The solution might be as simple as granting administrator access if requested, but in some cases you need to take ownership of the files. However, you might run into an issue where Windows tells you that you don’t have permission to access the files and folders on the drive. As long as it’s in a format that Windows can understand, you should see all the files and folders stored in the drive. Once you have the drive connected to your computer correctly, it will appear on your system just like any other drive. Our article External Hard Drive Not Showing Up in Windows or OS X has a few tricks you can try. Sometimes external USB drives don’t show up simply because of drive letter conflicts or other rather basic reasons. Does the drive spin up or make any noise at all?.Check that the data and power cables are correctly seated and undamaged.Is the jumper set correctly on IDE PATA drives?.If you’re trying to access files on an old hard drive and the drive doesn’t show up as expected, there are a few basic troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the issue: This is perfect if you have multiple drives to check or only want to temporarily access a drive to transfer data. The other type of connector strips away the enclosure entirely, leaving only a cable and connector. One is a total enclosure, converting an internal drive to an external drive for long-term use. There are two types of external USB drive connector. The most common type converts the drive connection to a USB connection, providing both data and power in one convenient package.
Whether you have a desktop or laptop computer, using an external adapter is the easiest way to connect an old drive to your new Windows 10 computer. Connect the Drive With an External Adapter Instead, you should consider an external connection option.
It’s far too much hassle to open a laptop to install a drive you’ll only use temporarily.
If you’re using a laptop, we don’t recommend installing the drive internally (assuming you have a compatible bay) unless you actually want to use it permanently. If you’re using an adapter to SATA, usually either Master or Cable Select will work just fine.
If you have a computer without any IDE PATA connectors for such a drive, you’ll need to purchase a PATA to SATA converter.