External hard drives are prone to several types of failures and errors. One of the most common issues is the external hard drive keeps disconnecting and reconnecting randomly.
This issue can be extremely annoying as it interrupts any file transfers or other activities you may be doing on your computer. You can end up with corrupted files and have further HDD failures.
Although very concerning since further damage can result from it, an external hard drive that keeps disconnecting and reconnecting has simple solutions.
Inspect the USB cable if it is loose or damaged. You can use different USB cables to test if this is the cause of the issue.
It is important to ensure that the USB cable is properly connected and secured before using your external hard drive. If the connection is loose, it can cause intermittent connection issues leading to your external hard drive keep disconnecting. Thus, make sure to inspect the connection regularly and re-connect if needed.
Use a USB port that can supply more power to the external hard drive as well as transfer data.
You can test a different port on your computer as well as connect your external hard drive to a different computer.
If the problem persists after you change the USB port and cable, then your external hard drive keeping disconnecting issue can be due to damaged parts or incompatibility.
Outdated drivers are a very common cause of external device issues. Luckily, it’s not difficult to fix it.
Press Windows + X keys and click on Device Manager. Then, expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers and find USB Root Hub on the list. Right-click it and select the Uninstall Device option.
Then repeat these steps to uninstall all devices under Universal Serial Bus controllers. After that, restart your PC or laptop.
During the reboot, Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers for your USB controllers.
If your computer has the power-saving feature on, it may cause the external hard drive keeps disconnecting and reconnecting. This feature is to preserve your computer from using unnecessary power with USB devices connected. Disabling it can help fix the issue of your external hard drive disconnecting all the time.
To turn off the power-saving feature, go to the Control Panel and click on Power Options.
There, click on Change Plan Settings > Change Advanced Power Settings
Then, expand USB Settings> USB Selective Suspend Setting> Disabled > Apply
After that, reboot your computer, connect your external HDD, and see if it keeps connected.
If your computer system automatically turns off the USB Root hub to save power, it’s very likely your external hard drive keeps disconnecting because of it.
To fix this, press the Windows + R keys and type devmgmt.msc on the box, and click OK.
Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers and double-click USB Root Hub.
Go to the Power Management tab and uncheck the Allow The Computer To Turn Off This Device To Save Power option. Click Ok to confirm.
Reconnect your external hard drive and check if it stays connected.
If none of the above solutions work, your hard drive probably has physical damage. In this case, only a data recovery professional can restore your files.
SalvageData experts have combined decades of external hard drive data recovery. Schedule a free in-lab evaluation and learn why your external hard drive keeps disconnecting. Plus, guarantee full data recovery.
TL; DR: When your external hard drive keeps disconnecting. It is important to inspect the device regularly to make sure that there are no hardware-related issues. If you notice any physical damage or loose components on the hard drive, contact a recovery service immediately, since physical damage requires special tools and a clean room.
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