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Wd Usb Device Not Recognized

Western Digital has produced numerous external storage devices over the years. The WD My book device is considered to be the best of the lot. So, do not even hesitate if you are looking to get yourself this gem of a machine. For some time now, the users of the WD My Book external hard drive are not able to detect the hard drive in their computer. The error is quite standard among other Western digital devices. However, there are quite a few fixes when it comes to resolving the connection. You can take up some measures and find out what causes the Wd My Book USB Device Not Recognized on the computer. Here are some troubleshooting fixes that can help you out at times like these.

Wd My Book Usb Device Not Recognized

Initialize The Wd My Book Device In Disk Management

  • The disk management method is usually used when the WD hard disk is not initialized on the computer.
  • The first step is to open the Run command after launching the Windows computer.
  • You can open the run command using the following shortcut key: Windows + R.
  • When the run command opens, type diskmgmt.msc, and Click the OK button.
  • The disk management will now open with the list of drives on your computer along with the External hard drive portion in the window.
  • At the bottom of the window, you will see the external hard disk.
  • Right-click on the Disk 1 option, select Initialize disk and choose the partition between MBT (Master Boot Record) and GPT (GUID Partition Table).

Change The Drive Letter To Wd Hard Drive Partition

  • Open the Run command by using the shortcut keys (Windows + R).
  • When the run command opens, enter devmgmt.msc and click the OK button.
  • The Device Manager will now open.
  • All you have to do now is to change the driver letter and path of the WD My Book device connected.
  • Right-click on the removable disk drive from the Device Manager window and select the option Change driver letter and Paths.
  • The pop-up window will open. Click the Change button in the middle.
  • A new window will appear where you have to select a drive path from the drop-down list.
  • Choose a drive letter from the list and click the OK button.
  • Once you are done with it, restart your computer.
  • Once the computer is back, connect the WD My Book hard drive and see if the Wd My Book USB Device Not Recognized issue is fixed.

Update The Hard Drive Device Driver

  • Press the Windows key + R to open the Run command.
  • When the Run command opens, type devmgmt.msc, and click the OK button.
  • Click on the disk drive and check if you find a yellow exclamation mark icon right next to it.
  • If you find one such icon near the external drive, make a right-click on the WD drive and choose the Properties option.
  • Navigate to the Driver tab and then click Update Driver from the list.
  • You can restart your computer and see if the Wd My Book USB Device Not Recognized issue is fixed.

Format The Wd Hard Drive

  • Formatting the WD hard drive will make it function again when you connect it to the computer.
  • But what when the Wd My Book USB Device Not Recognized, and you cannot perform a standard format, well you can make use of third-party applications.
  • Download the app from the internet and install it on your computer.
  • Now, run the tool and select the external drive from the list.
  • Right-click on the disk and navigate to the Format partition option.
  • The format partition pop-up window will open where you have to select the type of driver.
  • You can choose the file type from the File System drop-down list.
  • Select the NTFS option from the drop-down list and click the OK button.
  • Once you make the selection, click the Apply button and proceed to start the format of the WD My Book hard drive.

Enable USB device in BIOS

  • To turn on the BIOS settings in your computer, perform the following actions:
  • Restart your computer if your computer is turned on.
  • When the startup menu appears, press the Esc key repeatedly to open the BIOS settings utility. This might vary, so look for the option displayed on the monitor while booting up, and keep on pressing the key to enter the BIOS settings.
  • Use the arrow keys to navigate through the BIOS settings.
  • Select the Boot tab and select the Removable devices option.
  • Once you have completed booting the removable devices from the BIOS settings, save the changes.
  • Restart the computer in normal mode.
  • Connect the WD My Book external device and see if the Wd My Book USB Device Not Recognized issue is fixed.

Update Usb Controller

  • To update the USB controller, open the Run command, type devmgmt.msc and press the Enter button.
  • Now, in the Device Manager window, navigate to the Universal Serial Bus Controllers and click the arrow key on the left.
  • Check whether any of the USB controllers shows the yellow exclamation sign icon right next to its name.
  • When you find the USB controller with that error icon, right-click and select the Update Driver Software option.
  • Now a window with two options will be displayed.
  • Click the Search Automatically option from the pop-up window.
  • The USB controller will be updated.
  • Try connecting the WD My Book device to the computer to check if the hard drive is recognized. If Wd My Book USB Device Not Recognized, contact our technical support by availing the call button available on this screen.