Quick Navigation
The hard drive is one of the most important parts of the computer. A faulty or failing hard drive puts all system files and user data at risk. We highly recommend managing the hard drive better to avoid catastrophic data loss.
You can identify a defective hard drive by its symptoms. Common symptoms of failing or faulty hard drives include slow system performance, frequent freezing or crashing, data inaccessibility, missing files, unusual error messages, booting issues, and more.
The Upcoming section will discuss common hard drive issues and their solutions in detail, Read on.
DIY Solutions For Common Hard Drive Problems
1: Hard Drive Issues After System Updates
System updates are crucial for maintaining security and functionality, but sometimes they can lead to hard drive issues like high disk usage after a Windows update, slow performance, booting, or hard drive missing after a Windows update:
It can be due to improper installation, file system corruption, or driver incompatibility, Here is how you can fix it:
Rollback the Update: Try rolling back the update within 10 days of the update if you notice any issues, verify on the social media platforms and Microsoft community forums to see if others are also experiencing the same issues, Here is how you do it:
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click on View update history.
- Click on Uninstall updates, and Restart your device.
Uninstall or Update Drivers: In case of problematic or outdated drivers uninstall or update the disk drivers to ensure its compatible and fix hard drive issues
- Open Device Manager > Expand Disk Drives
- Right-click on it choose Update driver and restart the device.
If updating the driver doesn’t fix the hard drive problems try uninstalling the drivers.
Run Chkdsk: Running the chkdsk command can fix hard drive errors by identifying and repairing file system errors or physical problems on the drive.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator
- Type: chkdsk X: /f /r (replace X with the drive letter) and hit Enter
Wait till the Scan completes and restart the device, check if the issue is gone
2: Storage Problems
When there are storage issues with the hard drive storage problems that affect your ability to store and retrieve or the hard disk is full but no files. Here are the solutions to fix it:
Disk Cleanup: Clean the unnecessary files using the built-in tool (Disk Cleanup) or Try clearing up temporary files.
Press Windows+R, type Temp, and clear up the files.
Check for Malware: Run an antivirus tool to fix issues caused by malware or viruses that hide files on your computer by manipulating file attributes, and modifying the file system. You can use either third-party tools or use Windows Security to scan the drive.
Defragment the Drive: Over time files become fragmented, meaning their pieces are scattered across different parts of the drive, leading to inefficiencies, you can defragment the hard drive to repair the hard drive.
Note: Defragmentation is unnecessary for SSDs.
- Open Defragment >optimize drives > choose the partition
- Click on Optimize
Format and Repartition: If the above doesn’t work, consider backing up the hard drive and reformatting it. Here’s how you do it:
- Open Disk Management > locate the drive you want to reformat > right-click on choose Format
- Assign a name for the drive, choose a file system (NTFS, FAT32, or exFAT), and Check or uncheck Perform a quick format.
3: Booting Issues
If your hard drive won’t boot, has corrupted files, or malfunctions it can be due to a connection issue incorrect BIOS settings, or a corrupt boot sector, here is how you can fix it:
Verify the connection: Check the SATA cable connections between the hard drive and motherboard, If you notice any damaged cables replace them.
Verify BIOS/UEFI Settings: Check the BIOS settings if the correct hard drive is prioritized during the boot process. Follow the steps to fix when the system cannot boot the hard drive:
- Restart your computer and press the F2, F10, DEL, or ESC during startup to enter the BIOS/UEFI settings.
- Open Boot or Boot Options and ensure that your primary hard drive with OS is listed first in the boot order. If not, adjust the boot priority
Repair the Boot Sector: If you are unable to boot the hard drive even after setting the boot order then it could be due to a corrupt OS or system disk. You can use the Windows computer repair to fix the operating system in this case:
- Use a bootable installation device on your PC and boot up your device.
- In the Windows Setup, Click on Next choose Repair your Computer, and select Troubleshoot
- Now use the Startup Repair feature to fix the hard drive not booting issue. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, you can attempt System Restore instead.
4: Detection Problems
When your device doesn’t detect the hard drive during the startup or in the OS, due to incorrect configurations or software glitches, here is how you can fix it:
Initialize the Drive: If you have a damaged partition table or unallocated space or you when you observe hard drive spinning but doesn’t get detected, try initializing the hard drive:
- Open Disk Management and locate the drive listed as Unknown or Not Initialized.
- Right-click on it and choose Initialize Disk
- Choose the partition style( MBR or GPT) to initialize the drive.
After initializing the drive, right-click the unallocated space, choose New Sample Volume, assign the drive letter, and format the drive.
Run Windows Troubleshooter: Run Windows troubleshooter to fix these hard drive errors.
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshooter and Choose Additional Troubleshooter
- Click on Windows Update > Run the Troubleshooter.
Run Windows in Safe Mode: Try opening Windows in safe mode to avoid conflicts and errors preventing hard drive detection.
- Click the Start button, then select the Power icon
- Hold down Shift and click Restart
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings
- Click Restart
- After the computer restarts, select 4 to enable Safe Mode.
Verify Drive Detection in BIOS/UEFI: Check if the drive is configured on BIOS to detect the drive. Restart your computer, access the BIOS by pressing the F2, F10, DEL, or ESC during startup, and look for the drive in the storage or boot configuration menu.
Preventive Measures and Maintenance Tips
Keep hard drives healthy and avoid data loss or performance issues by following these preventive measures:
Regular Backups: Take regular backups in an external hard drive or cloud storage to avoid losing data even if your hard disk fails.
Regular disk health checks: Monitor hard drive health by using SMART tools and Crystal disk Info to notice early signs like error messages or bad sectors.
Firmware and driver updates: Always update the OS and firmware as it can fix the bugs and resolve compatibility issues.
Physical care of storage devices: Avoid exposing the hard drive to any extreme or cold conditions and avoid applying pressure or dropping the hard drive.
Antivirus: Regularly scan your drives using updated antivirus tools to avoid virus and malware infections, additionally avoid downloading files from untrusted sources or clicking on suspicious links.
BONUS:
Want to Recover data from a Faulty Hard drive? Click here
Conclusion:
We hope the solution in this article has helped you fix your hard drive problems. However, hard drives do have a limited lifespan. It’s crucial to address any issues as soon as possible to avoid losing your important data.
