External USB 3.0 Hard Drive not recognized

Document ID: 4009154
Posted Date: 2016-06-21
Last Updated: 2016-06-21
Distribution: View Public Website

Information

Question

An external 1TB USB 3.0 Hard Drive, when plugged into a USB 3.0 port, is not recognizd.

NOTE: The drive may be recognized as a USB device, but not as a hard drive in Device Manager, and may not show up in Disk Management.

Do additional drivers or software need to be installed to connect to the External Hard Drive through USB 3.0?

Answer

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A small percentage of computers may require a USB 3.0 "Y" cable for the External USB 3.0 Hard Drive to get enough power.

Some PCs limit the amount of power that can be drawn from a USB port, this can prevent the External USB 3.0 Hard Drive from working properly. The "Y" cable allows the USB 3.0 hard drive to pull power from two ports and get enough power to work properly.

An alternative to a "Y" cable would be a powered USB 3.0 hub (the type that has an AC adapter that plugs into a wall electrical outlet).

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