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[Notebook/Desktop/AIO] Troubleshooting - Hard Disk Drive (HDD) problems
If you experience the HDD problems, please refer to the cases and its troubleshooting steps.
Please go to the corresponding instruction based on the current Windows operating system on your computer:
Update and confirm BIOS / Windows packages / drivers with the latest version on your PC
Updating software usually helps the system stability and optimization, so we recommend you check and often update to the latest version on your PC. Here you can learn more about:
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.)
For executing Windows update and drivers update, here you can learn more about:
How to update drivers via customer support in MyASUS
If the problem persists after you have updated BIOS/Windows packages/drivers to the date, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.
Check HDD in Disk Management
- Type and search [Computer Management]①, then click [Run as administrator]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.
- Look at the disk in Disk Management. If it appears [Offline]④, please try to right-click it and select [Online]⑤.
- If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.
Enable and reinstall driver in Device Manager
- Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]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.
- Uninstall the driver of hard disk drive. Right-click the [disk drive that is not recognized]⑥ and select [Uninstall device]⑦.
- Click on [Uninstall]⑧.
- Restart the computer. The driver will be automatically installed after the computer restarts. To test if Windows is able to recognize the disk drive. If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.
Run System Diagnosis in MyASUS
- Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.
If there is no MyASUS appear that is meaning your computer may not install it, refer to How to install MyASUS.
- In MyASUS, select [Customer Support]③.
- In [System Diagnosis]④, select [Hard disk drive] check item of Hardware diagnostic⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.
Note: If there is no System Diagnosis tab in MyASUS that means your computer does not support this function, please ignore this step and go to the next. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app.
- 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.
Use Restore Point to restore the system
If the HDD problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the computer 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 the next troubleshooting step.
Reset the system
If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the PC to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about: How to reset the system.
HDD is running slowly, have bad sectors, or an error message appears
Update and confirm BIOS / Windows packages / drivers with the latest version on your PC
Updating software usually helps the system stability and optimization, so we recommend you check and often update to the latest version on your PC. Here you can learn more about:
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.)
For executing Windows update and drivers update, here you can learn more about:
How to update drivers via customer support in MyASUS
If the problem persists after you have updated BIOS/Windows packages/drivers to the date, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.
Update driver in Device Manager
- Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]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 computer is in an available network environment, then connect to internet because it is an online update process.
- Click [Search automatically for updated driver software]⑥.
- Windows is searching online for drivers.
- The automatic update is completed, please click [Close]⑦.
- If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.
Run the Error checking with drive through Windows
- Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.
- In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.
- In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.
- Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Check] in the error checking section⑦.
- Click [Scan drive]⑧, it will start checking the drive for file system errors.
Some conditions may start checking after restarting the computer, please follow the on-screen prompts to scan the drive.
- If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.
Optimize and defragment drive through Windows
- Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.
- In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.
- In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.
- Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Optimize] in the error checking section⑦.
- Select the [disk drive that is with problems]⑧, then click [Optimize]⑨. The system will start optimizing your drives automatically.
- If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.
Run System Diagnosis in MyASUS
- Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.
If there is no MyASUS appear that is meaning your computer may not install it, refer to How to install MyASUS. - In MyASUS, select [Customer Support]③.
- In [System Diagnosis]④, select [Hard disk drive] check item of Hardware diagnostic⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.
Note: If there is no System Diagnosis tab in MyASUS that means your computer does not support this function, please ignore this step and go to the next. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app. - 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.
Use Restore Point to restore the system
If the HDD problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the computer 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 the next troubleshooting step.
Reset the system
If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the PC to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about: How to reset the system.
If your problem is not worked out with above solution and information, please contact ASUS customer service center for further information.
Update and confirm BIOS / Windows packages / drivers with the latest version on your PC
Updating software usually helps the system stability and optimization, so we recommend you check and often update to the latest version on your PC. Here you can learn more about:
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.)
For executing Windows update and drivers update, here you can learn more about:
How to update drivers via customer support in MyASUS
If the problem persists after you have updated BIOS/Windows packages/drivers to the date, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.
Check HDD in Disk Management
- Type and search [Computer Management]①, then click [Run as administrator]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.
- Look at the disk in Disk Management. If it appears [Offline]④, please try to right-click it and select [Online]⑤.
- If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.
Enable and reinstall driver in Device Manager
- Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]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. - Uninstall the driver of hard disk drive. Right-click the [disk drive that is not recognized]⑥ and select [Uninstall device]⑦.
- Click on [Uninstall]⑧.
- Restart the computer. The driver will be automatically installed after the computer restarts. To test if Windows is able to recognize the disk drive. If the problem persists, please continue to the next troubleshooting step.
Run System Diagnosis in MyASUS
- Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.
If there is no MyASUS appear that is meaning your computer may not install it, refer to How to install MyASUS.
- In MyASUS, select [Customer Support]③.
- In [System Diagnosis]④, select [Hard disk drive] check item of Hardware diagnostic⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.
Note: If there is no System Diagnosis tab in MyASUS that means your computer does not support this function, please ignore this step and go to the next. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app. - 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.
Use Restore Point to restore the system
If the HDD problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the computer 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 the next troubleshooting step.
Reset the system
If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the PC to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about: How to reset the system.
HDD is running slowly, have bad sectors, or an error message appears
Update and confirm BIOS / Windows packages / drivers with the latest version on your PC
Updating software usually helps the system stability and optimization, so we recommend you check and often update to the latest version on your PC. Here you can learn more about:
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.)
For executing Windows update and drivers update, here you can learn more about:
How to update drivers via customer support in MyASUS
If the problem persists after you have updated BIOS/Windows packages/drivers to the date, please continue to the next chapter for troubleshooting.
Update driver in Device Manager
- Type and search [Device Manager] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]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 computer is in an available network environment, then connect to internet because it is an online update process. - Click [Search automatically for updated driver software]⑥.
- Windows is searching online for drivers.
- The automatic update is completed, please click [Close]⑦.
- If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.
Run the Error checking with drive through Windows
- Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.
- In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.
- In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.
- Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Check] in the error checking section⑦.
- Click [Scan drive]⑧, it will start checking the drive for file system errors.
Some conditions may start checking after restarting the computer, please follow the on-screen prompts to scan the drive.
- If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.
Optimize and defragment drive through Windows
- Type and search [File Explorer]①, then click [Open]②.
- In the File Explorer window, click [This PC]③.
- In the This PC window, select for the [disk drive that is with problems] and right-click the icon④, then select [Properties]⑤.
- Select [Tools] tab⑥, then click [Optimize] in the error checking section⑦.
- Select the [disk drive that is with problems]⑧, then click [Optimize]⑨. The system will start optimizing your drives automatically.
- If the problem persists, please continue the next troubleshooting step.
Run System Diagnosis in MyASUS
- Type and search [MyASUS] in the Windows search bar①, then click [Open]②.
If there is no MyASUS appear that is meaning your computer may not install it, refer to How to install MyASUS.
- In MyASUS, select [Customer Support]③.
- In [System Diagnosis]④, select [Hard disk drive] check item of Hardware diagnostic⑤, and then click [Checkup]⑥. Here you can learn more about MyASUS System Diagnosis - Introduction.
Note: If there is no System Diagnosis tab in MyASUS that means your computer does not support this function, please ignore this step and go to the next. Here you can learn more about Why can I only see the partial features in the MyASUS app. - 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.
Use Restore Point to restore the system
If the HDD problem happens recently, and if you have ever created a restore point or there is an automatic system restore existed, try to restore the computer 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 the next troubleshooting step.
Reset the system
If the problem persists after all troubleshooting steps are completed. Please backup your personal files, then reset the PC to back to its original configuration. Here you can learn more about: How to reset the system.
If your problem is not worked out with above solution and information, please contact ASUS customer service center for further information.