To manage this PC or my computer, right-click on it and choose Manage.

Step 2. In the Storage section, select Disk Management.

Step 3. Choose Format by performing a right-click on your Toshiba external hard disk.

Step 4. Select the File System (exFAT for Windows and NTFS for Mac OS X), and make sure the Quick Format checkbox is selected.

Step 5. Click OK to format the drive.

After formatting, the drive should be accessible again. If you still need to recover lost data, consider using third-party data recovery software (as said above).

Note: If the Toshiba external hard drive shows as initialized, just right-click it in Disk Management, choose Initialize.

Solution 5. Create a New Simple Volume on the Toshiba Drive

If your Toshiba external hard drive is detected but shows as unallocated or RAW in Disk Management, it could be due to partition corruption.

Step 1. Press Win+X, then choose Disk Management.

Step 2. Find the Toshiba external hard drive, right-click it, then choose New Simple Volume.

Then follow the wizard to create a new volume on the Toshiba external hard drive.

Solution 6. Check for Physical Damage

If none of the software-related solutions work, there could be physical damage to the drive. External hard drives are delicate devices that can be damaged by drops, shocks, or even extreme temperatures.

Symptoms of Physical Damage:

• The drive makes clicking or grinding noises.
• It does not spin or show any signs of power.
• The drive is not detected by the computer at all.

If you suspect physical damage, it's best not to attempt any DIY repairs. Contact a professional data recovery service to retrieve your data or repair the drive. Note that physical data recovery can be expensive.

Solution 7. Resetting the USB Controllers

Sometimes, resetting the USB controllers can fix connectivity issues between your computer and the external hard drive.

Steps to Reset USB Controllers:

Step 1. Right-click on Start and select Device Manager.

Step 2. Scroll down to Universal Serial Bus controllers and expand the section.

Step 3. Right-click each item listed under USB controllers and select Uninstall device.

Step 4. Once all devices are uninstalled, restart your computer. Windows will automatically reinstall the USB controllers.

Step 5. Connect your Toshiba external hard drive and check if it's now accessible.

Solution 8. Seek Professional Help for Toshiba Drive Repair

If your Toshiba external hard drive is still inaccessible despite trying all the above solutions, it may be time to seek professional help. Data recovery experts can use specialized tools to recover your data, even from physically damaged drives. Although this is typically the most expensive option, it may be the only way to recover valuable files.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an inaccessible Toshiba external hard drive can be frustrating, but it's not always a sign of permanent data loss. By following the solutions described in this article, you can troubleshoot and resolve many common issues. Whether it's a driver problem, file system corruption, or a more complex partition issue, the solutions provided can help you get your hard drive back up and running. However, if the problem persists, seeking professional help is a reliable alternative to recover your valuable data.