External HDD works on tv but not laptop!

mtonkins

Reputable
Apr 7, 2014
3
0
4,510
I have a USB 2 external hard drive. Since yesterday it has stopped working on my laptop. It appears on the device manager but under my computer it just appears as a drive letter and when you try and open it, the laptop freezes up. The laptop returns to normal when I pull the USB out. There is no dodgy mechanical sounds coming from the hard drive, so I believe there is a corrupt..... thing

I have tried CHKDSK which does nothing at all. The strange thing is that the hard drive still works in my TV. I am currently watching TV shows from it now.

So I really have two questions, the first is how cam I fix my HDD so my laptop can read it and secondly, why does it work on the TV with no issues?
 
Are you using the same USB cable to connect from your laptop to your hard drive that you use to connect from your TV to your hard drive? It's not likely it's a cable issue, but it's worth a try.

Also, do you have another computer you could possibly try connecting it to? Try to reproduce the issue on a different machine (other than your TV).

CHKDSK didn't find any errors? Did you do a virus scan?
 
Hi Jeff. I use the same cable, but I do think this has caused the problem. It's a Adata Sh93 and the cable is short and easily comes loose and disconnects. Yesterday this happened while I was watching a film through my laptop which may have corrupted it.

I have tried it yet n another laptop and same issue. The chkdsk just didn't do anything I don't think it can access the hard drive. Strange as the hard drive is in the device manager, but I can't access anything, not even the properties.

I did do a mal ware scan, but it would not work while the had was plugged in. So it has not been
Scanned.
 



I have the same problem. Solution?
 


Facing the exact same issue, the problem only started after i connected the external drive to my TV for the first time.
Please help!
 
I had the same problem multiple times. Try using iCare Data Recovery Software, be aware that the demo version does not let you save much of the found data. After you recover the data format the hdd.

I have now a more interesting problem. One of the laptops makes an external hdd not accessible while other laptops and tv let me use it.
 


i'm facing the same issue right now.. i've tried using two laptops now but to no avail still.. i tried plugging my external hard drive twice on our tv & it's working.. has anyone has a solution to this now?? badly need a solution..

 
Hi !
Hope you still need a solution to your problem.
I have had the EXACT PROBLEM and have been following this thread for 3 years now , hoping to find a solution.

I have solved this problem myself.

You must have had the "Fast Startup" enabled in your power options.
Then one day you shutdown your Laptop with the HDD plugged in and then pulled it out after that.


Then the next time you wanted to access your drive you must have plugged it to a PC which booted without this being connected while booting.

You see "Fast Startup"enables your computers fast boot times by only logging off the current user and protecting part of system related files and drivers to the hibernation file.


This must've locked your files and they wouldve been unlocked too had the HDD had been connected when you started your laptop the next time . ( which probably wasn't the case since you unplugged it soon after)


THE SOLUTION:
>Connect your HDD to a windows laptop with the fast startup feature ON,
It will freeze if you try to access it now
>Kill the laptop, by holding onto your power button.
> Turn it on again(with the HDD still connected)
your computer will take a while to boot ( mine took around 20minutes )

> Once it starts , you can now access your HDD and its contents.


As to why my TV could read the files before , it is probably the way a smart TV accesses the files to view them ( i'm no pro)

Hope it works for you too !

 


Try what i did mate
 




Hey guys i had the same thing what i did and is 100% is working :
Boot with safe mode and boot your pc with external hard drive connected. Then leave it the pc will repear the drive and you will be good to go .
 

I did the same but my system is not booting if the hard drive is connected . I kept is for 1 hour still didn't boot in safe mode. What to do?