How do you get a Toshiba external hard drive to pop up once usb cord is plugged in so that i can access my files?

[NSCARMAN]

Once my Toshiba external hard drive is plugged into the usb port, my computer will not recognize it. I cannot access my files.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Does the computer still give you a "device connected" tone when you plug in the external drive?
If yes, it may just need a drive letter assigning to it, a common problem with external hard drives, especially if that hard drive is not frequently used with that computer.

Open Disk Management: Control Panel > Admin Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management.

Concentrate on the bottom-right panel showing ribbons which represent each detected drive.
Find the ribbon which relates to your Toshiba drive, it won't have a name and will have "Raw" as the description.

Right-click on that ribbon and choose "Change Drive Letter & Paths".
Click "Add".

Accept the default letter or choose a different one from the drop-down list.

Click 'OK' and wait for the ribbon description to update itself.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi
Was this USB drive previously working in this PC .?
If yes try another USB port if front try rear ports

Try another PC

If no is this a 2.5" or 3.5" USB drive
3.5" drives need a psu
On some laptops there is not enough power (500mA) from some USB ports for 2.5" drives
Some USB cables have 2 connectors , one USB data + power the other one power only connect to two adjacent ports to get enough power

Regards
Mike Barnes