[Windows 11/10] Troubleshooting - Hard Disk Drive (HDD) problems

Regularly updating BIOS, Windows, and drivers can enhance system stability and performance. Ensure that your device is using the latest versions. Learn more about updating BIOS:

How to update the BIOS version in Windows system

How to use EZ Flash to update the BIOS version

(For desktop products, please refer to ASUS Motherboard EZ Flash 3 Introduction.)

Learn more about updating Windows Update and drivers:

How to execute Windows Update

How to update drivers via System Update in MyASUS

If you have updated the BIOS, Windows packages, and drivers to the latest version, but the issue persists, please proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [Computer Management]①, then click [Run as administrator]②.     
   
2. In the Computer Management window, select [Disk Management]③.     
   
   • Look at the disk in Disk Management. If it appears [Offline]④, please try to right-click it and select [Online]⑤.    
     
   • If it appears online, but no drive letter (for example, E:)⑥. Please try to right-click it and select [Change Drive Letter and Paths]⑦.    
        
     Click [Add]⑧.    
        
     Select [Assign the following drive letter]⑨, then click [OK]⑩.    
     
   • If the partition is listed as [Unallocated]⑪, and you know that the partition is empty. Please right-click it and select [New Simple Volume]⑫, then follow the instructions to create a volume in the free space.     
     
3. If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. Check the arrow next to [Disk drives]③, then right-click the [disk drive that is not recognized]④ and select [Enable device]⑤. To test if Windows is able to recognize the disk drive.     
   If the [Enable device] option does not display that is meaning the disk drive is enabled already, please continue to the next step.     
   
3. Uninstall the driver of hard disk drive. Right-click the [disk drive that is not recognized]⑥ and select [Uninstall device]⑦.     
   
4. Click on [Uninstall]⑧.     
   
5. Restart the device. The driver will be automatically installed after the device restarts. To test if Windows is able to recognize the disk drive. If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   Note: If you cannot find MyASUS, it may not be installed on your device. Refer to How to install MyASUS.     
   
2. In the MyASUS app, click [System Diagnosis]③.     
   Note: If your device does not display the system diagnosis page in MyASUS software, it means your device does not support this feature. Continue to the next section for further troubleshooting. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app.     
   
3. In [Diagnostic Tool]④, select [Hard disk drive] check items of Customized diagnosis⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.     
   
4. If any error occurs, please try the troubleshooting suggestions and possible approaches to resolve the problem in MyASUS. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the device to a point before the problem began to resolve the problem. Here you can learn more about How to use restore point to restore the system.

If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the device to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about How to reset the system.

Regularly updating BIOS, Windows, and drivers can enhance system stability and performance. Ensure that your device is using the latest versions. Learn more about updating BIOS:

How to update the BIOS version in Windows system

How to use EZ Flash to update the BIOS version

(For desktop products, please refer to ASUS Motherboard EZ Flash 3 Introduction.)

Learn more about updating Windows Update and drivers:

How to execute Windows Update

How to update drivers via System Update in MyASUS

If you have updated the BIOS, Windows packages, and drivers to the latest version, but the issue persists, please proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. Check the arrow next to [Disk drives]③, then right-click the [disk drive that is with problems]④ and select [Update driver]⑤.     
   Note: Make sure your device is in an available network environment, then connect to internet because it is an online update process.     
   
3. Click [Search automatically for updated driver software]⑥.     
   
4. Windows is searching online for drivers.     
   
5. The automatic update is completed, please click [Close]⑦.     
   
6. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.     
   
3. In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.     
   
4. Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Check] in the error checking section⑦.     
   
5. Click [Scan drive]⑧, it will start checking the drive for file system errors.     
   Some conditions may start checking after restarting the device, please follow the on-screen prompts to scan the drive.     
   
6. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.     
   
3. In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.     
   
4. Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Optimize] in the error checking section⑦.     
   
5. Select the [disk drive that is with problems]⑧, then click [Optimize]⑨. The system will start optimizing your drives automatically.     
   
6. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   Note: If you cannot find MyASUS, it may not be installed on your device. Refer to How to install MyASUS.     
   
2. In the MyASUS app, click [System Diagnosis]③.     
   Note: If your device does not display the system diagnosis page in MyASUS software, it means your device does not support this feature. Continue to the next section for further troubleshooting. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app.     
   
3. In [Diagnostic Tool]④, select [Hard disk drive] check items of Customized diagnosis⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.     
   
4. If any error occurs, please try the troubleshooting suggestions and possible approaches to resolve the problem in MyASUS. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the device to a point before the problem began to resolve the problem. Here you can learn more about How to use restore point to restore the system.

If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the device to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about How to reset the system.

Regularly updating BIOS, Windows, and drivers can enhance system stability and performance. Ensure that your device is using the latest versions. Learn more about updating BIOS:

How to update the BIOS version in Windows system

How to use EZ Flash to update the BIOS version

(For desktop products, please refer to ASUS Motherboard EZ Flash 3 Introduction.)

Learn more about updating Windows Update and drivers:

How to execute Windows Update

How to update drivers via System Update in MyASUS

If you have updated the BIOS, Windows packages, and drivers to the latest version, but the issue persists, please proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [Computer Management]①, then click [Run as administrator]②.     
   
2. In the Computer Management window, select [Disk Management]③.     
   
   • Look at the disk in Disk Management. If it appears [Offline]④, please try to right-click it and select [Online]⑤.    
     
   • If it appears online, but no drive letter (for example, E:)⑥. Please try to right-click it and select [Change Drive Letter and Paths]⑦.    
        
     Click [Add]⑧.    
        
     Select [Assign the following drive letter]⑨, then click [OK]⑩.    
     
   • If the partition is listed as [Unallocated]⑪, and you know that the partition is empty. Please right-click it and select [New Simple Volume]⑫, then follow the instructions to create a volume in the free space.     
     
3. If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. Check the arrow next to [Disk drives]③, then right-click the [disk drive that is not recognized]④ and select [Enable device]⑤. To test if Windows is able to recognize the disk drive.     
   If the [Enable device] option does not display that is meaning the disk drive is enabled already, please continue to the next step.     
   
3. Uninstall the driver of hard disk drive. Right-click the [disk drive that is not recognized]⑥ and select [Uninstall device]⑦.     
   
4. Click on [Uninstall]⑧.     
   
5. Restart the device. The driver will be automatically installed after the device restarts. To test if Windows is able to recognize the disk drive. If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   Note: If you cannot find MyASUS, it may not be installed on your device. Refer to How to install MyASUS.     
   
2. In the MyASUS app, click [System Diagnosis]③.     
   Note: If your device does not display the system diagnosis page in MyASUS software, it means your device does not support this feature. Continue to the next section for further troubleshooting. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app.     
   
3. In [Diagnostic Tool]④, select [Hard disk drive] check items of Customized diagnosis⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.     
   
4. If any error occurs, please try the troubleshooting suggestions and possible approaches to resolve the problem in MyASUS. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the device to a point before the problem began to resolve the problem. Here you can learn more about How to use restore point to restore the system.

If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the device to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about How to reset the system.

Regularly updating BIOS, Windows, and drivers can enhance system stability and performance. Ensure that your device is using the latest versions. Learn more about updating BIOS:

How to update the BIOS version in Windows system

How to use EZ Flash to update the BIOS version

(For desktop products, please refer to ASUS Motherboard EZ Flash 3 Introduction.)

Learn more about updating Windows Update and drivers:

How to execute Windows Update

How to update drivers via System Update in MyASUS

If you have updated the BIOS, Windows packages, and drivers to the latest version, but the issue persists, please proceed to the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. Check the arrow next to [Disk drives]③, then right-click the [disk drive that is with problems]④ and select [Update driver]⑤.     
   Note: Make sure your device is in an available network environment, then connect to internet because it is an online update process.     
   
3. Click [Search automatically for updated driver software]⑥.     
   
4. Windows is searching online for drivers.     
   
5. The automatic update is completed, please click [Close]⑦.     
   
6. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.     
   
3. In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.     
   
4. Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Check] in the error checking section⑦.     
   
5. Click [Scan drive]⑧, it will start checking the drive for file system errors.     
   Some conditions may start checking after restarting the device, please follow the on-screen prompts to scan the drive.     
   
6. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.     
   
2. In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.     
   
3. In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.     
   
4. Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Optimize] in the error checking section⑦.     
   
5. Select the [disk drive that is with problems]⑧, then click [Optimize]⑨. The system will start optimizing your drives automatically.     
   
6. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

1. Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.     
   Note: If you cannot find MyASUS, it may not be installed on your device. Refer to How to install MyASUS.     
   
2. In the MyASUS app, click [System Diagnosis]③.     
   Note: If your device does not display the system diagnosis page in MyASUS software, it means your device does not support this feature. Continue to the next section for further troubleshooting. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app.     
   
3. In [Diagnostic Tool]④, select [Hard disk drive] check items of Customized diagnosis⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.     
   
4. If any error occurs, please try the troubleshooting suggestions and possible approaches to resolve the problem in MyASUS. If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the device to a point before the problem began to resolve the problem. Here you can learn more about How to use restore point to restore the system.

If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.

If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the device to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about How to reset the system.